Nights of Cabiria (1957) Le notti di Cabiria (original title)

Director:

Federico Fellini

Writers:

Federico Fellini (story) &
Ennio Flaiano (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

26 May 1957 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The story of a betrayed but unquenchable little Roman street-walker.

Plot:

A waifish prostitute wanders the streets of Rome looking for true love but finds only heartbreak.

Plot Keywords:

Shrine | Prostitute | Movie Star | Heartbreak | Accountant

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 14 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Giulietta Masina	...	Maria 'Cabiria' Ceccarelli
François Périer	...	Oscar D'Onofrio (as François Perier)
Franca Marzi	...	Wanda
Dorian Gray	...	Jessy
Aldo Silvani	...	The wizard
Ennio Girolami	...	Amleto, 'il magnaccia'
Mario Passante	...	Uncle of Amleto
Christian Tassou
Amedeo Nazzari	...	Alberto Lazzari
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gianni Baghino	...	(uncredited)
Franco Balducci	...	Spectator on the Stage of the Cinema (uncredited)
Ciccio Barbi	...	Man on the Stage (uncredited)
Luciano Bonanni	...	Man in Black Suit at the Edge of the River (uncredited)
Jusy Boncinelli	...	(uncredited)
Loretta Capitoli	...	Rosy (uncredited)
Leo Cattozzo	...	The Man with the Sack (uncredited)
Dominique Delouche	...	Priest with the Flag (uncredited)
Edda Evangelista	...	(uncredited)
Franco Fabrizi	...	Giorgio (uncredited)
Riccardo Fellini	...	(uncredited)
Ines Ferrari	...	(uncredited)
Giovanna Gattinoni	...	La zia nana (uncredited)
Amedeo Girardi	...	(uncredited)
Pina Gualandri	...	Matilda (uncredited)
Elio Mauro	...	(uncredited)
Nino Milano	...	(uncredited)
Jean Mollier	...	(uncredited)
Sandro Moretti	...	Un papponcello (uncredited)
Sergio Parlato	...	(uncredited)
Mimmo Poli	...	Man Eating in the Nightclub (uncredited)
Polidor	...	Friar (uncredited)
María Luisa Rolando	...	Marisa (uncredited)
Vittorio Tosti	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Federico Fellini

Writing credits
Federico Fellini		(story and screenplay) &
Ennio Flaiano		(story and screenplay) &
Tullio Pinelli		(story and screenplay)
Pier Paolo Pasolini		(screenplay)
Maria Molinari		novel

Produced by
Dino De Laurentiis	....	producer

Original Music by
Nino Rota

Cinematography by
Aldo Tonti
Otello Martelli		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
Leo Cattozzo		(as Leo Catozzo)

Production Design by
Piero Gherardi

Costume Design by
Piero Gherardi

Makeup Department
Dante Trani	....	makeup artist
Eligio Trani	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Luigi De Laurentiis	....	production manager
Emimmo Salvi	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dominique Delouche	....	assistant director
Moraldo Rossi	....	assistant director

Art Department
Brunello Rondi	....	artistic advisor

Sound Department
Oscar Di Santo	....	sound
Roy Mangano	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Goffredo Bellisario	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Otello Martelli	....	additional cinematographer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Adriana Olasio	....	assistant editor
Narciso Vicario	....	editing secretary

Music Department
Pasquale Bonagura	....	composer: song "Lla Ri Lli Ra"
Franco Ferrara	....	conductor

Other crew
Manolo Bolognini	....	production secretary
Dominique Delouche	....	production assistant
Paolo Nuzzi	....	production assistant
Nino Manfredi	....	voice dubbing: Ennio Girolami (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica
• Les Films Marceau

Distributors

• Paramount Italiana (1957) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Lopert Pictures Corporation (1957) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Famous Films (1974) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Rialto Pictures (1998) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Les Films Marceau (1957) (France) (theatrical)
• Canal Plus Image International (19??) (USA) (all media)
• Epoca (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Janus Films (196?) (USA) (all media)
• Sovexportfilm
• VTI Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Versátil Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Edizione Musicale Dino  music published by

Also Known As:

"Le notti di Cabiria" - Italy (original title)

Runtime:

110 min | USA:117 min (restored version)

Country:

Italy | France

Language:

Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:PG | South Korea:15 (2003) | Singapore:PG | USA:Not Rated | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Acilia, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica

Trivia:

According to Federico Fellini's assistant Dominique Delouche, actor 'Francois Perier' was hired so the film could get financing as a French co-production.

Goofs:

Continuity: The position of the family outside the house changes between when Cabiria first opens the door and when she leaves the house.

Quotes:

Giorgio:[in Italian]
[first lines]
Giorgio:Go over there.
Maria 'Cabiria' Ceccarelli:[in Italian] It's beautiful. Come on.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Smithereens (1982)

Amazing Transformation

I almost turned this film off. I'm so glad I stayed with it. It's one of the best films I've seen. Cabiria, the street prostitute, is not sympathetic. She's rough, vulgar, not very attractive, a showoff, loud, proud, inelegant. I just didn't feel anything for her character at the beginning. But Fellini must have been reading my mind. He purposefully played it that way to draw the viewer in.

The streets of Rome are unforgiving and harsh for a prostitute. There are those who sleep in caves and in the archways. Cabiria braggingly says, "I've got my own house...here's one girl who's never slept under the arches. Well, maybe once. Twice maybe." By the end of the film I was completely hooked by her charm, desire, and hope. For hope is what keeps Cabiria going. A great film.