La Dolce Vita (1960)
"La dolce vita" (original title)

A series of stories following a week in the life of a philandering paparazzo journalist living in Rome.

Director:

Federico Fellini

Writers:

Federico Fellini (story), Ennio Flaiano (story),

Stars:

Marcello Mastroianni, Anita Ekberg, Anouk Aimée

Won 1 Oscar. Another 8 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marcello Mastroianni	...	Marcello Rubini
Anita Ekberg	...	Sylvia
Anouk Aimée	...	Maddalena (as Anouk Aimee)
Yvonne Furneaux	...	Emma
Magali Noël	...	Fanny (as Magali Noel)
Alain Cuny	...	Steiner
Annibale Ninchi	...	Il padre di Marcello
Walter Santesso	...	Paparazzo
Valeria Ciangottini	...	Paola
Riccardo Garrone	...	Riccardo
Ida Galli	...	Debuttante dell'anno
Audrey McDonald	...	Jane (as Audey McDonald)
Polidor	...	Pagliaccio
Alain Dijon	...	Frankie Stout
Enzo Cerusico	...	Fotografo

Storyline

Journalist and man-about-town Marcello struggles to find his place in the world, torn between the allure of Rome's elite social scene and the stifling domesticity offered by his girlfriend, all the while searching for a way to become a serious writer.

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Plot Keywords:

journalist | writer | prostitute | party | gossip columnist | 

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Taglines:

The world's most talked about movie today!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Italy France

Language:

Italian English French German

Release Date:

19 April 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Sweet Life

Filming Locations:

Bassano Romano, Viterbo, Lazio, Italy

Box Office

Gross:

$19,516,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Riama Film, Gray-Film, Pathé Consortium Cinéma

Technical Specs

Runtime:

174 min 177 min (premiere) 165 min (re-release) 180 min (premiere)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Was voted the 6th Greatest film of all time by Entertainment Weekly.

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Goofs

In the castle, Marcello lights a match to view some ancestral paintings. A spotlight is used to enhance the light of this match, but does not follow the actor's movements very closely and gives the illusion away.

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Quotes

Marcello Rubini: [to Emma] A man who agrees to live like this is a finished man, he's nothing but a worm! I don't believe in your aggressive, sticky, maternal love! I don't want it, I have no use for it! This isn't love, it's brutalization!

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Connections

Referenced in Zwischen Kino und Konzert - Der Komponist Nino Rota (1993)

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Soundtracks

"Patricia"
Performed by Perez Prado

User Reviews

the one film to take with you on a deserted island

I've seen this film regularly since 1971. In theatres, on TV, on video, on DVD. It doesn't age. If anybody ever needed proof that Fellini was a genius, this is it. La dolce vita remains the most touching statement about the human condition I ever saw on film. Everybody remembers the magic-realistic image of Anita Ekberg in the Trevi fountain, and a truly amazing image it is. But the film is much more than a slightly surrealistic sketchbook of emotionally empty jet setters. It is more existentialist than any book by Sartre or Camus. The final sequence is simply devastating. We are all Marcello. Since over 30 years this is my number-one film.