The Clowns (1970)

A ragout of real memories and mockumentary, as Fellini explores a childhood obsession: circus clowns.

Director:

Federico Fellini

Writers:

Federico Fellini, Bernardino Zapponi

Stars:

Riccardo Billi, Federico Fellini, Gigi Reder

4 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Riccardo Billi	...	Himself - Italian Clown (as Billi)
Federico Fellini	...	Himself
Gigi Reder	...	Himself - Italian Clown (as Reder)
Tino Scotti	...	Himself - Italian Clown (as Scotti)
Valentini	...	Himself - Italian Clown
Fanfulla	...	Himself - Italian Clown
Merli	...	Himself - Italian Clown
Carlo Rizzo	...	Himself - Italian Clown (as Rizzo)
Alberto Colombaioni	...	Themselves - Italian Clowns (as I 4 Colombaioni)
Pistoni	...	Himself - Italian Clown
Martana	...	Themselves - Italian Clowns (as I Martana)
Giacomo Furia	...	Himself - Italian Clown (as Furia)
Alvaro Vitali	...	Himself (as The Troupe)
Dante Maggio	...	Himself - Italian Clown (as Maggio)
Galliano Sbarra	...	Himself - Italian Clown (as Sbarra)

Storyline

Fellini exposes his great attraction for the clowns and the world of the circus first recalling a childhood experience when the circus arrives nearby his home. Then he joins his crew and travel from Italy to Paris chasing the last greatest European clowns still live in these countries. He also meets Anita Ekberg trying to buy a panther in a circus.

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Plot Keywords:

clown | circus | childhood | memory | italy | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Comedy

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

Italy France West Germany

Language:

Italian French German

Release Date:

25 December 1970 (Italy)

Also Known As:

The Clowns

Filming Locations:

Sabaudia, Latina, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana, Compagnia Leone Cinematografica, Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française (ORTF)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in Maltin on Movies: The Conspirator (2011)

User Reviews

Colourful, nostalgic and poetic- a largely successful Fellini

As a great admirer of Federico Fellini, I was really taken with I Clowns. It is not one of Fellini's finest like La Dolce Vita, 8 1/2, Amarcord, Nights in Cabiria and La Strada, but has much to recommend it. I did feel at times that some of the dialogue collided into another bit of dialogue a little too much. And while certainly not amateurish at any rate I can think of other Fellini films better in this good, again not bad, actually it is skilled but with a somewhat grainy quality and lacking the dream-like feel of for instance 8 1/2. Faults aside, the costumes are stunning showing a lot of detail, while the settings are just as colourful. Nino Rota's scoring, which is largely made up of parts of his other works, is bright and cheerful, yet doesn't in any way undermine the melancholic ending. The structure of the story is much more focused than Satyricon, and while I did enjoy the documentary-like approach of some scenes, it was the personal and nostalgic charm that is part of Fellini's style all over that made I Clowns so intriguing. The clowns are interesting with more than them that meets the eye, they are not as easy to identify with as some of Fellini's other work but they are hardly detached either. The acting is engaging at feels at least naturalistic. All in all, largely successful and well done if not among Fellini's finest work. 8/10 Bethany Cox