La Dolce Vita (the sweet life) is an Italian language drama film directed by Federico Fellini. This film stars Marcello Mastroianni, Ankita Ekberg, Anouk Aimee, Yvonne Furneaux, Aalin Curry and Walter Santesso in pivotal roles.
The first time I heard of Fellini was before my class was due to watch a screening of La Strada. It was at this moment our instructor informed us about the film La Dolce Vita which in his opinion is Fellini's best film.
He spoke to us about Fellini having a fascination with the number 7 and this film possibly representing the number 7 in Christianity thanks to its opening sequence (We can call this as our prologue for the movie is divided into what I'd like to call as chapters) There are numerous different interpretations of the number 7 such as the 7 deadly sins, the 7 sacraments, the identification of 7 as the perfect number. However, I think there are 7 parts as it is Fellini's 7th feature film.
These 7 parts seem like different chapters akin to an episodic show chronicling the life of hedonistic reporter Marcello Rubini where we get to examine his life and career. Each chapter contributes to a deeper understanding of himself as a person and leaves the viewer with a message about Marcello's psyche. We understand that he is being challenged to look within and find something.
The chapters pit themes against their opposites thus providing both Marcello and the viewer the opportunity to introspect and understand what truly is 'La Dolce Vita.' Marcello comes across as one who believes that monogamy is mundane, however his promiscuous activities are meaningless for they are unable to help him find meaning in a life where he already is without a clear goal. This is a man whose life in the late 1950s or early 1960s seems to mirror the indecisiveness that people experienced and still continue to do so especially in today’s era where the audiences are inundated with choices.
He is at a crossroads between a life of journalism and literature. As a journalist it is his job to cover the high class and exuberant i.e. the ones who are living 'La Dolce Vita' and in doing so he too gets a taste of the sweet life, but it feels meaningless as what he reports on is considered as meaningless drivel and the manner in which he (and the other journalists) do it, is described in the film as ‘hyena like.’
Director Federico Fellini even contrasts the definition of what the idea of 'La Dolce Vita' truly is, with Marcello being one definition and the character of Steiner representing the opposite. This character is crucial and his solace in the church, his recordings of nature combined with progressive life of 1950s Italy portray him as one of the few who are averse to change i.e the conservative Italian. This scene in which Steiner speaks about the progress of society being just a mirage hiding a dangerous world where the end can be announced with just a single phone call is framed and shot brilliantly. Steiner is looking out of the window with the night sky resulting in the audience seeing his reflection in the window as he reflects on his view of the progressive world contradicting his ideal of 'La Dolce Vita.' This character drives Marcello to realization of what has happened due to his self destructive indulgences.
As the chapters progress and Marello witnesses life around him, he along with the audience are be able to form an interpretation both of his life and this film respectively. Every single person will have something to take away from this film.
It is a delightful monochromatic kaleidoscope of meanings if one is prepared to introspect and look beyond the surface of the seemingly normal and unrelated incidents. If not well then this is an almost 3 hour snoozefest.
Considering the time period in which this film premiered and it's country of origin there are certain scenes which one would look at without blinking twice in 2019. But in the 1960s…. The orgy scene, the depiction of Christ to enhance the theme of the movie and the sunbathers would have caused the audience to avert their gaze from the screen.
Like the other film of Fellini which I have seen, this one too comes full circle with the characters exchanging places with what they were doing the previous time around. Everything begins and ends like a circle and it is possible that there could be 60 different viewpoints from 60 different people. This movie has been renowned for being able to change what people can take from it when they rewatch it at a later stage in their lives. La Dolce Vita remains the same and despite its release almost 60 years ago, it still remains relevant today and can still provide a different context to every single person who decides to spend 173 minutes of their life on this Italian masterpiece.
