Roger Ebert, in his Great Films essay on La Strada, states:
"It is Quinn's performance that holds up best, because it is the simplest. Zampano is not much more intelligent than Gelsomina. Life has made him a brute and an outcast, with one dumb trick (breaking a chain by expanding his chest muscles), and a memorized line of patter that was perhaps supplied to him by a circus owner years before. His tragedy is that he loves Gelsomina and does not know it, and that is the central tragedy for many of Fellini's characters: They are always turning away from the warmth and safety of those who understand them, to seek restlessly in the barren world."
Fellini has given us a film about outcasts. How do the roles of these outcasts reflect on each other? Do you see any signs of redemption? Choose a character and examine how that character redeems him or herself and how that character is cinematically presented as an outcast by society. Be mindful of all of Fellini's symbolism!
Minimum: 2 paragraphs
Zampano and Gelsomina are portrayed as outcasts explicitly - Zampano’s size and Gelsomina’s odd hair and facial expressions - however Matto, The Fool, is portrayed as an outcast in a more implicit way. Unlike Gelsomina and Zampano he looks like any other member of the audience, but his juxtaposing face and actions creates the aura of a pitiful character. When he is first introduced, the audience sees him from a distance while he is performing. This framing of Matto creates a physical as well as an emotional divide between Matto and the audience, both in the street and on the other side of the screen. Fellini appears to have a lot of biblical allusions as Matto’s life reflects many biblical verses, including one that foreshadows the fight that leads to his untimely death; “A fool's lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating”. (There’s a lot more here https://www.openbible.info/topics/fool,)
ReplyDeleteMatto’s redemption began after Zampano’s arrest, when he convinced Gelsomina to stay with zampano, despite his obvious hesitation to give up a possible companion. Although he makes fun of Zampano and at times his personality causes conflict, in the end the audience can see that he has a good heart. This can be seen during his death scene, after Zampano accidently causes him to hit his head on his car. The framing of the shot has biblical allusions, comparing Matto to a Jesus figure as he is being dragged under the bridge. After Zampano pushes his car off the bridge, most likely to mimic an accident, the car explodes, covering Matto’s lifeless figure with flames. This fire can be understood to replicate the fires that killed Joan of Arc. Both figures that Mattos mimics were selfless, and although they had enemies, their deaths were seen as undeserved and untimely.
In La Strada we are shown a plethora of different outcasts, all portrayed in their own ways. Zampano is one of our center characters, so we get a lot of shots to view him as a character. Zampano is a large muscular man that is shown to be scary and intimidating because he is supposed to be shown scary to Gelsomina, he is “a brute and an outcast” and he sticks out from all of the other characters by angels being used to show him as so much larger than those around him, especially in the scene when he is beating up Matto.
ReplyDeleteFor Zampano there is no true redemption for him, he is a murderer in terms of Matto, and in spirit he is the reason that Gelsomina died because he left her alone, broken and sad. He is a killer, he knows what he did is wrong but to him he knows he is not going anywhere in life and that he will be an outcast. The only time we see emotion other than anger in Zampano is in the last shot as we watch him break down over what he ended up losing because he was ignorant and scared to be anything but a brute and an outcast. The last shot, the pulling out is showing that for once in the film he is small as we zoom out and see how small he is in comparison to the things around him.
Zampano is a character that is defined by his strength, not his emotional or mental fortitude, but rather purley his physical capabilities. His emotions almost seemed shoved aside- his love for Gelsomina, his jealousy, his sadness. Gelsomina is a foil to this, as she seems to be so driven by emotion that she is out of touch with reality. But Zampano has redemption in his character. The entire film he has put on this act, not only as a circus act, but in his persona. The character he plays- “The Great Zampano”- seems to be what he tries to embody. It is in the stripping away of this brutish, emotionless persona that Zampano has redemption, even if it comes too late for Gelsomina. In the last scene, Zampano has had enough and runs to the ocean. Upon his arrival he breaks down into sobbing tears. This is the first true display of emotion during the film, and it comes right at the end of the film. This beg the question- “Why?”
ReplyDeleteThe ocean is not only one of Gelsomina’s favorite locations, but it is also a vital symbol in this film. The ocean is vast and chock full of ups and downs. By Zampano’s arrival at the ocean, he is not only exposing himself to something reminiscent of Gelsomina, and therefore admitting his feelings for her, but is exposing himself to this powerful symbol. Cinematically, I believe Fellini is stating the necessity for emotion and love in a vast world of both love and hardships- the ups and downs of life.
La Strada revolves around characters who are different from the world they live in, no matter their location. This is seen most obviously with Gelsomina, who is consistently played as an outcast among outcasts, and juxtaposed against nearly every character she comes in contact with. When she is initially introduced, it is in a way that is unorthodox for a main character, yet very fitting for her character specifically - she is facing away from the camera, as well as walking further from it. Gelsomina is unconcerned with how others perceive her, and this lack of concern is extended to the audience. The rest of the first scene, which shows Gelsomina’s mother selling her to Zampano, further emphasizes her separation from others, as, unlike the other characters, Gelsomina barely speaks, primarily showing her emotions through facial expression and movement. In other scenes, such as when Gelsomina and Zampano arrive at the circus and she discovers the Fool, her isolation is portrayed through closeups and medium long shots. In medium long shots, typically consisting of conversation between two other characters, Gelsomina is small in the background of frame, occasionally being partially cut off by the frame. In close-ups, her level of separation from the others is emphasized - unlike the Fool and the circus owner, who share a frame, she is not shown in a close-up with Zampano when he is stating his opinion, showing that she is not on the same page as him.
ReplyDeleteGelsomina herself is not redeemed in La Strada, but serves as the redeemer - or potential redeemer - for Zampano, by staying with him despite the issues the two of them have. Like Gelsomina, Zampano frequently faces and moves away from the camera, and is isolated in close-ups. At the end of the film, when Zampano has abandoned Gelsomina and has come to regret it, this regret is evident in how his cinematic portrayal has changed. In the scene where he finds out Gelsomina is dead, for example, he is blocked off by a closed frame created by the barbed wire fence he speaks through, demonstrating that he is no longer as aloof as he once was, and now is trapped by the weight of his decisions. Later, when he is thrown out of a bar for starting a fight, he slowly stumbles towards the camera throughout a long take, starting off small in frame and cast in shadow and growing gradually larger, though still facing away from the camera. This emphasizes, again, his new lack of detachment, but his continued unwillingness to face the reality of his situation and accept the consequences of his actions. Had he not left Gelsomina, it is reasonable to assume that his behavior - and cinematic portrayal - would have shifted completely as he was redeemed. La Strada comments on the complicated difference between being an outcast and being completely alone, and emphasizes that you should not turn away from those who need your help - or those who are willing to help you.
While the character of Zampano is cinematically portrayed as an antagonist throughout the majority of the film, in the final minutes the rough exterior which his character presents to the world breaks open and the audience is able to see his humanity.
ReplyDeleteZampano lives an incredibly lonely life, void of any close friends or associates, as he travels from town to town, putting on the same pathetic act over and over again. In his act, he breaks a chain simply by expanding his muscles. Through this act, he creates an aura of strength and masculinity for the audience. However, this act extends past his circus performance and into the rest of his life. It would seem as if he carries on this act throughout his life. We as the audience can see that he feels for Gelsomina, however instead of ever acknowledging these feelings he isolates her and casts her out. Through this he, in effect, isolates himself. Rather than accept his emotions, he chooses to remove himself both from Gelsomina and from the rest of society. In the end, he stays true to himself and rather than accept his feelings, he chooses to abandon Gelsomina on the side of the road.
He comes back years later to find that she has died, and with her his last chance to be accepted by society and to feel love. The film ends with Zampano, stricken with grief, by the sea. The symbolism of the ocean is incredibly powerful, as it was by the sea that we were first introduced to Gelsomina. The chaotic nature of the ocean, and the smallness of Zampano within the frame, demonstrates how alone he truly is. However, this same image shows how the film, and the character of Zampano has come full circle, and hints at the possibility for redemption.
La Strada is quite literally a story of circus freaks: Zampano and Gelsomina live the lives of a traveling circus act and his assistant, outcasts of society that use whatever assets they have to make a living. Cinematically, Fellini represents these characters distanced from everyday civilians, both through mise-en-scene and their roles as sole entertainment. Zampano is the most brutal character: he is abusive and defines himself purely by physical strength. For him, the path to redemption is practically non existent- until the last scene. There we see him stumble towards the ocean while sobbing, an emotional breaking point that the audience has yet to come close to seeing. By ending the movie with this scene, Fellini indicates Zampano has achieved some element of growth, letting loose his inner aggression and turmoil, and in some ways redeeming his brutal demeanor.
ReplyDeleteZampano clearly projects himself as a much higher class of person when around Gelsomina: he constantly talks down to her, yells at her, indicates her faults, etc. But at the end of the day he needs her to be around because, frankly, no one else will, showing that he is just as much an outcast as the poor girl he abuses. A symbol that plays into his character is the repetitive act of breaking the chain. It represents his strength, which attracts Gelsomina at first, but also his inability for any other ideas. He repeats the same act over, and over, and over showing his inability to adapt to the world around him, forcing him to be an outcast.
One notable outcast is Gelsomina. At first, she is alone. The first shot of the entire film shows her by herself on the beach until the children show up. In the next scene, when she is being sold, she does not speak. This sets her apart until we notice that Zampanò is not speaking either. They are both shot in a similar way, with a medium shot and centered in the frame. This is the first instance of Gelsomina finding someone who is like her. Another example of this happening is when she visits the sick boy in his bed. It is implied that he has some degree of mental disability like she does. Gelsomina is wearing dark clothing, darker than any other characters in the scene. The boy is in the corner, shrouded in dark shadows. Next, she walks up to him with her trademark wide-eyed look. He gives a similar look in return. Again this is an occasion where two outcasts are shown to have something in common through similarities in their visual representation. Another outcast that complements Gelsomina well is the Fool. The Fool is a character who shows Gelsomina that “she is something other than a reject” (Bazin). Overall, Fellini isn’t saying that these characters aren’t outcasts, but rather that they are not the only ones, and that they are not just outcasts.
ReplyDeleteAn outcast that is redeemed is Zampanò the Brute. He is redeemed through his relationship with Gelsomina. This is shown through the scene at the end where he finds out that Gelsomina is dead. The camera moves in on him to show the effect that the news has on him. Throughout the whole film he ignores and hides his emotions. He focuses on his circus act and making money. He does not acknowledge his connection to Gelsomina aside from her role as his assistant. However, after learning about her death, “this mass of muscles is reduced to its spiritual core” (Bazin). Gelsomina helps Zampanò to stop isolating himself and to recognize his emotions. Although they are both outcasts, their connection helps them make meaningful realizations--Gelsomina is not useless, and Zampanò is not emotionless.
Quotes from André Bazin: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1064&context=kentucky-review
The choice to make this movie about people in a traveling circus is what establishes the theme of outcasts in La Strada. Zampano’s purpose in life is to put on an act for others to watch, he is hardly treated like his own person as he is characterized primarily by his strength and size. And because they are always traveling, Zampano and Gelsomina are societal outcasts in the fact that they don’t have a home anywhere. Throughout the whole film, the two characters have been seeking redemption through each other. Zampano needs an assistant for his act so he’s not alone, and Gelsomina is hopeful that going with Zampano will give her purpose as her own family thinks of her as strange. They both think that through each other they won’t be alone anymore, but they both end up as outcasts even while they’re together.
ReplyDeleteFellini solidifies Zampano’s status as an outcast when he abandons Gelsomina on the side of the road when she’s sleeping. Zampano abandoning Gelsomina, disconnecting the two outcasts who wanted to find redemption in each other, makes him even more alone. In the last part of the film which could be considered the epilogue, Zampano realizes what he did was wrong after finding out Gelsomina died. He desperately tries to redeem himself and his self-inflicted loneliness by going to the beach. The beach is where he met Gelsomina, and also where the woman Zampano encounters informs him that she died. This last scene can be seen as Zampano trying to get back to Gelsomina. Since Gelsomina was the one he tried to redeem himself through, this is his last effort to seek redemption.
La Strada is a film which is able to depict the lonely and isolated lifestyles of outcasts, people who are deemed unfit and too unruly to function in a normal society. Fellini’s characters are defined by this label, as Zampano and Gelsomina travel together, with Zampano breaking chains with his chest for new groups of people in different towns. The act itself is ironic in a way, as the breaking of the chain symbolizes his strength. Yet he is not truly strong. His strength is seen as demeaning, an indicator that he is different from others and deserves to be a spectacle as opposed to a true person. Their livelihoods depend on their status as outcasts, with people paying to stare at them and laugh at them, as if they are animals in a zoo. Zampano is looked down upon, he is a brute with “one dumb trick” (Roger Ebert), similar to a caged gorilla. And much like a caged gorilla, Zampano’s show gets old quick, forcing him to move on with no true home. This feeling of inadequacy and lack of stability begins to reflect upon Gelsomina. As the two are traveling, Gelsomina stops to plant seeds. These seeds represent her desire to grow as an artist, and ground herself alongside her partner. Zampano responds by rushing her into the wagon, thus coldly teaching her the reality of being an outcast.
ReplyDeleteWhile Zampano is jaded by his status, he begins to find redemption through the companionship of Gelsomina. Zampano holds a status of being an outcast, a circus freak who uses cheap tricks to make his living. Due to the nature of his profession, he never has a home, instead travelling from town to town to find an audience. In turn, Zampano is then always lonely, as he is never able to settle anywhere. Gelsomina becomes Zampano's much needed companionship, a woman who travels with him and shares his profession. Zampano’s life is cyclical however, as the film begins with him approaching Gelsomina’s mother at her beachside home. Her mother is informed that her other daughter who worked with Zampano had died, and that he is searching for a replacement. By the end of the movie, Gelsomina befalls the same fate, as she too dies when abandoned by her companion. Although this shows a lack of growth in Zampano, it is incorrect to say that he was not redeemed in any sense. The final scene of the film depicts Zampano back where he started, diving into the ocean that is so similar to the one where he found Gelsomina. The use of a wide angle shot shows him dwarfed by the sheer size of the water, as he is surrounded by nothingness. It seems as though he has learned from his mistake, that he knows he is lonely because he pushed Gelsomina away. It is this sudden self awareness that shows Zampano developed as a character, that he is not defined by his status as an outcast.