A fluid, unconnected and sometimes chaotic procession of scenes detailing the various people and events of life in Italy's capital, most of it based on director Federico Fellini's life.A fluid, unconnected and sometimes chaotic procession of scenes detailing the various people and events of life in Italy's capital, most of it based on director Federico Fellini's life.A fluid, unconnected and sometimes chaotic procession of scenes detailing the various people and events of life in Italy's capital, most of it based on director Federico Fellini's life.
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 3 wins & 3 nominations total
- Fellini, Age 18
- (as Peter Gonzales)
- Young policeman
- (uncredited)
- Widowers' Member at Teatrino
- (uncredited)
- Audience Member at Teatrino
- (uncredited)
- Vestment Show Model
- (uncredited)
- Fascist
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFirst feature film appearance of Cassandra Peterson, better known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. She and a friend were living in Rome when they ran into someone they met in Las Vegas the year before when they were working as showgirls. He was working as a student director for Ferderico Fellini and introduced them to him. He invited them to appear in the film. They played several small uncredited parts throughout with no speaking lines. Peterson said in an interview years later that her total screen time was less than 30 seconds. But she said she enjoyed it and that Fellini was "a great guy."
- GoofsPeter Gonzales Falcon's hairstyles are all in the longish 1972 mode, even though the portions of the film in which he appears are supposed to be taking place thirty or more years earlier, at which time men's hair was cut much, much shorter, and would never be worn as it appears in this film.
- Quotes
Gore Vidal: Well, I suppose you're going to ask me that inevitable question: why do I live in Rome? You could say I live here because its so central - centrale. But, most of all, I like the Romans. They don't care if you live or die. They're like cats. And, of course, this is the city of illusions. It's a city, after all, of the church, of government, of movies. They're all makers of illusions. I'm one too.
- Alternate versionsOriginally released in a 128 minutes version. Later cut to 119 minutes.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Film Night: The Secret World of Federico Fellini (1972)
We shift from a portrayal of Fellini as a schoolboy with dreams of going to Rome, to a depiction of Fellini as a young man, moving to the city he always wanted to live at. There's also scenes of early 1970s theatre attendance, the almost ritual-like eating habits of the Romans, and then we move onto a documentary-like part of the film where we get to see Fellini's camera crew struggle as they try to capture the hustle and bustle of the entrance into Rome via a major highway, filled with drifters, animals, trucks, hitch-hikers, bikes, and more.
The constant changing in scenes and stories is a bit messy, and could possibly confuse those not understanding what Fellini is trying to do with the film. At some times, I found myself questioning whether what we were being shown was a realistic dramatization of Fellini's past experiences, or some kind of farcical take on Roman culture (see the religious clothing fashion show scene!). The film is quite intriguing, taking in the sexual revolution of the era and putting it up against a city full of tradition. We are also exposed to some of the city's dirty little secrets, such as the surprising popularity of their whorehouses.
It can't be denied that there is something endearing to "Roma" that allows Fellini to get away with a film that doesn't really give you much to take home with you, other than an idea of what Rome was like for someone in 1972, and what kind of life was lead to come to those perceptions. It is somewhat self indulgent, but Fellini does put across the impression that he has something to show you, something he'd like to share with you, because he has loved it for so long, and it still fascinates him on a daily basis.
- mattreviews
- Jan 16, 2005
- How long is Roma?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $807
- Runtime2 hours
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1