Juliet of the Spirits (Giulieta degli spiriti)
Directed by Federico Fellini
Written by Federico Fellini, Tullio Pinelli, Ennio Flaiano and Brunello Rondi
1965/Italy/France
Rizzoli Film/Francoriz Production
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
Giulietta Boldrini: I don’t care about the clemency you offer me but the salvation of my soul.
Fellini seems to have been born to make movies in color. Lavish production values outshine other aspects o the film.
Juliet (Giulieta Masina, Fellini’s real-life wife) is a middle-aged upper-middle-class housewife who suspects her husband is having an affair with another woman. Her mother and sisters are fashion plates who look down on her.
Juliet then meets her liberated neighbor Suzy (Sandra Milo, Fellini’s real life mistress), who introduces her to the wild side of life and helps her get to the bottom of her husband’s affair. Julieta eventually slips into a fantasy world. Will she be able to conquer her demons and leave the cad?
This film is a feast for the eyes and ears and Masina is wonderful, as usual. I find it strikingly reminiscent of 8 1/2 but lacking that film’s emotional depth. Here is where Fellini definitively steps into the self-indulgent “Fellini-esque”. His work is touch and go for me hereafter.
Juliet of the Spirits was nominated for Academy Awards in the categories of Best Costume Design, Color and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color.
