Anno XXXV, n. 1 RIVISTA DI STUDI ITALIANI Aprile 2017 Tutti i diritti riservati. © 1983 Rivista di Studi Italiani ISSN 1916-5412 Rivista di Studi Italiani (Toronto, Canada, in versione cartacea fino al 2004, online dal 2005)

CINEMA

THE EBB AND FLOW OF FAMILIES IN FELLINI’S I VITELLONI

TONIA CATERINA RIVIELLO Santa Clara University

To my mother Antonia Who admired Giulietta and Federico Fellini. She was born, Like the Maestro, In the fortunate winter of 1920. She has dedicated her life To the Catholic Church, The family and friends, The neglected and orphans of the world .

he film I Vitelloni (1953), directed by Federico Fellini, focuses on a group of young men who are lingering in a state of youthful Tirresponsibility. In the film’s first half, vague dreams, minor ploys, and predictions predominate, whereas the second half brings real-world concerns, personal struggles and enlightenment, which leads toward the dissolution of the group. The preoccupations of these young men are indicative of an idealistic view of life as well as the anticipation of mature age. We believe that the vitelloni are trying to discover how many of their dreams the post-war era will allow them to fulfill. At first glance, they may appear indolent and not very ambitious about their futures ‒ their ages ranging from about 20 to 30. In fact, we see them trying to earn money: Leopoldo by writing plays, Riccardo by being a host and singer, and Fausto by working in a shop. The group and their families act as one grand family. The film is a microcosm of Italian society in the 1950s where young people face uncertain employment. In the years after the war, one can clearly see the living conditions of the classes in society. Those who own a shop or property live comfortably if not lavishly. For young men with aspirations, the thought of one day going to Rome or Milan keeps their 301 TONIA CATERINA RIVIELLO minds active while they spend their days in the group and hope to find diversion from taking serious action. Parents help the new generation find work, if not the ideal occupation at least one good enough to provide sustenance for a young family. Italian parents, especially during such times, are happy for their children to remain at home and encourage their efforts to find better prospects. The group of friends is like many brothers who participate in each other’s lives and help whoever needs help. We see how much Italian families sacrifice for their children and their children’s children. They never fail to comfort someone who is suffering from one disappointment or another. Friendships are maintained both by parents and children; and the honor of the family’s name is paramount. Solidarity is essential, as is demonstrated by many examples in the film. At certain moments, we almost forget which town or country we are in. A compelling portrayal of the human condition, with all its truths and contradictions, makes Fellini’s cinema original, challenging, and rewarding 1. The life of a tourist town on the Adriatic sea is examined through off-season activities and festivities. Fellini shows the audience the strengths and weaknesses of these young men. Goodbyes punctuate the film, the last being Moraldo’s to his hometown, in the voice of Fellini. Some critics have claimed that the film was conceived as a homage to provincial towns and their way of life 2. As is well known, Fellini had already left and was living in Rome with his wife, Giulietta, when I vitelloni was filmed. The director recaptures, through memories, his youth and the dynamic rhythm of life within Italian families 3.

1 Enrico Giacovelli, Tutti i film di Federico Fellini , Torino: Lindau, 2002 1. “Genesi: Nel 1953 Fellini aveva già pronto il copione della Strada e intendeva realizzarlo a tutti i costi: il costo minimo necessario fu accontentare i produttori realizzando una commedia che non scontentasse troppo il pubblico. Ecco dunque spuntare all’improvviso, da uno scambio di vedute con Ennio Flaiano, l’idea dei Vitelloni ”, p. 57. 2 Stefania Miccolis, Federico Fellini e la Spagna , Lanciano: Casa Editrice Rocco Carabba, 2013. “Il film I vitelloni (1953), di palese impronta autobiografica, assurge anche ad icona di una certa Italia di provincia. Lo stesso titolo, derivato da una espressione dialettale di Rimini, diventerà metafora di una perenne dimensione adolescenziale.... Indicava in origine i giovanotti indolenti delle cittadine balneari adriatiche, avvezzi ad ammazzare la noia di provincia in serate tirate fino a tardi, tra passeggiate in gruppo e soste oziose nei caffè”, p. 48. 3 Emanuela Pecchioli, “I vitelloni all’estero. L’influenza del film di Fellini sul cinema internazionale”, Conference proceedings: Fellini: A Disorderly and Passionate Genius of Italian Cinema. 13th Annual Italian language Week in the World. Thursday, October 17, 2013 - Saturday, October 19, 2013 . “I vitelloni della cittadina marina sono tipi universali e questo anche grazie a fattori in parte casuali. Per cominciare, nella stesura del soggetto, i ricordi di 302 THE EBB AND FLOW OF FAMILIES IN FELLINI’S I VITELLONI

The hour and the seasons pass almost unobserved, as if time stood still. The young men live day by day seizing the joy of life and youth. Fellini and his collaborators with photography and music have succeeded in capturing the passing of time. A serenity in the air engenders this sweet way of living. Love pervades the scene even when tensions arise. Love is the force, the wind, that sustains their reality. Though the spectacle of nature is not accentuated in the film, it is always present in the spirit of the spectator. I vitelloni stresses the roles of women in Italian society as mothers, sisters, and fiancés. They are shown as having active roles, whether in the households or as workers helping to support their families. Women show a new independence in not being constrained by the family fortune or lack thereof. They may or may not listen to their brothers’ advice or intimidation. The women recognize their potential as individuals who can shape the future. Their beauty is showcased from the beginning in the “Miss Sirena” beauty pageant, in which some vitelloni act as announcers, journalists, and singers 4. Abundant communal attendance and enthusiasm mark the award ceremony. Sandra, a delicate young woman about twenty years old, is elected the clear winner. Unexpectedly, she shows trepidation at such an honor and faints during the congratulations showered on her by the crowd. Not just her family rushes to find a doctor; the entire audience wants to help. Fausto, a flirtatious young man about thirty years old, is the only exception. Unlike the other vitelloni , who are busy contributing to the success of the pageant, Fausto pursues a young, unnamed, contestant. He treats her in an ungentlemanly manner and denies making any promises to Sandra. When Sandra’s mother demands an explanation from the doctor and the doctor orders the room to be cleared, Fausto’s face betrays a sense of controlled alarm. He slips away, runs home in the rain, and prepares to go out of town. He is ironically called the “spiritual guide” whom the other vitelloni follow. His irresponsible attitude is immediately apparent as he explains to Moraldo, Sandra’s brother, that he wants to get a good job and then return to Sandra later. He even invites Moraldo to leave with him, reminding him that all the vitelloni have thought of leaving the town for better prospects. Moraldo’s lack of stern reaction to such a rash suggestion is the first instance of his slow, pondering manner, which is a composite of ethical uprightness and weak personal resolve. Fausto’s father, Francesco ‒ who has evidently overheard the two young men ‒ shows no such

Fellini si confusero e si mischiarono con le memorie pescaresi di Flaiano”, p. 162. 4 Fabrizio Borin, Federico Fellini: A Sentimental Journey Into the Illusion and Reality of a Genius. In conjunction with Carla Mele , Rome: Gremese Editori, 1999. “From the very start the ordinary pleasures of the party are interrupted by a summer storm brought on by a change of weather that, just in a few shots, sets the action, and Fausto’s anxiety into motion”, p. 34. 303 TONIA CATERINA RIVIELLO hesitation, is clearly aware of his son’s escapades, and confiscates his hastily prepared suitcase. The storm at the pageant is a warning that “fortuna” is likely to change the course of human lives. Moraldo helps Fausto get out of trouble with his sister and other misadventures. Moraldo sacrifices himself for others. In an early scene, his mother immediately calls on him to get a doctor for Sandra, because he is considered trustworthy.

Music

The music has three original themes. The first theme has a tender romantic mood, often associated with Sandra’s love of Fausto. The second theme anticipates for the viewer a moment of happiness or resolution and is used repeatedly to set the emotional tone. We hear this theme the first time when Fausto is running home in the rain after the pageant. The last time we hear this is when he goes to his father’s house where he finds Sandra. The third theme appears in the peaceful situations, such as the panoramic view of the group by the sea 5. Aside from these, some patriotic music precedes the opening credits, sung by a chorus of men about their entry into the war: “Open your doors if you want to see how brave and enthusiastic these young men are”. Fellini uses this opening sequence to show that the vitelloni are the lucky ones, too young to serve in World War II and with the luxury of drifting. The vitelloni can fall back on their families accomplishments from hard and honest work. We are reminded of this over and over by the two fathers and Michele, the owner of a shop specializing in religious artwork.

Pageant

Sandra is a beautiful but naïve young woman. After winning the pageant, her female friends think she is fit for the cinema. The “gentleman” and the “clown” among the vitelloni ‒ Riccardo and Alberto ‒ openly say that she is beautiful and refined. For Alberto, Sandra deserves a more responsible man than Fausto. Later, the entire group does not hesitate to help locate Sandra, a measure of their lasting solidarity. Sandra has a heart of gold; she forgives Fausto repeatedly because she truly loves him and knows that he loves her despite his weaknesses. The comic irony of the pageant scene is that Fausto chases a woman at the beginning and runs from another at the end. The scene with the

5 M. Thomas Van Order. Chapter 2: “I vitelloni : Music and Social Ritual”, in Listening to Fellini. Music and Meaning in Black and White , Madison, Teaneck: Fairleigh Dickenson University Press, 2009, p. 41. “Three themes are presented with the opening credits: Theme A, mysterious, dark, and foreboding; Theme B, romantic and emotionally charged; and Theme C, light-hearted and playful”. 304 THE EBB AND FLOW OF FAMILIES IN FELLINI’S I VITELLONI pageant shows how tourist towns by the sea are different from cities with industries. Here work is seasonal, especially for young people. What is not explicitly mentioned is that these young men are always thinking of work. They come from honest families who will intervene for justified ethical reasons. The parents act as guides in given situations because they want to teach their grown children how to live. Fausto’s playacting reaches its height after Moraldo calls him from outside his father’s house, having chased him there in the rain. His most pathetic excuse arises when he welcomes Moraldo into the father’s house. Fausto says “Ciao” in a lighthearted manner, as if he does not know that Sandra fainted. Behind the closed door of his room, he suggests that she will be contented being Miss Sirena, even if he is in another town, but Moraldo’s silence makes clear that no excuse will be accepted. Fausto abandons his act and flatly states that he must leave. He suggests that Sandra would be pleased if Moraldo were to go with him. At this point, Moraldo is torn between feelings of disappointment and friendship toward Fausto. Moraldo’s mood is somber, far from his serene and joyful one a few hours before at the pageant. Hoping that Fausto will come to the right decision by himself, Moraldo gently reminds him of his duty to Sandra. His patient and calm method is far from the menacing threats employed by Francesco, a proud traditional father. To counterbalance the tense interactions inside the house, Fellini shows three friends still outside the house bursting into laughter when Fausto opens the door. For once, he does not enjoy a joke and curses his “fate” that he will not be able to skip town unchecked, seemingly out-flanked by forces both inside and outside the house. Fellini juxtaposes two situations, one inside Francesco’s house and another outside. Riccardo, Alberto, and Leopoldo are in front of the house, calling him. While they are in the rain, Fausto protests that they are laughing while his father is crying. The father calls him a troublemaker and asserts that he will marry Sandra, because her father, like himself, is an honorable man who has worked all his life.

Wedding in their parish church

In the wedding scene, we can clearly see Fellini’s technique in making light of a heavy situation with a playful one. The general pattern of the plot is that actions or intentions are interrupted by episodes that may or may not be related. The honor of the family has to be safeguarded, for the head of the family knows how difficult it is to become prominent or influential in a provincial town, through respect earned over the years. Social relations are sometimes fragile and delicate. One’s conduct is observed and judged every day. Sandra’s father is presented as an amiable yet hardworking patriarch. He is not seen at the pageant, because business keeps him away. After the wedding ceremony, he personally congratulates Francesco and has kind words for Fausto’s little sister, Mirella. This is also his quiet way of thanking Francesco for the encouragement 305 TONIA CATERINA RIVIELLO and effort he has made toward the marriage. It is no surprise that this provider ‒ who has made a name for himself in the community ‒ finds a job for Fausto after the newlyweds return from Rome. Sandra’s mother is overbearing at times and deeply class conscious and treats her like a baby. In line with this, the mother calls Sandra “My little girl” (“La mia bambina”) even after she is married. Fellini emphasizes the difference in social status of the two families. This creates the seed for the main suspenseful drama at the end of the film, Sandra’s disappearance. At the train station, after the wedding, Moraldo’s father waves with his handkerchief for Moraldo to come along with the other guests, but he lingers on by himself and the wind of change is heard for the first time. After Fausto and Sandra leave for Rome, the remaining vitelloni are shown in the usual cafe, playing pool. Now that Fausto is gone, Alberto takes center stage at the pool table, while holding a cigarette in his hand and bragging about his inside knowledge of Rome and many acquaintances. Only Riccardo is seen playing pool with Alberto. The others are more melancholic and sluggish. Leopoldo, who is keeping score, voices his desire to imitate Hemingway in faraway travels. Moraldo interrupts his pondering only to agree with Leopoldo about traveling, but states that he would rather go to India on his honeymoon. As long as the possibility of finding steady work is low, the vitelloni engage their minds in a friendly competition of grand dreams about exploring distant lands and learning foreign cultures: Scolari writes, “Con quest’opera Fellini raffigura la realtà di una parte della provincia italiana mettendo contemporaneamente in scena il disagio che coglie i giovani che si affacciano al mondo del lavoro” 6.

Seaside dreams and reality

In the winter, the vitelloni have abundant time to go to the nearly deserted beach as observers and dreamers, even on overcast days. Although they do not interact at present while looking at the sea, we can surmise that each is remembering the past and fantasizing about the future, which Freud describes as a typical pattern of fantasy:

The relation of a phantasy to time is in general very important. We may say that it hovers, as it were, between three times ‒ the three moments of time which our ideation involves. Mental work is linked to some current impression, some provoking occasion in the present which has been able to arouse one of the subject’s major wishes. From there it harks back to a memory of an earlier experience (usually an infantile one); in which this wish was fulfilled; and it now creates a situation relating to

6 Giovanni Scolari, L’Italia di Fellini , Cantalupo in Sabina: Edizioni Sabinae, 2008, p. 72. 306 THE EBB AND FLOW OF FAMILIES IN FELLINI’S I VITELLONI

the future which represents a fulfilment of the wish. What it thus creates is a day-dream or phantasy, which carries about it traces of its origin from the occasion which provoked it and from the memory. Thus past, present and future are strung together, as it were, on the thread of the wish that runs through them 7.

On one quiet day, they are interrupted by a dog barking, and Alberto throws a stick for it to fetch. After another throw, Alberto jumps over a fence to a secluded area, where he sees the “reality” of his sister, Olga, and her date, a man separated from his wife. Olga runs to meet Alberto and pleads with him to keep her relationship secret from their mother. She also wants to keep the volatile Alberto at a distance from her date, with thick, black glasses, who at first appears to be visually impaired. Alberto is outraged but ultimately walks away. Although the robust Alberto seems on the verge of violence a few times, he never asserts himself physically. He is a man of principles and traditional values. The honor of the family is a strong theme for him, as is the memory of his dear departed father, who likely died prematurely and left the family somewhat impoverished. Olga is certainly conscious of how untraditional her relationship is in post- war Italian society. She does not risk exposure at the carnival, but remains industrious, with a specific plan for her own departure from the town. She provides some income for her family. The mother keeps the house beautifully furnished and is open-minded in having Alberto bring his friends to visit. Alberto is very naïve when he asks Olga to borrow some money, suggesting that she has been forced to work all night and should not be treated so roughly by her boss. He does not seem to recognize her determination to achieve financial and personal freedom. The theme of love may be carried further by Fellini in portraying Olga as an intelligent, beautiful, independent young woman in an unconventional situation. At home, Alberto reminds her that she has promised to break up with the man. He asserts that she is his sister, not a “nobody” with no reputation to safeguard. She should be thinking of their mother’s feelings. She replies that he should not get involved. She knows how to take care of herself, as she has always done 8.

7 Peter Gay, Editor. The Freud Reader , New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1989, p. 439. 8 Giuseppe Natali, “Il mitologema felliniano e le sue incarnazioni nel cinema americano contemporaneo”, Conference proceedings: Fellini: A Disorderly and Passionate Genius of Italian Cinema. 13th Annual Italian language Week in the World. Thursday, October 17, 2013 - Saturday, October 19, 2013 . “I film di Fellini sono intrecci di realtà interiore ed esteriore, intessuti della sua memoria e della sua immaginazione. Il regista considerava la propria opera cinematografica parte della sua stessa sostanza.... Fellini è quindi letteralmente 307 TONIA CATERINA RIVIELLO

The highest point

In the “return from Rome” scene, Fellini celebrates the rapport of the group. He shows the beautiful architecture and ample streets of the town on a sunny day which brings everyone out to coffee shops and restaurants “all’aperto”. Fellini captures the vitelloni at peace in a public arena, enjoying the quiet company of their comrades. Fausto returns accompanied by a very animated Sandra. The vitelloni welcome them back with sincere warmth. They let Fausto lead almost without interruption, for they are eager to learn what novelties he has brought back from Rome. Fausto’s best characteristics are presented to us here by the director, in an example of an impromptu collaboration. He is cheerful and relaxed, eager to show his friends the mambo that he saw danced masterfully in Rome. Rather than personal effects, the newlyweds bring a portable gramophone, something that can be shared on many festive occasions. Fausto rushes to turn it on and starts dancing in the street. After briefly observing a few steps, Alberto joins him and both dance beautifully in a long shot with the town as a backdrop and the rest of the group attentively observing. This is a genuine snapshot of happiness in an Italian town of the 1950s. Sandra has become one of the group, fully accepted and reassured by her brother Moraldo with minimal words. Asked if she is happy, she responds “Yes, very much”. The “flow” of music and dance have replaced words, bringing to everyone enraptured harmony. This episode reinforces our interpretation that these vitelloni are ready to learn and contribute to society. The newlyweds are generous in spirit and mind, but the audience will soon wish that things could have stayed so harmonious and animated. This scene is a high point of artistic redemption through the lifting force of the Arts: music, dance, and architecture. The universal languages of music and dance go beyond the individual preoccupations of each character. The audience feels the Fellinian universal aura of fraternal compassion for the frailties of the human condition. Fellini ‒ the demiurge of cinema ‒ is at his best in uniting for a brief moment all hearts in one happy beat. These characters recapture the golden days of friendship and trust among friends 9. The spirit of community permeates this drama of Fellini, prepared and crafted by the Maestro before the actors went on the set each morning, as was attested by the actors interviewed years later 10 . unico nel suo genere, intrinsicamente inimitabile, così come inimitabili sono i suoi film, vere e proprie estensioni del suo essere”, p. 175. 9 The total openness of Baiocco toward his friend Antonio in Ladri di biciclette , by De Sica, shows a similar friendship. Baiocco dedicates precious time in the hope of finding the stolen bicycle, as if Antonio were a part of an extended family. 10 See “Vitellonismo”: An exclusive documentary featuring interviews, on the DVD. 308 THE EBB AND FLOW OF FAMILIES IN FELLINI’S I VITELLONI

The film shows how the town on the Adriatic changes from summer to winter, when young inhabitants express their anxieties, because of the lull in tourist activity 11 .

Carnival

The carnival is portrayed as a much anticipated festival of the year. It goes on for about two weeks, especially for the children who love to go around town in their costumes, accompanied by their parents. Shrove Tuesday includes spectacular dancing and parading with gigantic comical puppet heads through the streets of the town. Fellini’s sensibility toward children is exhibited in a montage of rapid images and children in bright costumes dancing in a merry- go-round pattern, which gives the viewer the impression that they will dance for as long as they please. The hands of a very young boy are being held by his parents, as if Fellini wants to give us a foretaste of how Moraldino will go to his first carnival with his family to learn the traditions and cultures of his homeland. Bispuri asserts that “Che cosa è I vitelloni se non un film che ha come protagonista l’atmosfera di una città di provincia” 12 . The musical arrangement is fast and sprightly, mirroring the fanciful costumes and activities of children. No confetti and streamers are thrown on the children, to keep their innocent play safe and unobstructed. The adults attend an elaborate nightlong ball in an opera house, which concludes the festivities with costumes, more music, dancing, drinking, eating, and socializing. All men and women are welcome, rich and poor. Here, as Fellini will do in subsequent films, he shows that everyone should be allowed to have fun after working diligently. Most of the vitelloni prepare elaborate, original costumes. They are helped by a seamstress as well as by a large chest of clothing in Alberto’s house, which indicates the respect that the family has toward the late father, by saving his clothes. The carnival ball is an occasion for well-to-do families to observe from their opera boxes as spectators and then to join the dancers in the concluding section of the ball. Sandra’s parents are going down themselves for a last dance

11 Federico Pacchioni, Inspiring Fellini: Literary Collaborations Behind the Scenes , Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2014, p. 70. “To the youth of this imaginary Adriatic town in I vitelloni , Rome appears as the ultimate object of their fantasy, competing at the level of exoticism with places like Brazil. When Fausto and Sandra return from their honeymoon in Rome, Fausto is sporting a mustache, a sign of a change representing a rite of passage, and he amazes everyone by setting up a record player in the middle of the street and improvising a dance that he and Sandra had learned at a Wanda Osiris show. This surprising dance is the effect of Flaiano’s and Fellini’s imagination of Rome, perceived as a surrogate for an epiphany experience”. 12 Ennio Bispuri, Interpretare Fellini , Rimini: Guaraldi, 2003, p. 54. 309 TONIA CATERINA RIVIELLO in the loud music. The sequence of images is rapid during the carnival scene and then much longer afterward. Toward the end of the ball, we see Sandra’s father and Michele dancing with their wives. The music accompanying their revelry is bombastic, mirroring and encouraging their exaggerated gestures. Like a circus, the carnival constitutes a setting in which the individual can let his imagination flow and live in a state of wonder, without definite expectations and without fear of censure. The circus allows the individual to forge genuine unexpected friendships. The vitelloni have the trust among themselves that is also required among circus performers, from acrobats to animals, who work together with whole-hearted efforts so that the audience can appreciate their coordination and skill even in comical performances. In a circus performance, there can be no distrust or pretense: a misunderstood gesture can be costly and long-lasting. The performers rely on their mutual experience to ensure that actions are kept within a safe range of motion. They are like a family, as is the group of vitelloni , which creates through time-tested refinement a safe environment for wonder and experiment. Borin writes of Fellini’s youth:

One example is the memory of running away with the circus, which paves the way for the future themes of travel and the love of that world which he immediately feels to be his own…. [H]e had the distinct premonition that this was the world awaiting him. ‘At the time I did not know that my future was going to be in the circus… the cinema circus’ but he dreamt of it…. His encounter with Pierino, his first clown, is revealing: ‘I realized that he and I were one being. I sensed my immediate affinity with his lack of respectability. It had something to do with his carefully planned self-neglect, something that was both amusing and tragic’13 .

None of the characters who are so elated at the carnival ball know that troubles are brewing. Within hours, Olga leaves her family home, Fausto is out of work, and Moraldo is recruited for an unethical act, taking an angel statue. Fellini has the audience hear two ladies saying “Let’s go to an early mass” on Ash Wednesday, while the vitelloni are dragging themselves home after a long night. It is refreshing to hear the jingling bells of a carriage early in the silence of the morning after having heard the deafening music of the carnival parade and nighttime orchestra. A distinctive change in the cinematography indicates an emotional shift and entirely new phase of the story. This film gives the viewer a glimpse into family situations. Riccardo, who is played by Fellini’s brother, is not seen interacting in his family. Perhaps he is an only child. He has gentlemanly manners, often wearing a finer hat and jacket than the other vitelloni , and he is entrusted to be master of ceremonies at

13 Borin, cit., p. 10. 310 THE EBB AND FLOW OF FAMILIES IN FELLINI’S I VITELLONI the yearly pageant of Miss Sirena. Riccardo uses proper language and chooses to dress up as a medieval knight for the carnival ball. He acts accordingly with the beautiful young lady he is escorting to the extravagant occasion 14 . No one has to help him, though he is always ready to help others. He leads a more reserved life and does not dwell on his problems and frustrations. Riccardo is the philosopher and artist who must not reveal his deepest beliefs, his dreams, before they are incorporated in his art. He communicates through his art, his work, and does not hesitate to be enigmatic. He wishes to uplift the hearts and minds of an audience through his singing.

After the carnival

The presentation of women by Fellini is complex. Unlike Olga, Sandra wishes to honor her mother’s suggestions. She participates in Miss Sirena 1953 because her mother insisted on it. She forgives Fausto, because she loves him, and she upholds the family’s name and honor. Though naïve and traditional, she knows enough to keep her private life private. Before meeting Fausto at work, she has an uncomfortable encounter with some old girlfriends, who waste no time asking about Rome and other private matters. She expresses clearly to her friends that she needs to go. A friend recommends that she keep surveillance on her volatile and weak-willed husband. The viewer clearly sees at this point how upset and humiliated Sandra is by her friend’s curiosity and free judgment about her marriage and new family. She wants to avoid the intrusion of others in her personal life. Accordingly, when she leaves home unannounced, she does not go to her friends or even her teacher, but to her new trusted father-in-law, Francesco. In the early morning of Ash Wednesday, when Olga is saying her heart-felt goodbye to Alberto, her date remains at a cautious distance in the driver seat of a car. He does not speak, and his behavior indicates an awareness of his vulnerability in traditional Italian society. Olga is torn between her personal interests and her family obligations. Moraldo, who has accompanied the hung- over Alberto to the doorstep, witnesses Olga’s departure, perhaps intensifying his questioning as to whether he should leave for his personal growth rather than remain a custodian of Fausto and a follower of the vitelloni . Alberto’s mother is a loving lady who spends her days caring for her children and keeping a beautiful home for them and their friends. As a widow,

14 He also asks about Sandra when talking with the rest of the group. Perhaps he is in love with her, though Fausto has snatched her away. Riccardo provides a car during a search for Sandra, an expensive English sedan belonging to his father. The narrator humorously calls him Riccardino when he sings at the wedding of Sandra and Fausto, which is a way of teasing the heavier and more mature member of the group. 311 TONIA CATERINA RIVIELLO she has free time and could be going out to cafes and movies with her lady friends. As a physically attractive and cultured woman, she could have remarried for her own gratification and social status. Instead, she has forgone these possibilities to keep alive the memory of her husband as well as to ensure that her growing children do not have to obey a step-father who could be so different from their beloved father. The painful realization on Ash Wednesday is that her daughter Olga has forgotten all that the mother has sacrificed, especially for her daughter. Here is the primary example of how much pain one child can inflict on a family, despite having an extremely caring mother. This intense episode is a product of what Bispuri describes as Fellini’s urge to recreate unforeseen human dramas:

Fellini non poteva più raccontare delle storie guardate dall’esterno, ma doveva coinvolgersi in prima persona, raccontando se stesso, lasciando riemergere il mondo passato e dando ad esso quel significato particolare che solo la fantasia creatrice poteva dargli... per trasformarlo in ricerca del senso stesso dell’esistenza.... Per Fellini non è importante quello che si descrive, ma come si descrive 15 .

The moments we witness in Alberto’s attempt to console his mother and berate the departed Olga are the most moving in the film. Sordi’s acting is so superior and versatile that we believe in this tragic truth as if it were happening in real life before our eyes. Fellini has masterfully prepared the terrain for Alberto’s outpouring of indignation followed by sudden exhaustion. The demiurge has had Alberto say to Olga repeatedly, “If you make Mamma cry….” (Se fai piangere Mamma….). Alberto says this almost crying himself, stressing the gravity of her intention to an impassive Olga. As critics have noted, Fellini arranged for Sordi to give the best performance of his career. Fellini with this film leaves a precious gift not just to Italian cinema and culture, but also to world cinema 16 . The group of friends slowly disintegrates after the “best carnival ever”, as defined by Riccardo. Alberto in his drunkenness and exhaustion in the early hours of Ash Wednesday has a realization that Christians should remember that we humans are nothing, because even the most successful will go back to the

15 Bispuri, cit., p. 48. 16 Chris Wiegand, Federico Fellini: The Complete Films: Ringmaster of Dreams 1920-1993 , Köln: Taschen, 2003. “I vitelloni reveals Fellini’s increasingly sophisticated and mature directorial style.... Fellini’s particular achievement here is his masterly control of tone. He creates a tale that is in turn comic, poignant and even tragic. He also does well handling the film’s large cast. For the first time Fellini uses rounded characters as opposed to caricatures”, p. 39. 312 THE EBB AND FLOW OF FAMILIES IN FELLINI’S I VITELLONI earth. Humans have the privilege of living in the spirit, but every Ash Wednesday Christians go to church to be reminded what they will ultimately become. Fellini does not miss the opportunity to have Alberto (who enjoys life, food, and wine) come to the awareness that it does not matter how much one has accumulated: all ambitions come to a halt at the end of mortal life. Alberto’s exhortation that all of the vitelloni should get married is a veiled way to tell them to go through the stages of life. Alberto’s warning is reinforced visually for the audience by numerous broken-down and discarded figureheads from the carnival, now collapsed and forgotten on the street17 .

Religion

In I vitelloni there are touches of religious statements and situations. The beautiful marriage ceremony is officiated by the priest who has known them since childhood. Unlike other Fellini films, the mundane banquet that follows the religious ceremony is omitted. The vitelloni participate in the Catholic wedding and then sympathetically invite Francesco, Fausto’s father, to have a drink after Sandra’s parents leave in a “high class” horse-drawn carriage. The newlyweds leave right after church for Rome almost as if they want to be sanctified by the Pope. Very likely, Sandra’s parents have likely paid for a long honeymoon in the capitol. Riccardo sings the “Ave Maria” beautifully during the ceremony, and it is no surprise that we see Riccardo do his prayers kneeling down as if in front of an altar before saying goodnight to each of his parents. This is clearly in line with a religious upbringing in Italian culture.

Fausto at Michele’s shop

When Fausto is introduced to the shopkeeper Michele and his wife, Giulia, Sandra's father proves himself a savvy businessman by hastily suggesting that his son-in-law can start working immediately, in order to master the needed skills. Another reason is that there will be no time for the shopkeeper to suggest a later date. We never again see Sandra's father as satisfied as at this moment. Both father-in-law and Michele lead Fausto step by step, so as not to scare the tentative new hire. Soon after hearing about Fausto’s job, the other vitelloni come to the shop to congratulate him. Fausto attempts to hide rather than greet

17 Carnival certainly brings much excitement and festivity during the ball, but with day break of Ash Wednesday disappointment and betrayal prevail within the lives of the characters. When Alberto tells Moraldo and Riccardo that they should all get married he realizes that continuing to be in the group has its rewards, but is not enough. They should marry a great person with a fine family where they can blossom and be advised in moments of uncertainty and despair. 313 TONIA CATERINA RIVIELLO

Riccardo, who spots him after the shop owner turns a light on. Ignoring Riccardo’s big friendly smile and greeting, Fausto just looks down silently. The most genuine moment between Sandra and Fausto after they are married is perhaps her surprise greeting at the end of a work day. As she approaches the shop, she becomes elated at first sight of him, rushes forward, and calls his name. He calls out “Sandrina, ciao”, without running toward her; he has to lock the metal shutters of the shop. He is spontaneous only when he is surprised by her arrival and greets her with enthusiasm. From then on, he is calculating. Before he embraces her, he demonstrates how he locks the shop, perhaps making a show of a newfound sense of responsibility. When he embraces her, she protests that they are in public. He announces that he has sold a statue and holds his hand at waist height, nearly the same height as the statue taken later. Fellini entices the audience to believe that Fausto may have changed his ways. Any such belief in a quick reform of Fausto must soon be abandoned. This short public encounter is nonetheless significant, because it displays their different levels of intensity. The scene provides hope that this pair may join the life of an Italian town, with streets full of people meeting friends for an “aperitivo”, before returning home for supper with their families. In small towns, people walk to work and school or part of the way. An early evening walk is also pleasant exercise before supper. The music of Nino Rota fills our hearts and minds, and we can imagine the populous and the newlyweds as friends inviting us to enjoy the mild weather and natural beauty of the Italian landscape. The carnival costumes and festivities are a backdrop to show us the likes and dislikes of each vitellone . The aura of the carnival serves to show how people, even the more reserved ones, let themselves go and reveal the truth as if in vino veritas . For example, Michele’s wife, Giulia, is overly-friendly and playful with Fausto, and he openly admires her low-cut dress. Her husband calls her away and the two do not dance at the ball. Fausto approaches her the next morning at work, even though she is dressed and conducting herself modestly. She tries to keep him away with small chores, but he is relentless in pursuing her and makes advances during Michele’s brief absence. Michele detects that some exchange must have taken place between them. Consequently Fausto loses his job, which puts in motion the taking of the angel statue from the basement of Michele’s shop, as a “final payment”. Fausto‘s theft and open attempts at selling the angel reach the ears of the police, and he and Moraldo ultimately owe many thanks to the head of the family for intervening.

The lowest point

Fausto’s ethical conduct reaches its lowest “ebb” in the taking of the angel statue, because he cites family needs to justify his actions. Though Moraldo hesitates to participate in the theft, he is ultimately swayed. Later, Fausto tries 314 THE EBB AND FLOW OF FAMILIES IN FELLINI’S I VITELLONI with flimsy excuses to sell the statue, to nuns and to friars. Giudizio with a voice impediment preambles the sale with an excited claim that the statue is beautiful. When they are unsuccessful in selling it, Giudizio is entrusted to hide it. Instead, he puts the angel in the open air to admire it. As the critics have often noted, Fellini gives voice and importance to marginalized people; here Giudizio, a gentle soul, takes out the angel to revere it, even taking off his hat as if he were in church. This moment shows the audience that the qualities defining an individual are spiritual rather than physical. The director gives this precious image only to the audience. Giudizio is by himself, outside of his shack by the sea 18 . The emptiness and selfishness of Fausto are scrutinized not just by his family, but by the director, who cleverly unravels Fausto’s foolish plan by spiritual means. A young nun and a friar are not convinced by his slick flattery and boldness. Only Fausto’s arrogance can make him stoop to such absurd methods to sell the statue. One must wonder why Moraldo is swayed by Fausto’s lies, and why the other vitelloni help him over and over again.

Parental guidance or control

Fellini depicts Sandra’s mother as a commanding personality, first at the pageant of Miss Sirena. She had encouraged the daughter to participate, and when Sandra wins she does not hesitate to take credit for the encouragement. The mother shows herself to be strong and in control of the situation when Sandra faints. Her mother’s readiness is seen in her asking for a doctor and imploring Moraldo to look for one. The mother is portrayed as actively participating in every critical situation. Still, she loves Sandra and Moraldo and goes to great lengths to secure their happiness. It is interesting to hear Sandra in the movie theater tell Fausto that her father has thought of adding another floor to their house for the newlyweds. The mother has advised her to pretend ignorance, in order to have the father announce it as a surprise. This mother advises her children to do what is best for the family, in her opinion. We can see the wish of the soon-to-be grandparents to stay close to the married daughter and to help with raising of their grandchildren. This desire was typical in many families, and allowed more free time for young parents and the opportunity for young mothers to have a career. Fellini lets us see this grandmother proudly holding Moraldino close to her husband and then putting him in a portable crib with Sandra radiantly looking on and hearing Uncle Moraldo joking that the baby looks as ugly as his math professor. It is common knowledge in Italian traditional families that new mothers learn some basic lessons about

18 Giudizio’s scene anticipates the opening scene of La strada (1954) when we see Gelsomina meditating by the Adriatic sea. It is the last time for Gelsomina unfortunately to be allowed to repeat an innocent action. It is the last moment of purity before she loses her innocent and spiritual way of life. 315 TONIA CATERINA RIVIELLO childrearing from the grandparents. As a courtesy to Fausto’s father and younger sister, Sandra takes the child to the in-laws without mentioning it. Sandra is a discreet person who hates gossip.

Dinner interrupted

When Sandra’s father reveals to his entire family, seated for their evening meal, that Fausto has lost his job ‒ for making a pass at his employer’s wife and taking a statue ‒ the meal is abandoned and Sandra runs to her room in tears. Her brother, Moraldo, enters the bedroom to explain that the employer’s wife had encouraged Fausto. This scene is one long shot, perhaps the longest in the film, in which the weeping Sandra is consoled, yet we know that Moraldo has been deceived by Fausto and that he is unwittingly perpetuating a falsehood even if it is for a good cause. This scene shows at its most intense the insidious yet casual nature of Fausto’s character 19 . Sandra stops crying at hearing that Fausto had not been unfaithful and asks where he is. She goes to the garden with a sandwich, as a sign of genuinely caring, and asks him if he will remain with her. She tells him that they must confide in each other. She says that if he needed money then he should have asked her for it. She may appear weak for forgiving Fausto so often. Rather than suffering from poor self-esteem, she aspires to be a perfect catholic who must forgive. She is undoubtedly thinking of her child, as well as the honor of the family and traditional values. Fellini’s directorial technique in the dinner scene enhances the hectic movement and the father’s accusatory tirade. As the father chases Moraldo around the table, the camera pans across the room in an attempt to follow the characters, while the reactions of the seated family members are recorded in close-up shots. The father’s outraged lament that he had to plead with the police to keep his son and son-in-law out of jail is not caught in a close-up, since the father buries his face in his hands in an obvious gesture of shame and public humiliation. Sandra, like her father, is horrified to learn that Fausto made advances toward Michele’s wife, Giulia. Moraldo protests that there was no theft, all the time believing that he helped Fausto get fair compensation, not knowing that Fausto lied about receiving a fair payment from the shopkeeper. There is no later discussion between Moraldo and his father, to clarify Moraldo’s innocent role in the events. The father is never seen again, and we can surmise that this rift between outraged father and misunderstood son contributes to Moraldo’s ultimate departure from the town. At different junctures, both Sandra and Moraldo leave home early in the morning. Sandra does this out of fear of her mother’s reaction to asking for help

19 Later, Moraldo probably realizes that this story is fabricated and that he did Fausto’s dirty work by appeasing Sandra. Moraldo does not find out before the dinner scene that Fausto lied to him about receiving a final payment. 316 THE EBB AND FLOW OF FAMILIES IN FELLINI’S I VITELLONI from the in-laws. Moraldo may leave for fear that no reconciliation with his father can be achieved. Luckily, Fausto and his father do rapidly reconcile after Fausto is beaten for his bad behavior. Furthermore, we can assume that Moraldo never forgives himself for inadvertently causing such humiliation to the family by believing the lies of Fausto. After Fausto’s last escapade, Moraldo feels distressed at having blindly believed his brother-in-law’s account of Michele’s wife 20 . A permanent rift develops between them. Moraldo does not talk to him and later chooses to look for Sandra alone. He calls Fausto too much of a coward to kill himself for endangering Sandra.

I vitelloni

We learn the personal characteristics and attitudes of these young men through numerous brief episodes and mutual encounters 21 . We are reminded of the simple joys in life when the vitelloni sit by the beach in winter, listening to the sounds of nature, the waves, and the peaceful seaside life. After reflection, Riccardo declares that if someone proposed to give him 1000 lire he would swim in the cold water. The others are unmoved by this whimsical idea and one suggests walking down the beach. Riccardo is accustomed to gambling on horse races, so he is likely to try to earn money through daring and courage. It would not involve anyone else and such earnings (he may think) could be used to bet on horses and add to his meager income. The money he makes staging and conducting the Miss Sirena pageant each summer certainly does not make him self-supporting. Nonetheless, Riccardo is more industrious than the others and gains employment as a free-lance singer, a master of ceremonies, and an entrepreneur who enjoys investigating non-traditional ways of making money, without becoming obsessed by it 22 .

20 Fausto has told him two similar lies and Moraldo could well remember the saying: “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me”. 21 Tullio Kezich, Federico Fellini: His Life and Work , Translated from the Italian by Minna Proctor with Vivianna Mazza, New York: Faber and Faber, 2006. “The signature of a director who experiments with storytelling techniques is already in place in the 104 minutes of I vitelloni . Instead of narrative, the author moves from the description of a situation into an articulation of significant episodes over a year, from the end of one summer to the beginning of the next”, p. 136. 22 Tom Keogh. Review: “Federico Fellini followed up his second feature (the box office failure The White Sheik ) with I Vitelloni , a semiautobiographical story about five slacker males going nowhere in an Italian seaside town, that clicked with international audiences and proved to be an inspiration for later films such as Mean Streets , Breaking Away , and Diner ”. Video Librarian , November/December, 2004, p. 38. 317 TONIA CATERINA RIVIELLO

Massimo is only noticeable after Fausto’s marriage. Though we never see him speaking, his voice may be that of the narrator, who uses the first person plural to describe their roles in the group and their actions. He is at the pageant, where the narrator introduces all vitelloni except Massimo (himself?). He dances the tango with Alberto at the carnival ball, and from her parents’ theater box, Sandra makes her first and rare expression of humor by pointing out that Massimo’s dancing “partner” has an unusual costume. This comical scene gets Sandra to take Fausto to the dance floor. Before they start dancing, she looks up at her mother, waves, and says “Ciao, Mamma”, showing their mutual love. They, as well as her mother and father, do not wear carnival costumes, probably because her mother would consider it too low class for their position in society. Moraldo also follows the two to the dance floor, a little later, when he observes Leopoldo dressed as a Chinese philosopher. Moraldo is dressed as a sailor with a duffel bag on his shoulder, hinting at his interest in traveling and seeing new places. The involvement of the vitelloni resembles a chain reaction fueled by comradeship and imitation, not by alcohol. Alberto is the only vitellone to consume too much drink, to his great regret the next morning. Surprisingly, Fausto orders milk after offering his wife a whiskey. She turns him down. Still, the thinking behind Fausto’s offer is not hard to discern: he is always ready to have a good time, whereas his new wife seems to him often humorless and worried 23 . A healthier friendship develops when Moraldo accidentally meets the young worker, Guido, near the train station after the other vitelloni have gone home. Moraldo is surprised that Guido is going to work at 3 AM. He is already employed (at least part-time) at a young age, whereas the vitelloni are sporadically employed. The question that would naturally arise in Moraldo is whether he wants to continue associating with the older vitelloni who seem not motivated to pursue a career actively. This young worker likes talking about the stars and life on other planets. In a phrase, Guido sums up his job: “They treat me well”. Soon we see him in the distance whistling and waving on his way to the station 24 . What is refreshing even for the audience is the directness of Moraldo’s conversation with Guido, who is discreet, reserved, and does not reveal any problems or preoccupations in his life. He is open to talking about

23 Moraldo overhears Fausto strongly disapproving of Sandra’s ordering a prosciutto sandwich. Seeing this minor confrontation, Moraldo escorts Sandra to the dance floor. Fausto seems unconcerned with this hint of indignation from Moraldo, who slowly becomes more and more disenchanted with Fausto’s callous behavior. 24 They have a brief question/answer session. Moraldo: “What do you mean work? … What kind of work? … Do you like to work?” Guido: “Yes, I work down there at the station.… Work…. It’s okay. They treat me well”. They have a laugh together and Moraldo tries to find a cigarette to offer to him but he does not find one. Guido departs and continues whistling his way to work. 318 THE EBB AND FLOW OF FAMILIES IN FELLINI’S I VITELLONI elevated, unusual subjects. They enjoy sharing possibilities rather than problems. Moraldo needs time to think by himself or with a person outside the old circle. The narrator tells us that Moraldo is the youngest of the vitelloni , and Guido may be closer in age than the rest of the group. Throughout the film, Moraldo tries to stop the other vitelloni , in particular Alberto and Fausto, from offending or hurting others, but he ultimately seems to tire of being the group’s moral conscience 25 . For instance, Moraldo’s peace- making is seen when the group decides to surprise Fausto at his work. Although they bring some excitement to the quiet hours at the shop, Moraldo takes Alberto by the arm, urging the group to leave the shop; otherwise, Fausto may be dismissed. He probably exaggerates in this statement to spare embarrassment for Fausto, who is seen in his drab work uniform, far from the stylish clothes he prefers to wear. He tries to hide rather than acknowledge his friends. This comical scene contains contrasting moods, one of levity and movement outside and one of sleepiness and boredom inside. The turning on of the light has the beautiful effect of illuminating a life-sized statue of Jesus near the entrance and many smaller statues of the Madonna and other saints, perhaps to remind Fausto that he has plenty of holy examples. We are invited by the director to wonder when Fausto will take notice of these figures and their exemplary lives. The portrayal of Moraldo is like an unfinished portrait, even when he finally has the courage to leave his hometown. The undulating pitch of the wind of change is like a train whistle, reminding him that if he wants to do something independently in his life, he has to leave. We can determine that he is a student (from the shelf of books above his bed), though we do not know the focus of his studies. As Murray writes, Moraldo is “the most humane and the most responsive to simple, natural beauty” 26 . He does not have a specific destination in mind. His behavior is reminiscent of the betting on horses in Bologna by Massimo, Leopoldo, Alberto, and Riccardo. In fact, Massimo and Leopoldo literally leave town without notifying their friend Alberto that he may be missing a hot tip on the horses. Maybe he has concluded that his sister left home

25 In a late evening scene, the group sees a woman who is likely returning home. In teasing her, they intend no harm, only amusement. Still, for Moraldo ‒ who stays back to have a full view of the others ‒ it is not right to pester this woman who is not engaging anyone else’s attention. Moraldo orders Alberto to leave her alone. 26 Edward Murray, Fellini The Artist (second, enlarged edition), New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co. 1985, p. 92. Murray continues: “When the picture opens, Moraldo is gazing at the sky; turning to his friends, he exclaims: ‘Look how beautiful it is out here!’ And later in the same scene, during a rainstorm, he observes: ‘It’s just beautiful outside…. Like the end of the world’, pp. 92-93. 319 TONIA CATERINA RIVIELLO one day without notice and that the result was surprisingly positive; he may hope that such an exit is a good chance for beneficial change 27 . Leopoldo sees the young girl at the carnival who is his neighbor and tries to avoid her, unsuccessfully. We can infer that he turned down her invitation when he states that he made a last minute decision to come. He has clearly been play- acting with his young friend in order to practice some lines. Between his misuse of a young admirer and his overly-enthusiastic and misguided interaction at the seaside with Sergio ‒ a famous actor ‒ we discern that Leopoldo has far to go in mastering human relations 28 . The sea is a source of inspiration for those who seek peace and encouragement. The constant movement of the sea is a metaphor for youth, for change and renewal. At least briefly, Sergio is a mentor to the young playwright. Long experience has taught him that encouragement and support are key elements in the development of an artist or writer. Like Moraldo, Leopoldo realizes that he needs to determine his own future course. What both of them know at the end is that they should no longer be followers of others. They need to search in themselves and go from follower to achiever, contributor. Of all the vitelloni , Leopoldo is the most absorbed in a self- aggrandizing dream, in which he is a great writer. He is the one most likely to benefit from an explicit analysis of his dreams, which (according to Jung) can

[I]lluminate the patient’s situation in a way that can be exceedingly beneficial to health. They bring memories, insights, experiences; they awaken dormant qualities in the personality, and reveal the unconscious elements in relationships. So it seldom happens that anyone who has taken the trouble to work over his dreams with qualified assistance for a longer period of time remains without enrichment and a broadening of his mental horizon. Just because of their compensatory behavior, a methodical analysis of dreams discloses new points of view…29 .

Wind of change

The young worker, friend of Moraldo, is outside of the original group and is foreshadowing what Moraldo is trying to do, to walk unaided, to challenge

27 Moraldo resembles the dreamer Ivo in Fellini’s last film, La voce della luna (1990). 28 The actor entices Leopoldo to read the fourth act of his play by the sea at night after the wind subsides. Realizing that there is no light for reading, Leopoldo discerns Sergio’s intentions and runs away instead of following this mentor. 29 Carl Gustav Jung, The Basic Writings of C. G. Jung , edited with an introduction by Violet Staub De Laszlo, New York: The Modern Library, 1993, p. 463. 320 THE EBB AND FLOW OF FAMILIES IN FELLINI’S I VITELLONI himself to achieve a greater proficiency or develop a recognized ability. Early on, Fellini gives us an image of Moraldo thinking, “What if I were to leave the town?” This thought seems to linger in his mind throughout the film 30 . As the train of the newlyweds heads for Rome, we first hear the wind of change: a combination of music, the whistling wind, and a distant train whistle. When most guests have dispersed, Moraldo remains near the tracks while the others go back to the plaza and make their farewells. The score is related to Moraldo when he is at the station and when he is with Guido. The wind of change is heard again as Guido walks and whistles in the night toward Moraldo. We also hear it just before Fausto starts dancing with his son and Sandra is facing the two of them. This image is also the last image of the young family. The last time the whistle of the wind is heard in the film is after Moraldo says “Addio, Guido”, but with the voice of Federico Fellini 31 . We conjecture that after finishing his education--and in secret consultation with is mother and sister ‒ Moraldo feels the time is right for him to search for a job elsewhere, perhaps as an artist. He does not give his vitelloni brothers a chance to dissuade him. He will come back to visit the family and Moraldino. At the station, he is taken by emotion when the train arrives and he is about to leave all he has known until now: his family, his friends, his hometown. He wants to spend the few remaining minutes breathing his town’s air and not talking to Guido. Fellini allows his “alter-ego” to imagine his family and friends still sleeping at this early hour. To succeed in his career, Moraldo needs to know during his journey that the love and support of his native town remains intact. At the end we feel the aura of universal significance: the individual yearning for the essence of things, for the inner peace humans aspire to reach.

30 John C. Stubbs, Federico Fellini as Auteur: Seven Aspects of His Films . Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 2015, pp. 18-19. “After Moraldo has sunk into his seat away from the window, we continue to look back at the town. We see the boy who looks like Moraldo playfully try to walk balanced on one of the rails as he returns to the station house. In this scene, the boy seems a youthful alter-ego for Moraldo. The image is apparently intended for us and not Moraldo, who has given up his angle of vision. We see, in effect, a symbolic farewell to Moraldo’s youth”, p. 19. 31 Peter Bondanella, The Cinema of Federico Fellini , Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1992. “It is clear that Moraldo has learned something from his experiences, but we are offered no real means of confirming that his escape to Rome will have a maturing effect. We feel he hopes to accept the responsibilities of adult life and to abandon the puerile illusions dominating the lives of his vitelloni friends”, p. 96. 321 TONIA CATERINA RIVIELLO

Search by the sea

In this 1953 production, the second film by young Fellini, we see a nostalgic recounting of the director’s youth in Romagna, touched by the sea. The image of the sea is the hidden muse. It draws the young men when they are undecided and it functions as a hazardous force toward the end of the film when the authorities go searching for Sandra and her child. When Sandra does not return by midday, the parents consult the authorities, who decide to search by the sea. They think that she and the infant may have drowned. Fellini is careful to let the audience know that this idea comes from the authorities who do not know Sandra personally. The family and friends think of other possibilities. The organized search by family, friends, and authorities is juxtaposed by Fellini to the image of an unshaven Fausto, who is desperately searching alone on the beach. He stops as an orderly line of friars and children trots near the water. Their regular, harmonic movement mirrors the peaceful way of life of friars, the “good life” that Fausto conveniently praised to sell the angel statue. They may be part of a search party, but Fausto does not follow them, approach them, or try to inquire about Sandra. Instead, he seems to have reached an unprecedented level of distress 32 . The friars, like their founder St. Francis of Assisi, represent the simple road of honesty. This vision may give Fausto the necessary serenity for personal reform. The brief and almost startling view of the two friars leading the children along the beach assumes a lasting moral significance for Fausto and the audience paralyzed by fear. The word fear reminds us of what Sandra had expressed to Fausto when she had to wait outside the movie theater after he “disappeared” for just a few minutes. After Fausto reflects on the image of the friars, he must realize that he has not been a good caretaker and guide to the newborn Moraldino, as the friars are being to the children, perhaps orphans. This image may make him think that his recent actions have in effect reduced Moraldino to being cared for by one parent. Earlier in the day, he said he would kill himself if Sandra does not reappear. Obviously he was forgetting his son when he mentioned such a drastic action, which may have made Moraldino an orphan. Perhaps the uplifting choreography of the line of figures, each dressed in the tunic of the saint, spurs Fausto to seek the advice of a wiser man, his former employer, Michele. The search ultimately leads to Francesco’s house, but this is probably because Michele also wants to consult with an astute, caring adult. Fellini builds for the audience an imaginary ladder of increasing knowledge and wisdom. The irony that Fellini interjects in the beach scene is that Fausto has lost the linear, honest

32 Perhaps he realizes that the statue episode has contributed to Sandra’s leaving the house. He cannot forget that had it not been for Sandra’s father, there would have been worse consequences for him, Moraldo, and the entire family. 322 THE EBB AND FLOW OF FAMILIES IN FELLINI’S I VITELLONI way of thinking 33 . For Fellini, every image and every word of his cinema is an emanation of the mystery of life itself, as Stubbs discusses:

“I believe I am naturally religious”, Fellini has commented, “since to me the world and life seem wrapped in mystery…”. Fellini’s art rests on the assumption that life is ineffable. He finds an almost mystical dimension that stirs in him something akin to religious response, and he attempts to insert a sense of his wonderment at the mystery of life into his movies 34 .

The camaraderie of the vitelloni is mostly intact as Riccardo borrows his father’s car so that they can go together in search of Sandra. Having distanced himself from Fausto, Moraldo insists on searching alone. One stop is at her nurse’s farmhouse in the countryside. When the group arrives at the farmhouse, Alberto, Riccardo, and Leopoldo start observing nature, and Riccardo hears a pipit bird singing. But Alberto identifies it as a robin, and they both imitate bird calls. This shows how these young men notice the beauty of nature even when they are supposed to be doing something more urgent. Riccardo ‒ the artist, the singer ‒ is always in touch with nature and its creatures 35 . Alberto and Fausto have a quick but bitter falling out, as they trade insults about their moral characters and family responsibilities. The solidarity of the group can stand the strain. Even though each vitelloni is often a “dreamer” and insufficiently self- critical, as a group they are mutually supportive and form a miniature moral society of rational beings, in accordance with Kant’s moral philosophy, as elucidated by Ameriks:

Although Kant’s pure practical philosophy culminates in religious hope, it is primarily a doctrine of obligation. Moral value is determined ultimately by the nature of the intention of the agent, which in turn is determined by the nature of what Kant calls the general maxim or subjective principle underlying a person’s action…. [A] categorical imperative is a directive saying what ought to be done from the perspective of pure reason alone; it is categorical because what this

33 Fellini seems to have put these friars as bringing hope in the anxiety and confusion of Fausto. Since he found a job, he has lived a life of lies and machinations and further excuses. By perpetuating falsehoods, Fausto has lost the ability to discern the most simple realities of life. His irresponsibility has violated the core values of the family. Fausto has used his mind and intelligence to come up with excuses (according to Michele). 34 Stubbs, cit., p. 37. 35 This is an original way of proceeding by Fellini, because he has two groups of people. The vitelloni are looking for Sandra and the family also looks with the authorities. 323 TONIA CATERINA RIVIELLO

perspective commands is not contingent on sensible circumstances and it always carries overriding value. The general formula of the categorical imperative is to act only according to those maxims that can be consistently willed as a universal law ‒ something said to be impossible for maxims aimed merely at material ends. In accepting this imperative, we are doubly self-determined, for we are not only determining our action freely, as Kant believes humans do in all exercises of the faculty of choice; we are also accepting a principle whose content is determined by that which is absolutely essential to us as agents, namely our pure practical reason. We thus are following our own law and so have autonomy when we accept the categorical imperative 36 .

Fausto and Michele are seen approaching Francesco’s home slowly, where Mirella is eagerly looking in all directions, sees them first, and rushes toward them. She asks them if they are looking for Sandra, and Fausto blandly says “Yes”. Even at this point, he does not conceive that she is in his father’s home. Probably Michele has advised him to ask his father for help, but without the expectation of finding Sandra there. Mirella evidently knows that people must be looking for Sandra, since she and the baby have been at their home for the entire day. Her insight also indicates that she has more commonsense than her older brother. Her innocent concern for him provides a preamble of true relief before their father uses his belt on the reckless Fausto. When Francesco whips Fausto with his belt, Sandra is seriously upset, while Mirella holds her hands in front of her face pretending to be horrified. She is actually laughing with satisfaction that Fausto is getting what he deserves. This action of the father may seem antiquated, but it is effective given the trust that exists in Italian families. In such a culture, it is less damaging for everyone to discipline a weak-willed young man privately rather than to rely on the police. Very likely, Sandra had no specific plan to frighten Fausto when she left her house at dawn. Seizing the opportunity, Francesco has determined to make Fausto find Sandra, to appear at the home for the very reason of punishing

36 The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy (Second Edition), General Editor: Audi, Robert, Cambridge University Press, 1999, p. 465. Ameriks continues: “Given the metaphysics of his transcendental idealism, Kant can say that the categorical imperative reveals a supersensible power of freedom in us such that we must regard ourselves as part of an intelligible world…. Kant regards accepting the categorical imperative as tantamount to respecting rational nature as an end in itself, and to willing as if we were legislating a kingdom of ends. This is to will that the world become a ‘systematic union of different rational beings through common laws’, i.e., laws that respect and fulfill the freedom of all rational beings”, p. 465-66. 324 THE EBB AND FLOW OF FAMILIES IN FELLINI’S I VITELLONI him 37 . The principle behind Francesco’s thought is that Sandra should make Fausto come to her, rather than always chase after him 38 . Unlike her mother, Sandra respects her in-laws, even though they are not wealthy. She is delighted to share the baby with them and can see their genuine affection. Sandra compensates for her mother’s snobbery by taking her baby to the in-laws without anyone knowing about it. For this reason, on the day of her disappearance nobody thinks of looking for her at the father-in-law’s house. Fausto and Sandra do love each other, in spite of his inability to resist the thrill of a conquest. Families prefer to learn within the nucleus of people who love each other and want no consequences lingering into the future and limiting greater possibilities. Not surprisingly, Fausto and his father soon embrace and say goodnight on better terms. After this, Fausto asks Sandra to give him their baby to hold 39 . The furious agitation of Francesco in the concluding scene puts greater emphasis on the urgent need of reform in Fausto. After beating his son for irresponsible behavior, the over-weight middle-aged father seems on the point of collapse. Fausto may even recognize that he has endangered his father’s health by making him angry and physically exhausted. Francesco staggers across the room toward Michele, who removes his hat and introduces himself. Michele is clearly satisfied with Francesco’s treatment of the problem, for he utters one of the most satisfying lines in the film: “It is an honor” to meet the man who taught Fausto to live right. For the first time, Fausto wants his family to see him as a dedicated father. As the wind of change is heard, we see Fausto

37 It would have been prudent to send a messenger to reassure her family that Sandra is safe, but no messenger was sent. 38 The dawn ‒ as on Ash Wednesday before ‒ is used by the director to heighten and bring to life the scary nightmares produced by the night. The dawn is used by Sandra to do something that in broad daylight she may not be able to do. Just forgiving Fausto over and over has not worked, and out of love for her new and old family she may feel she must try something to scare Fausto and put an end to her volatile emotional life. Fausto’s bad behavior has been escalating and has even involved and compromised the family. There is no more time or space for further rash actions. 39 Chris Wiegand, “I vitelloni won Fellini unexpected international attention and, for the first time as a director, a distribution deal. It also won him his first award ‒ one of the six Silver Lions that were handed out at Venice that year. So successful was the film, Fellini considered directing a sequel to it. In 1954 he wrote a script entitled Moraldo in città (Moraldo in the City), charting the character’s continued adventures. The sequel never materialized but parts of the script ended up in later films”, pp. 39-41. 325 TONIA CATERINA RIVIELLO dancing with the baby, his new primary concern in life 40 . This image makes us think that from now on he will put into perspective his carousing with the vitelloni . Ironically, the mild Sandra creates the most suspense by leaving her house at dawn with the baby, which brings together the different threads of the drama 41 . Months before, Francesco faced public humiliation by Sandra’s mother at the wedding, but he can now look forward to being a revered grandfather to Moraldino. When Fausto notices that Mirella is waving from the window she is acting finally as a sister, a sister-in-law, and officially as an aunt to Moraldino. She and the father do not have to keep Sandra’s visits a mystery any longer, as the two families must heal their divisions. All four adults in this scene feel that their relationships have been sanctioned. Perhaps Fausto will get his job back. Fausto tells Sandra that she really scared him and to promise not to do it again. She replies that she will promise him as much, but will beat him harder than his father if he fools her. Fausto answers, that is how he likes her. Mirella’s waving is a welcome, not a goodbye, knowing that the new family will come back without trepidation. Francesco’s young daughter must be to him a constant reminder that she is most vulnerable especially because she, like her brother, has not enjoyed the love and guidance of their mother. Francesco is absolutely sweet and wonderful towards her, but we think he knows he can never fill the void Mirella must secretly feel every day 42 . Here one can think of another young man, Hamlet, facing up to his responsibilities: the “readiness is

40 Fausto dances many times in the film to express his solidarity with or enjoyment of company: during the opening scene with his friends, with Sandra at the carnival, with Alberto doing the mambo ‒ when reuniting with the vitelloni ‒ and at the end of the film with his son. Dancing for Fausto brings out the best of himself, to be shared with others. He likes the movement and excitement of the dance, whereas he cares little for the lengthy, static, beauty pageant. The other vitelloni participate as musicians, presenters, singers, but Fausto’s only role is as a pursuer of one of the contestants, who has lost her shoe (perhaps with his help). 41 John C. Stubbs: “A justly celebrated ending is the conclusion to I vitelloni (1953). In effect, there are two endings. The first one is a fairly conventional closure of revelation showing the final state of the marriage of characters Fausto and Sandra.... The second ending is more interesting. It involves the departure of the protagonist Moraldo to seek his fortune in the big city”, pp. 18-19. 42 Francesco’s defense of his daughter-in-law goes beyond the expected devotion. He is fighting to save Sandra and Fausto for Moraldino, who cannot defend himself. Francesco is also secretly fighting for his daughter Mirella who should be defended by her big brother 42 . Fausto has finally understood that he must start to protect his sister rather than take up all his father’s time and energy after work to set things right for a 30-year-old man. 326 THE EBB AND FLOW OF FAMILIES IN FELLINI’S I VITELLONI all”. What we may be seeing in Fellini’s vision as a director is that maturity comes to people at different stages in their lives. Once mature, one should not act superior but rather humbly wait for inspiration, for the light that will finally be a guiding light.

Unity of purpose

As is well known, the music adds vitality to Fellini’s films. The genius of Fellini can also be seen in having found Nino Rota. Together they created a new way of experiencing cinema, a new way of feeling the changing moods in a film. The music almost takes the place of words at given moments. The audience pauses to listen to the momentary silence which all of a sudden is filled with a particular musical passage. When we see Moraldo lingering at the train station and we hear the wind of change, we can only guess what he is thinking; what we do know, through the Fellinian Art, is how we feel. Fellini the demiurge, has reached universality. His Art has surpassed the provincial milieu and is speaking to any human being, regardless of race and gender 43 . I vitelloni is a hidden treasure because it has the appearance of being simple and straightforward, but in fact is complex 44 . Peoples’ lives and interactions

43 Gino Frezza, “Fellini, disegnatore e cineasta”, in La strada di Fellini , a cura di Gino Frezza and Ivan Pintor, Napoli: Liguori Editore, 2012: “Fellini [è]... da inscrivere dentro un più largo gruppo fatto di solidarietà creative, emerso fra fine anni Quaranta e primi Cinquanta. Non solo la collaborazione strategica ricevuta da Fellini da parte dei suoi grandi sceneggiatori: Tullio Pinelli, in primis , ma anche, finché in vita, da Ennio Flaiano; altresì le collaborazioni da Fellini fornite, come sceneggiatore, a Rossellini (il primo a spingerlo verso la regia), a Germi, a Lattuada (col quale, infatti, Fellini co-produce e co-dirige il suo primo film, Luci del varietà , e col quale Fellini collabora da sceneggiatore per due film come La storia di Giovanni Episcopio e Il mulino del Po )”, p. 2. 44 Vitelloni [Criterion Collection]. Release date: August 24, 2004. Format: Dvd. Language: Italian. Subtitles: Eng. Number of discs: 1. Run Time: 1 hr. 47 min. Special Features: New high-definition transfer, with restored image and sound. “Vitellonismo”: An exclusive documentary featuring interviews with late actor Leopoldo Trieste, actor Franco Interlenghi, assistant director Moraldo Rossi, Fellini biographer Tullio Kezich, Fellini friend Vincenzo Mollica, and director of the Fellini Foundation, Vittorio Boarini. Collection of still photographs, posters, and memorabilia. Original theatrical trailer. New and improved English subtitle translation. Credits: Director: Federico Fellini. Music: Nino Rota. Editing: Rolando Benedetti. Cinematography: Otello Martelli, Luciano Trasatti and Carlo Carlini. Story: Federico Fellini, Ennio Flaiano and Tullio Pinelli. Screenplay: Ennio Flaiano and Federico Fellini. Cast: Alberto Sordi as Alberto, Franco Interlenghi as Moraldo, Franco Fabrizi as Fausto, Leopoldo Trieste as 327 TONIA CATERINA RIVIELLO require careful interpretation, which is itself subject to the winds of change 45 . The divisions between several of the vitelloni that appear real now may prove illusory later on. We are gratified by a sense of moral satisfaction for the characters who were once dejected after attempts to help others. Their hard work finally comes to fruition. The customary roles of grandfather and aunt have been established for years to come by Francesco and Mirella. Although we do not see Sandra’s parents at the end, their good deeds are abundantly present in the film. Sandra’s father is a man of integrity, and he does what he promises. We can assume that Sandra’s mother will just enjoy watching Moraldino grow with the love of everyone. Sandra’s parents can start on the projected additional floor of their house, where they can be close to Moraldino and where the young parents can invite family and friends in their “deserved” privacy. Even the vitelloni may find hospitality at the beautiful homes of Alberto’s mother and Moraldino. The music of this Fellinian masterpiece is in unison with such images and dreams, so dear to the Maestro . Fellini is the magician who can move the action through sound and picture, transporting the audience in a sublime sphere of choral imagination.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Leopoldo, Leonora Ruffo as Sandra, Riccardo Fellini as Riccardo, Arlette Sauvage as Woman in the Cinema, Maja Nipora as Actress, Jean Brochard as Fausto’s Father, Claude Farere as Alberto’s Sister, Carlo Romano as Michele, Silvio Bagolini as Handicapped, Paola Borboni as Sandra's Mother, Guido Martufi, Vira Silenti as Chinese Girl, Enrico Viarisio as Sandra’s Father, Paola Borboni as Sandra’s Mother. 45 Borin cites Fellini’s “universality, his simple and, at the same time, complex way of communicating with everyone, even in his less successful works. In short, that magic which only the great can handle when, with their mysterious alchemy, they illustrate life, real or dreamt, or, more precisely, really dreamt”, p. 9. 328 THE EBB AND FLOW OF FAMILIES IN FELLINI’S I VITELLONI

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Weis, Elisabeth, and John Belton. Film Sound: Theory and Practice , New York: Columbia University Press, 1985. West, Rebecca. "Tonino Guerra and the Space of the Screenwriter", Annali d'italianistica 6 (1988), 162-78. Zapponi, Bernardino, and Tullio Pinelli. "Fellini au travail", Cahiers du Cinema XLII, 474 (December 1993), 60-61. Zavattini, Cesare. “Diario: Roma 17 febbraio 1958”, Cinema nuovo 126 (March 1958), 136-37.

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