Two Line Reviews - #186

Movie: La Strada (Italian, 1954)

Plot: A vagabond gets a strange looking innocent woman as a helper for his street-shows. His anger and her innocence make co-existence difficult for the duo & his ruffian act on a fellow vagabond makes her go mentally ill. He deserts her and even after years, feels for the loss.

Highlights:

• The film deals with special characters to give the positive message that 'anything that exists in the world has a purpose'. The scene between the innocent lady and the funny entertainer that stresses this wonderful point is a highlight in this Federico Fellini work.
• Anthony Quinn as the ill-tempered traveller who doesn't know to express feelings - good or bad - acts marvelously.
• The histrionics of the heroine who plays the innocent and strange looking Gelsomina is effective in making the viewer love the character she plays.

A touching tale on a contrasting couple.

Two Line Reviews - #150

Movie: Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Plot: A british soldier who has an uncompromising love for desert and an unshakable will unites the different Arab sects in their war against the Turks and at some point, he gets fed up of the desert and his killings and the politics surrounding Britain and Arabia makes things worse , mentally,for him.

Highlights:

• The film has 'EPIC' written all over it. The unbelievable capture of deserts, the travel travails & war action in the desert are terrific to say the least.
• The awe-inspiring theme music that runs throughout the film.
• The character of Lawrence is brilliantly etched & the first scene (where two ppl offer two views on him) finds its meaning after the last scene in the film!
• Peter Toole & Omar Sheriff have done very well in their prominent roles.

Lowlights:
The politics in the last 30-40 minutes could have been explained clearer. It was vague.

My Rating: 9.6/10