Film Excess - Free Ukraine - Stop Putin - End the war NOW!!: I Vitelloni (1953)

1/25/2025

I Vitelloni (1953) - Fellini's layabout portrait breakthrough

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A pretty young woman passing creates big smiles on this wonderfully painted and colored poster for Federico Fellini's I Vitelloni

In an Italian small town a group of young men spend their days very comfortably without much in the way of means or purposes, as one of them gets pressured into marrying a local beauty, whom he has impregnated.

I Vitelloni is written by Ennio Flaiano (The 10th Victim/La Decima Vittima (1965)) and Italian master filmmaker, co-writer/director Federico Fellini (Variety Lights/Luci del Varietà (1950)), whose 3rd feature it was. Tullio Pinelli (Ginger & Fred/Ginger e Fred (1986)) contributed story elements. The title is an Italian slang word for a bullock or a calf, which is used to describe a layabout or slacker, a young male who revels in doing little and being unproductive.

Beginning with a beauty contest, this celebration of a young drifting lifestyle with few worries snails its way comfortably onward, rife with scenes of eagerly rambling Italians. The finest aspect of the film, Fellini's international breakthrough, is its portrait of a man, who becomes sincerely miserable when he hurts his wife, but who can nevertheless still not curtail his penchant for chasing other women.

Reportedly semi-autobiographical, I Vitelloni may not be among the master's greatest, but it is a good film that makes for a superb watch on a lazy afternoon.

Related posts:

Federico Fellini: Fellini Satyricon (1969) - Fellini's horny, ancient baccanale

Top 10: Best films about filmmaking

Top 10: The best B/W movies reviewed by Film Excess to date
8½ (1963) or, Vive la Cinema!
Top 10: The best big hit movies reviewed by Film Excess to date
La Dolce Vita (1960) - Fellini's immortal masterpiece
Nights of Cabiria/Le Notti di Cabiria (1957) - Fellini serves private infatuation as incredible masterpiece

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: Unknown

Box office: Unknown

= Uncertain but reportedly a hit

[I Vitelloni premiered 26 August (Venice Film Festival) and runs 108 minutes. Though pressured, Fellini refused to change the title or add a bankable star to the film. Shooting took place from December 1952 - May 1953 in Italy, including in Rome, reportedly on a 'shoestring' budget. The film was a commercial and critical hit in Italy, France, sold 'huge' in Argentina, and did 'reasonable' box office in the UK and North America. The numbers are regrettably not available. It continued to live in new markets and get re-releases for decades, and has made at least 148k $ on re-releases post-2000. The film was nominated for the Best Original Screenplay Oscar, lost to George Wells for Designing Woman. Fellini returned with a segment in Love in the City/L'amore in Città (1953) and with a proper feature with La Strada (1954). Alberto Sordi (L'Avaro (1990)) returned in Cavalcade of Song/Canzoni, Canzoni, Canzoni (1953); Franco Interlenghi (Don Matteo (2004, TV-series)) in I Vinti (1953). I Vitelloni is fresh at 100 % with an 8.80/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

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1/25/2025

I Vitelloni (1953) - Fellini's layabout portrait breakthrough

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