E la nave Va (And the Ship Sails On) poster & wallpaper

Freddie Jones, Barbara Jefford, Victor Poletti

Set in 1914, a luxury liner, occupied by various statesmen, aristocrats and members of the opera world, is bound for a remote island where the ashes of the world's greatest soprano are to scattered.

Flixster Users

82% liked it

2,203 ratings

PG, 2 hrs. 8 min.

Directed by: Federico Fellini, Mike Hodges

Release Date: January 1, 1984

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: August 24, 1999

Stats: 96 reviews

Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites
report incorrect info

Photos

None yet... Got one?

Your Rating


clear rating
Share on: Facebook Twitter

Flixster Reviews (96)

  • her69eyes
    August 23, 2009
    her69eyes
    Federico Fellini, whose work from the 50's - mid-60's is almost universally beloved, was criticized in the twilight of his career for simply coasting. "And the Ship Sails On", released in 1983 (only three more films would follow before his death in 1993) would fit into that categ...( read more)ory, although considering it shamelessly self-indulgent and drab is a bit harsh.

    Like "Fellini's Roma", the film has the feel of a fictional documentary. We aren't drawn to any single protagonist, and the stories veer from probable to the absolutely absurd. "Roma", however, was much more successful - it wasn't as soulless and tedious, it was a love-letter to a city we could all invest in. Perhaps that's the difference: Fellini's passion. While I don't doubt "And the Ship Sails On" was a passion project, it's safe to assume that a boat of Italians and Serbians in 1914 wasn't quite as near to Fellini's heart as his own home.

    The film begins at a harbor in 1914 Naples. Passengers board a ship whose journey will culminate with the spreading of the ashes of a beloved opera star, Edmea Tetua (Janet Suzman). We're introduced to a narrator of sorts in Orlando (Freddie Jones), an Italian journalist, who serves as a bit of a ringmaster. Directly addressing the camera, he comments on the identities of the passengers and whatever bits of gossip are floating around at the time. Aboard the ship are Italian royalty, opera singers, businessmen, and the like. Eventually, they will be joined by poor Serbian men and women stranded at sea.

    What makes this opening sequence memorable is not it's content, but rather the progression of film quality. The film opens as a silent movie shot in sepia tones, and as the sequence progresses Fellini begins to incorporate sound and, finally, color. The sequence lays the groundwork for a film that is very much about the passing of an era.

    As this is a Fellini film, the ship greets us with some bizarre episodes. A sick rhinoceros soars through the air, a basso profundo makes a chicken fall asleep by the sound of his voice, and opera singers competitively sing over the roars of the engine room.

    I initially dismissed the film when it was over - it didn't have the heart of Fellini's typical work, nor was it's world quite as inviting. However, looking back, my memories of the bizarre episodes are still very much intact. The film, although nowhere near Fellini's best, is still a rare treat that'll stick with you no matter how much you might protest. It's a minor work in his library, but nevertheless a memorable B-side from the great Italian director.
  • kenstachnik
    July 15, 2008
    kenstachnik
    A very interesting film but very uneven, the opening is fantastic though...
  • lazywomanfromouterspace
    July 6, 2009
    lazywomanfromouterspace
    beautiful and nostalgic plus a lovesick rhino
  • Thoughtsofashy
    March 7, 2009
    Thoughtsofashy
    The world changes violently but the upper classes cannot grasp it.
  • xxxcli213xxx
    December 8, 2008
    xxxcli213xxx
    no thanks not my thing
  • arashxak
    October 27, 2008
    arashxak
    Better than Intervista but still not that interesting
  • Phonex
    October 12, 2008
    Phonex
    http://alsolikelife.com/shooting/?p=230
  • Epicouros
    February 6, 2008
    Epicouros
    Filmed all in the studio , this masterpiece by Fellini seems more like a magical dream ..
  • daghka
    January 14, 2008
    daghka
    Absolutely beautiful and lovely. The overly obvious sets, the toy-like atmosphere and a group of people with no care except their own and their final realization that beauty is so much more, it is even among the poor in us and these film is not just a joyful fantasy, but a bash a...( read more)t stereotypes done elegantly, particularly the blind sister of the Grand Duke and also a humanistic movie of looking at the world for more than it is. A beautiful moment from a superb human being.

View All E la nave Va (And the Ship Sails On) Reviews

Critic Reviews

No recent reviews.

Comments

This board looks lonely. Be the first to talk about "E la nave Va (And the Ship Sails On)" !

Post A Comment | View All Comments

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

All Rotten Tomatoes content is used under license from Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes, Certified Fresh, and the Tomatometer are the trademarks of Incfusion Corporation, d/b/a Rotten Tomatoes, a subsidiary of IGN Entertainment, Inc.

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • 1900 (Novecento)
    1900 (Novecento) (100%)

More Movies like E la nave Va (And the Ship Sails On)

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

E la nave Va (And... : Watch Free on TV

E la nave Va (And the Ship Sails On) Trivia

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for E la nave Va (And the Ship Sails On). Want to create one?

Video Clips

No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Meet Other Fans

Add E la nave Va (And the Ship Sails On) to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?