I Vitelloni (1953)

100% of critics liked it
(23 reviews)
90% of users liked it
(5,758 ratings)

Italian maestro Federico Fellini's first international success is a nakedly autobiographical film that bears many of the formal and thematic concerns that recur throughout his work. Set in the director's hometown of Rimini, I Vitelloni follows the lives of five young vitelloni, or layabouts, who… More Italian maestro Federico Fellini's first international success is a nakedly autobiographical film that bears many of the formal and thematic concerns that recur throughout his work. Set in the director's hometown of Rimini, I Vitelloni follows the lives of five young vitelloni, or layabouts, who while away their listless days in their small seaside village. Fausto (Franco Fabrizi), the leader of the pack, marries his sweetheart, but finds himself constantly distracted by other women. Meanwhile, would-be playwright Leopoldo (Leopoldo Trieste) continues work on his dreary plays, dreaming of staging them one day. Clownish Alberto (Alberto Sordi) still lives at home with his mother and sister, Olga (Claude Farell), while boasting of preserving the family honor by watching over her. While the movie seems to pay little attention to Riccardo (Riccardo Fellini) and Moraldo (Franco Interlenghi), the latter eventually emerges as its key character, plainly serving as Fellini's alter ego. Stuck in adolescence, the five friends stumble into various misadventures, as they seek to spice up their uneventful provincial lives. Ultimately, one of them breaks free from their self-imposed paralysis and moves on, leading to one of the most poignant farewell sequences in film history. A hit in Italy upon its release, I Vitelloni secured Fellini's reputation as an up-and-coming talent, while also introducing its title into Italian vernacular. ~ Elbert Ventura, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 44 min.
Directed By: Federico Fellini
Written By: Federico Fellini, Ennio Flaiano
Genres: Drama, Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: Sep 17, 1953 Limited
On DVD: Aug 24, 2004
Studio: Janus Films

Critic Reviews

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Offers us the rare chance to witness a filmmaker becoming a master filmmaker, as well as the birth of an important relationship with composer Nino Rota.
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post
What stays fresh (and enhanced by the beautifully restored black- and-white print) is how so many of Fellini's gifts and obsessions are already apparent in this early work.
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
It was this ineffably poignant semiautobiographical reverie that unleashed fully Fellini's shimmering, flowing poetic style.
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
One of the screen's great portrayals of the hell-raising and malaise of young men in their 20s.
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
If you have warm memories of American Graffiti, Diner, Mean Streets or even TV's Seinfeld, you owe it to yourself to see the masterpiece that inspired them all.
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
A must-see for Fellini enthusiasts and a worthwhile investment for everyone else.
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
Fellini's half-affectionate, half-acerbic nostalgia
Gabe Leibowitz, Film and Felt
The idle class is somberly portrayed in Federico's authentic, frequently depressing I Vitelloni, a downbeat tale set in small-town Italy soon after the war.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
One of Fellini's greatest films (and first international hit) is a poignant, bitter-sweet satire about a clique of male friends who refuse or can't grow up into adulthood. The movie had influence on Scorsese, Levinson Lucas and other American directors.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
This is one of Fellini's best character studies and films.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
This semiautobiographical work by Federico Fellini was the first film to bring him a measure of world attention.
Doug Cummings, Filmjourney
Although the plot moves between set pieces, its dramatic structure is centered on the characters, individuals caught between terminal stasis and illegitimate dreams.
Rumsey Taylor, Not Coming to a Theater Near You
This dilemma between the desire not to mature and the infallibility of age is best summated in Nino Rota's score. It highlights the film's beautiful final shots and lends the final exit an air of playful hope.
Kim Newman, Empire Magazine
It's as wistful and sad as it is funny and charming, with the first of Nino Rota's great scores to keep it burbling along.
Jamie Russell, BBC
Proof of Fellini's early genius as a storyteller.

Read all 15 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Ken S

Scorsese is obviously a fan of this Italian Neo-Realism classic. It's not my favorite, but it's definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of the genre.
Stella D

my new favorite fellini. i'm not a huge fan of his later works but mean streets is all over this. hell, the very first scene was lifted for goodfellas. tho mainly a masterpiece of neorealism, fellini's later style is evident in the carnival scene among other whimsical… More
my new favorite fellini. i'm not a huge fan of his later works but mean streets is all over this. hell, the very first scene was lifted for goodfellas. tho mainly a masterpiece of neorealism, fellini's later style is evident in the carnival scene among other whimsical touches and his signature dreamlike atmosphere is pervasive, albeit in the form of memory. that he can make us care so much about this group of pathetic slackers is amazing to me. i had to watch it again right away. so even if ur not a fan, u might want to give it a chance. hilarious and heartbreaking
Pierluigi P

Fellini narrates his sometimes pleasent, sometimes hard youth with his peculiar friends. An overlook jewel that inspired many other, like Barry Levinson's Diner or George Lucas' American Graffiti.
Lanning :

The perpetually unemployed? The eternal students? The men who didn't want to grow up? So what is the best translation for this title? The guys who wanted to drink, smoke, and shoot pool forever? <p> This is still what I would call early Fellini. Ostensibly… More
The perpetually unemployed? The eternal students? The men who didn't want to grow up? So what is the best translation for this title? The guys who wanted to drink, smoke, and shoot pool forever? <p> This is still what I would call early Fellini. Ostensibly autobiographical, this is defintiely a slice-of-life movie shot in a realistic style. With Moraldo posed as Fellini, however, we are given a kind of dark fairytale of men moving quickly into middle-age who have lived the "dream" of never having to grow up, to accept responsibility, or to make something of their lives. And Peter Pan it is not; in a way it is almost tragic. If we waste too much of our lives, we obviously have less time to "make our mark." Moraldo-Fellini finally chooses to step off the merry-go-round and strike out to make his mark. A bittersweet meditation on the reasons why youth sometimes truly may be wasted on the young.
Eric B

A lovely film, though it's definitely a creature of another era. This is early Fellini back in his neo-realist period, and only an isolated carnival sequence hints at the matured director's trademark sense of spectacle. I'm hardly the first to say so, but "I… More
A lovely film, though it's definitely a creature of another era. This is early Fellini back in his neo-realist period, and only an isolated carnival sequence hints at the matured director's trademark sense of spectacle. I'm hardly the first to say so, but "I Vitelloni" sure reminds me of Barry Levinson's "Diner" (one of my favorite films ever). Yes, it's another close-knit circle of likable, well-dressed, slick-haired young men who somehow just can't find a solid path in life, despite approaching the problem from a variety of angles. The main criticism I have of "I Vitelloni" is that the screenplay doesn't give the five lads equal time, and thus the story of the womanizing Fausto somewhat overwhelm the others' sketchier tales.
Mike T

This is an irrefutably influential film whose concept is visible in films as different as Diner and La Haine. Fellini portrays a group of perpetually aimless men whose narcissism clouds their ability to do something meaningful with their lives. The character examinations are riveting… More
This is an irrefutably influential film whose concept is visible in films as different as Diner and La Haine. Fellini portrays a group of perpetually aimless men whose narcissism clouds their ability to do something meaningful with their lives. The character examinations are riveting and powerful when taken exclusively, but I personally think a more prominent central focus would have given the film more resonance. The film is startlingly jovial when you take the subject matter into account, but I found the tonal decisions to be interesting rather than awkward. This is an important movie that is years and years ahead of its time, and it has made an impression on such acclaimed filmmakers as Martin Scorsese and George Lucas.
Joey N

I can definitely see how this influenced George Lucas, and I wouldn't be surprised if it also inspired The Last Picture Show. Apparently Martin Scorsese and Stanley Kubrick were big fans as well.
Emily B

An early Fellini gem.