Le Notti di Cabiria (Nights of Cabiria) poster & wallpaper

Aldo Silvani, Amedeo Nazzari, Christian Tassou

This 1957 Oscar winner for best foreign film examines a prostitute who works the streets of Rome looking for love.

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94% liked it

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97% liked it

36 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 57 min.

Directed by: Federico Fellini

Release Date: October 28, 1957

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DVD Release Date: September 7, 1999

Stats: 520 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (520)

  • kenstachnik
    July 28, 2009
    kenstachnik
    My favorite Fellini. A picture of immense emotion and humor.
  • her69eyes
    July 5, 2009
    her69eyes
    "Nights of Cabiria" is one of Federico Fellini's early neo-realist films, and also one of his best. But despite it's praise amongst critics, and even a win for "Best Foreign Language Film" at the 1957 Academy Award ceremony, it is often overshadowed by "La Dolce Vita", a film whi...( read more)ch came just three years later and recycles many of the same situations. While "La Dolce Vita", along with "8 1/2", are the definitive Fellini masterpieces, one must also consider "Nights of Cabiria" right along with such prestigious company if only for the unforgettable performance of the lovely Giulietta Masina.

    As the film begins, we meet Cabiria (Giulietta Masina, Fellini's wife), a naive high-spirited prostitute. In the opening scene, she's walking with her boyfriend, Giorgio, along a river bank. He steals her purse and pushes her in, leaving her to drown. This sets up each episode throughout the rest of the film - the wide-eyed Cabiria is a tragic figure, one who trusts too easily and whose hopes are often stomped. Masina's performance is a bit like a clown, one that's often been considered to have been an homage to Chaplin's Little Tramp. A character like hers in similar situations could've easily made for a comic figure, but we care for Cabiria so deeply that we suffer with her, share her anguish, and shake our heads when she falls for another scam.

    The film, like "La Dolce Vita", is episodic. The first of the episodes deals with Cabiria meeting a famous movie star (Amedeo Nazzari) who invites her to his mansion. Cabiria taunts her prostitute co-workers from his fancy car, and walks through his house as if she were a kid in a candy store. The night is going lovely until Jessy turns up, the girlfriend he had dumped just before meeting Cabiria. He tells Cabiria to hide in the bathroom while he gets rid of Jessy. He and his ex-girlfriend rekindle the relationship and make love while Cabiria sleeps in the bathroom with the dog.

    Following that is a scene cut from the original release that involves Cabiria meeting a good Samaritan who feeds the homeless living in the caves of Rome. Although Fellini fought to keep it in the film, it was removed for a number of cited reasons - from the Roman Catholic Church saying it portrayed the church as unresponsive to the needy, to others saying it simply lagged the film down and was too cruel. The sequence is certainly harshly realistic and full of despair, however it's an incredibly memorable and revealing episode that is more than fitting with the rest of the film. How wonderful it is to be able to see it now.

    To describe for you the rest of the episodes would spoil the spirit of the film - by this point, we're so taken in by this character that we follow along each exploit with a great sense of awe and hope. When things go wrong, her heartbreak is ours. It's a film to be discovered on your own, an adventure more compelling and satisfying than any action epic. I'm not sure whether I prefer this film or "La Dolce Vita", but both films are certainly two of the finest i've ever seen.
  • flixsterman
    April 28, 2009
    flixsterman
    Fellini puts the loveable Giulietta Masina through yet another tragic set of circumstances. Here she's a prostitute who dreams of finding her one true love, even though her heart is repeatedly broken by a series of men with ill intentions. Masina's irrepressible impish charm co...( read more)mpels you to root for her, but her characters always seemed destined for disappointment. Come on Federico, give the gal a break! (Where the hell is Frank Capra when you need him? lol)
  • ceWEBrity
    November 25, 2008
    ceWEBrity
    Nothing short of stunning. Cabiria is a truly unforgettable woman.
  • hypathio7
    November 12, 2008
    hypathio7
    Strada and Cabiria deal with similar themes of innocence vs. cynicism. Guilietta (Fellini's wife in real life) plays the innocent in Strada who is finally beaten down by witnessing a tragedy committed by Zampano, the strongman. Here Guilietta plays Cabiria/Maria, the street wa...( read more)lker, more familiar with life and cynical of other people, but still at times showing an innocence hidden beneath the surface. I liked Guilietta a bit more in this role playing a woman who has a lot of fight in her, sometimes dancing and being loud and not caring what others think, and sometimes worrying a whole bunch about others taunting her. There are still some touching moments, but I thought this movie was a lot funnier. Cabiria struggles when thinking about her future, she sees a famous actor who lives in a huge ornate mansion, she sees homeless people who live in caves, and becomes convinced she has to seek redemption from the church for her life as a prostitute in order to live happily and find love. I heard in a documentary that Fellini believed in the Franciscan idea that everyone can be redeemed. But in both of these Fellini movies I've seen so far, he also clearly shows the mob mentality that goes along with the processions and ceremonies. After repenting and asking to be saved, Cabiria realizes she and all her prostitute and pimp friends haven't changed, a realistic cynicism comes through. Still when beautiful words and the promise of happiness that she craves are offered, she reverts to her innocent self, Maria. Toward the end she repeats a mistake she made at the beginning. But is it a mistake to trust someone when they insist they love you? Can you accept that love and keep your eyes open for the signs that something is wrong? In the midst of the tragedy of losing trust in someone you've given your life to, you may feel that you want it all to end. Eventually Cabiria chooses life and though she has lost a lot, she is reminded of the joy of youth and that there is hope for tomorrow.
  • kanokaan
    October 15, 2009
    kanokaan
    I must say i was waiting more from my favourite director.But more what?I dont know neither.Maybe a little more...I still dont know.But usually Golden Palm nominated movies are different and surrealistic."Nights of Cabiria" was realistic (for me at least) and not so much different...( read more).So script saves the movie to the boreness.I think a hooker who is looking for love is a good subject.Little details are making this movie more interesting.Like the part that Cabiria and her friends went to the...i cant remember easily cause i wacthed this long time ago...a religious place and she critizes religion like Fellini always does.He was critizing religion in "8½" too.Also there was a lady in "8½" who was doing Samba too.But Cabiria is better at Samba.Not only at Samba,Giuletta Masina is acting very good.Maybe overrated...But (this can be overrated too) i have seen Charlie Chaplin in her acting!
  • ElCochran90
    September 12, 2009
    ElCochran90
    Fellini's mesmerizing and masterful storytelling brings us this depressing and sad story about Cabiria, perfectly and unbelievably performed by Giuletta Masina. Arguably the best Italian Neorealist film of the 50's.

    97/100
  • cep5101
    September 3, 2009
    cep5101
    While it's emotionally confusing, the ending is something else.
  • metnal
    August 8, 2009
    metnal
    Giulietta is great as always, but its another depressing fellini flik
  • LordofDance
    August 8, 2009
    LordofDance
    I'm a sucker for Giulietta Masina in this movie. She probably plays the best spunky prostitute in movie history. If Pretty Woman makes your stomach upset, then think of Nights of Cabiria as cinematic Pepto Bismol. It'll make you feel good, but it doesn't always go down pleasan...( read more)tly.

View All Le Notti di Cabiria (Nights of Cabiria) Reviews

Critic Reviews

January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

As artificial as Cabiria's behavior sometimes seems, it always seems her own, and this little woman carries herself proudly through the gutters of Rome. full review

January 1, 2000
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

One of the finest collaborations between husband and wife ever committed to film. full review

View more Le Notti di Cabiria (Nights of Cabiria) reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

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