Juliet of the Spirits (1965)

So, Fellini is kind of hit-or-miss with me. Well, he's Fellini, so it's more like hit-or-lesser-hit, heh. Juliet isn't my favorite Fellini. For me, it's got nothing on La Strada or 8 1/2. It's around Nights of Cabiria, maybe a little below, but not as low as I Vitelloni.

The film started out pretty strangely, and seemed to be struggling to find some direction. For the first half or so, I couldn't really get into it, it felt very distancing. But then, slowly, I began to get wrapped up in the plot and the mood of the film, and really enjoyed it.

It seems to be Fellini's exploration of a woman's psyche, just as 8 1/2 was an exploration of his own, or man's in general. When Giulietta suspects that her husband is cheating, Fellini does a great job of showing the myriad of emotions that she goes through. Also, due in no small part to Masini's great performance. Her face is the centerpiece, the one foot planted on the ground as a dizzying mix of emotions and spirits whirl around her, ultimately inspiring her to make some decisions and choose her own path in live.

Sandra Milo plays Suzy, her next-door neighbor, as well as her Grandfather's mistress in a flashback. As usual, Fellini uses his unique talents to make her look as whorish as possible, and he succeeds! She, as well, serves as an inspiration for Giulietta, because she enjoys the freedom that Giulietta wishes for. She's independent, spontaneous, desired, whimsical, fun, and most of all, free. It's Suzy that serves as the final push that Giulietta needs to grasp for her own freedom. And in the end, she succeeds...I think?