The Clowns

This little film tends to stand quietly in the shadows of the great director's other works. It cannot compare to 8 1/2, or La Dolce Vita, but it carries a remarkable quality to it that isn't quite like his other films.

Fellini's circus theme is used here to a remarkable effect. There is a sadness that creeps in and around the film, like a cat watching a canary. It is unlike his other works, not as daring or bold, but worth some consideration.

This is an odd vanity project from the famed Italian director, Federico Fellini. It's quite different from his usual films--even though his flashbacks to his youth permeate the film like "Roma" and "Amarcord". This is because of general recollections of childhood, this one specifically is about clowns--something which seems like an obsession in this film. It's shot semi-documentary style and is quite episodic--showing various clowns around Europe and his recollections. In addition, often parallels to the clowns are given--real life situations and people who remind him of the clowns. If you are looking for anything more, then you're out of luck. And, it's a true testament to his fans that such a film STILL is highly regarded. As for me, I thought it was pretty boring and pointless. Sorry...but I just didn't see a lot of reason to watch this one except so that I could one day say I've seen all of Fellini's films (and I am darn close now).

I had never seen this wonderful film before. I was aware that it had been made for TV, was about clowns, obviously and I had heard reports of terrible picture and sound. So, my blu-ray has been sitting around for some time until, prompted by a viewing of Fellini's first success, we decided to give this a go. It is fantastic. Clearly the quality issues have been dealt with and it would seem that the TV origins meant nothing. If the director was taking it easy after Satyricon, you could have fooled me. This has a magical and majestic extended opening sequence and an astonishing extended ending but in-between it is still all a swirl of exciting, amusing and emotional cinematic wonder. Ostensibly a documentary (we even see the director seemingly working with his crew) but there are illusions upon illusions and even the lovely interviews with elderly historic clowns from back in the day are so woven within the circus tapestry that reflects Fellini's past films, future films and his life itself, that we simply gasp and sigh as we share the maestro's own obvious delight.

Fellini exposes his great attraction for the clowns and the world of the circus first recalling a childhood experience when the circus arrives nearby his home. Then he joins his crew and travel from Italy to Paris chasing the last greatest European clowns still live in these countries. He also meets Anita Ekberg trying to buy a panther in a circus.

The overrated "I Clowns" is the weakest movie of Fellini that I have ever seen. This documentary is an absolutely personal and boring homage to the clowns and the world of the circus. Maybe Fellini had had a great satisfaction in this tribute since the theme was his childhood obsession; however I found it extremely painful to hear and watch after thirty minutes. If this documentary was a short, it could be more watchable. My vote is four.

Title (Brazil): "Os Palhaços" ("The Clowns")

THE CLOWNS was originally made for Italy's RAI-TV. In this captivating movie director Federico Fellini, who also appears on screen as himself, portrays man's inborn fascination with the circus arena. The boy who escapes from his bedroom at night to sneak into the provincial circus is a figure of Fellini himself as a boy. Fellini spends time exploring some of Europe's great circuses and their best acts while unfolding once again his recurring theme of life itself as a quasi-liturgical circus-procession. All of Fellini's themes are here in pure distillation. THE CLOWNS is a documentary, a reminiscence, and poetry all at once. In the first part Fellini relates a history of the world of clowns and their unique brand of frolic-through tears. We see the austere Pierrot and his servant clown Auguste, the Fratellini family, the film clown Pierre Etaix, and are treated to Anita Ekberg buying a tiger at an Italian circus and a score of other outstanding episodes. The finale, with Fellini in view again directing the proceedings, like Guido in "8 1/2", is a melancholy clown funeral. Composer Nino Rota provides another appealing score as with so many Fellini films. This is a very accessible and delightful movie and stands beside Cecil B.DeMille's THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH as among the best in the genre.