The White Sheik (1952)

I LOVE this movie! It's so nice to see a fun Fellini movie with pure humor—no deep symbolism, semi-autobiographical narcissism, or self- analysis here. I think that this is one of the few non-English movies where I laughed out loud--while viewing it by myself!! The plot is funny enough, but the thing that really nailed it for me was the expressions and gestures of the two main characters.The movies starts as a couple comes to Rome on their honeymoon. Since the husband's uncle is an important public official, he has arranged a VIP tour of the city for them-—including an audience with the Pope!!. The husband, Ivan (Leopoldo Trieste), is anxious for everything to go well for between his uncle and his new wife, Wanda. (Brunella Bovo). However, Wanda is swept away by the chance to visit a photographic comic book studio (or fumetti) where a serial romance with her favorite star, 'The White Sheik,' is being made. She wants to know the future of the fumetti plot and get 'The White Sheik's autograph. When Wanda disappears, Ivan is left to make excuses to his uncle for her whereabouts. In the meantime, she is taken away into by the fumetti group's photograph sessions. As time runs low, they are both left on a comical verge of a nervous breakdown.

Fellini's earliest vehicle, the White Sheik, is a screwball comedy that has aged well, due to its light touch and social critique.The story of a bride and groom who travel to Rome to meet relatives and the Pope at a mass gathering of newly-weds, the narrative depicts how they both cope when the girl absconds to meet her hero, the male model who features in an ongoing photo-serial in a pulp magazine.During the comic proceedings that follow, she discovers it may be best to live with the illusion of her icon than meet him in the flesh. Indeed, Fellini explores the question of which is better, real life or a dream, in detail as the story unfolds.The kitsch tackiness of the soap opera magazine and its decidedly uncultured models contrasts sharply with the street scenes of Rome where every fountain and statue is emphasised by the subtle, yet well-executed cinematography.The groom's obsession with family honour is also scathingly examined, including his devotion to the ultimate "father" of his religious denomination, the Pope, and his desire to meet him and appear good before him. The final scene, which lingers on the facade of the Vatican, perhaps indicates just how much facades have played a part in this comedy. When the groom meets with the Pope, perhaps he too will have his illusions shattered when he sees that the man is not really like how he is portrayed. This question is left lingering at the film's end, leaving the audience wondering how this reception will go.Nevertheless, the main strand is answered as the bride recognises that even her husband, despite all of his flaws, is the true white sheik intended for her.The acting is good for this type of film, with the two leads highly adept at comic expressions.The soundtrack likewise emphasises the lighthearted nature of proceedings and provides a tempo to match the comic proceedings.Ultimately, this film will appeal to more than just Fellini enthusiasts. It remains a classic comedy that can be enjoyed by all of the family.

The White Sheik (Lo Sceicco Bianco) I had taken a break from writing movie review for a while and my rating dropped one point from 298 to 299. The past few months I had been trying to watch every film available on DVD by Fredrico Fellini. This is one of his earlier movies even before La Strada and Dolce Vita. Plot: The first two days of a marriage. Ivan, a punctilious clerk brings his virginal bride to Rome for a honeymoon, an audience with the Pope, and to present her to his uncle. They arrive early in the morning, and he has time for a nap. She sneaks off to find the offices of a romance magazine she reads religiously: she wants to meet "The White Sheik," the hero of a soap-opera photo strip. Star-struck, she ends up 20 miles from Rome, alone on a boat with the sheik. A distraught Ivan covers for her, claiming she's ill. That night, each wanders the streets, she tempted by suicide, he by prostitutes. The next day, at 11, is their papal audience. Can things still be made right? Interestingly enough the prostitute in this movie gets her own movie (Nights of Cabriria) in a couple years. Cabriria was played by Fellini's wife Giulietta Masina) Nights of Cabriria is one of my favorite and Fellini's most powerful movies. The Sheik is fun and interesting. It is a comedy but not filled with all the surreal things of his later movies (but some of the surrealness is still there). Still the images framing and photography are impressive and it is easy to see the makings of a great film maker. By today's standards the plot is a bore. The films historical moral perspective on husbands wives marriage etc is interesting compared to our "no standards anything goes" today. Still it is good fun comic slapstick and motion comedy stuff. Evidently this film is Federico Fellini's first solo effort, his first film, Variety Lights, having been co-directed by Alberto Lattuada. The film is 50 years old There is visible damage and pops and hisses on the soundtrack. At times the image quality looks like it is of Criterion "Rebecca" levels, but it is never consistent showing a little excessive grain and damage at times. Maybe Maybe soon there will be new restored version as this is an excellent film.

This was the first film Fellini directed on his own and it was among his best but most under-appreciated films. While it does not have the usual "Fellini look" (with odd looking supporting characters, unusual stories or unique style), the film is a definite winner--featuring a very cute story and some winning performances. Plus, like most of Fellini's films, the plot is pretty weird--and that I truly appreciate.A young man and woman are married and come to Rome for their honeymoon. The very organized husband seems to have planned every last detail of the trip--scheduling almost every second of every day and allowing them no time alone or to even consummate their marriage. Instead of trying to get this seemingly inflexible man to bend, the young bride hopes to just slip away from the hotel VERY briefly to go meet her idol, the "White Sheik". Unbeknownst to the hubby, she is an avid reader of an adventure magazine that feature this fictional character--complete with photos and stories about his larger than life adventures and romance. And, she'd been writing him for some time and her only real desire in Rome was to spend just a brief moment with him. However, when she arrives at the office that publishes the magazine, the actor portraying him in the stories isn't there. But, the folks see she's a real fan and want to help her, so they tell her to get in the truck and go with the camera crew to the shoot. She only has a moment, but agrees--after all, he is her idol.Well, one thing after another goes wrong and her brief excursion lasts more than a day! In the meantime, the new husband is panic-stricken but doesn't want to tell his uncle or his family--he's too embarrassed to tell them he's misplaced his wife! And, for the next day or so, he makes one excuse after another to explain why she isn't there to go on their fully packed itinerary! The story is very cute and charming,...plus it provides a few laughs. In many ways, it reminds me of the later film THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO (where Mia Farrow is a devoted fan of a movie serial star and sees the same film again and again), but it is both more charming and ultimately has a better and more upbeat ending.PS--I know this may make me sound like I am not "with it", but I really do prefer most of Fellini's earlier films and hate the "über strange" films from later in his career (such as SATYRICON). This is a wonderful film that is sure to please everyone--even those who don't think they like the films of Fellini.