Giulietta Masina, Federico Fellini's wife, doesn't fit conventional beauty standards. She's described as short, with distinctive features—a large head, round face, flat nose, and a wide mouth. Her movements lack gracefulness. However, when she appears on screen, there's a remarkable transformation. Masina exudes a captivating presence that seems to radiate light. Her tear-filled, expressive eyes have a profound impact, stirring and even breaking the hearts of audiences, creating a strong and devoted connection with them.
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In "Nights of Cabiria," Giulietta Masina embodies the character of Cabiria. She portrays a naive and gullible individual who lacks worldly knowledge and often boasts without understanding. Despite her passionate pursuit of love, her lack of experience leaves her continually deceived. However, Cabiria's most notable trait is her unwavering optimism. There's an inexhaustible energy within her, causing minor setbacks and losses to hold no lasting weight in her mind. Her determination that "tomorrow will be better" surpasses even Scarlett O'Hara's resolve in "Gone with the Wind." Cabiria is akin to resilient wild grass, unburnable by the fiercest wildfires, capable of rejuvenation with the gentle arrival of spring breezes.
The moment she enters the scene, she is thrust into the river by her dim-witted and deceitful boyfriend, a scheme designed for extortion that nearly results in her drowning. However, for someone as resilient as Cabiria, this incident is merely a minor setback. Soon after, she eagerly resumes her nightly excursions to attract customers. Despite not possessing the conventional beauty of others, her sole source of pride, even amidst ridicule, is the home she's painstakingly saved for—a simple yet significant symbol of her independence. When she encounters a celebrity idol who takes her to a lavish mansion, Cabiria refrains from any form of boasting about her modest possession. This defines Cabiria: humble, humble, chatty, happy.
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However, despite her lack of guile, Cabiria possesses a delicate and emotional side that is easily wounded. When she dresses up and displays herself in public, she's met with disdainful gazes from two elegant and stunning women with long legs, which deeply affects her. Attempting to maintain her composure, Cabiria glances back at them with an expression of undeniable frustration. She's been deceived by her lover, and in moments of despair, she mourns and grieves in front of photographs of those who've departed from her life, often succumbing to anger and even moments of violence. Upon selling her house, she roams around the old residence, stirring countless memories. A wave of sadness and longing inundates her heart, ultimately leading to tears as she embarks on an uncertain future. This is Cabiria — a woman who often displays a childish pout, wears a sorrowful expression, and occasionally reveals a sense of bewilderment in her eyes.
Cabiria had another identity—she was once known as Maria. As Maria, she possessed long hair cascading down her shoulders and attended church with her mother for worship. Meeting the man of her dreams, Maria exhibited shyness, purity, and dignity. She humbly knelt down, gathering flowers to offer to her crush. When she encountered a monk assisting the impoverished, unable to repay his kindness, Maria respectfully disclosed her true name. During her date with her beloved, she carefully concealed any aspect of her life as Cabiria, even selling her sole house in pursuit of love. Delightedly, she gathered flowers at sunset in the forest, treasuring them in her purse. In front of a bustling church, she shed the most heartfelt tears for Mary, akin to a child's sincerity. Innocent and childlike, Maria represented how Cabiria felt about her own former self.
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This Cabiria evokes sympathy and pity from people due to her rough appearance and noticeable flaws that make it challenging to perceive her as charming, let alone agreeable. Yet, this same person, desperate for even a fragment of love and respect, consistently leaps forward, displaying a small and unassuming figure. Against adversities such as wind, rain, and amidst millions in the crowd, she perseveres—even with head injuries and bleeding—undaunted in her pursuit of love, showing unwavering determination without ever retreating. Cabiria's tenacity recalls Chihiro from “Millennium Actress”, but her stakes are higher, and the harshness of reality far surpasses the dreams of stage performances. She doesn't anticipate miracles awaiting her in the future; instead, she confronts repeated trampling and ridicule, relying solely on herself. She won't succumb, won't shatter —she is Cabiria.
At that twilight moment when nightfall descends, as the curtain draws to a close, the ultimate scene unfolds on stage. Amidst the final revelry, I find myself unable to discern which persona, gazing tearfully at the camera, is Cabiria, or if it's Maria herself. Tears blurred her eyeliner, streaking down her face like a faint black line in the dimming light, resembling fireflies or a passing comet in the night sky. As she turned her head and offered a faint smile on the screen, I found tears streaming down my cheeks in the darkness, deeply moved by the emotional resonance of the moment.
That realization struck me: Cabiria is not just a character on screen; she is you, me, and every relentless pursuit of the elusive essence of love that ceaselessly defines our souls.
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Alejandro Franco "Arlequin" 
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