Sorry, this movie sucks

Pretty Good

Powerful

Highly Overrated But Still Good

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.

The name Fellini brings to mind some of the great films of the 20th century; La Dolce Vita, La Strada, and 8 1/2 come to mind. However, every legend has a beginning, and Fellini's was here. Here, we see the neo-realist influence that affected most of his early work, and it works perfectly to capture the hustle and bustle of the city of Rome as well as tell the story of a newlywed couple on a perfect honeymoon with a not-so perfect relationship.Fellini does remarkable work in cutting back and forth between the travels of the bride as she seeks out her favorite soap opera star, The White Sheik, and that of the groom desperately trying to impress his family. It gives a sense that even if dreams seem more fun and desirable than the real world we live in, it is not always perhaps the most beneficial path. This is a theory that seemed to change with time as Fellini's films became more dream-like, but here it is apparent that realism reigns, at least for this awe-struck couple.

Having seen most of Federico Fellini's movies, any viewer who not only watches the films but experiences the cinema may draw the conclusion that the director changed his style over the years. In other words, he turned to be more "skeptical" more "knowledgeable" and more "dreamlike." To realize that, we have to consider his earliest films - his honeymoon period - for clearer understanding of the change. The movie that resembles Fellini's freshness most is LO SCEICCO BIANCO. Here, it is hardly the Fellini we know from JULIET OF THE SPIRITS or CITY OF WOMEN. It is a fresh, genuine, young Fellini where some viewers even fail to recognize the director. Nevertheless, if one watches the film more deeply, it is possible to notice something characteristic of Fellini. To make it more clear, let me briefly look at the content first.A young couple from the provincial part of Italy, Ivan Cavalli (Leopoldo Trieste) and Wanda Giardino Cavalli (Brunella Bovo), come to Rome for their honeymoon. Here, mind you that honeymoon symbolizes not only the mutual freshness, appreciation but also the lack of boredom resulting from routine of life. The honeymoon also appears to be the sort of "illusive prelude" to the everyday. Ivan is very strict, honorable and plans the visit exactly to the very letter with the schedule list which contains introducing of his wife to his noble family, sightseeing of Rome and the climax of the stay: the audience at the pope's. Wanda, however, is more "light hearted", enthusiastically absorbed in arts of 24th May Street and aims rather at adventure than at the formal side of the visit. When they enter the Tre Fiori Hotel, she soon disappears fleeing into the world of her dreams, illusions and fantasies. Will she find the stay at her illusive world of a white sheik (Lo Sceicco Bianco) more comfortable and convincing? While analyzing the content (not revealing more of it), I think that this is one of the movies where Fellini is mostly HIMSELF. He touches similar themes like in his later movies, including social criticism, formality in relations, dominance, destructive illusions, social discrepancies, and disillusion. Yet, he remains absolutely clear. Criticizing social conventions, he aims at addressing the problem: what should the marital status be like? While discussing dominance, he seems to draw our attention to the different personalities of the couple. Most importantly, however, Fellini develops the destructive effect of illusions, which he would do in many of his later films, paying attention to Wanda's fanatic idolatry and fantasies: "real life is a dream." When she enters the 24th May Street and, more strictly, when she meets the white sheik, isn't that Cabiria entering the house of Alberto Lazzari in Fellini 1957 movie? Is the world of art separated from the ordinary world? Had Wanda better just get the autograph and a cigarette as a souvenir and leave in order not to be led into unpleasant disillusion? But, according to my deeper analysis of the themes, you may falsely conclude that the movie is pretty psychological. In no way! It is a humorous story, witty adventure with moments at which you will rather split your side than reflect. The atmosphere is perfect for ordinary viewers as well as Fellini buffs. It is not a Felliniesque movie but reveals more the characteristics of I VITELLONI, LA STRADA and NIGHTS OF CABIRIA. Moreover, LO SCEICCO BIANCO can boast wonderful cinematography with really well managed images. Concerning wit, the most memorable moments for me were two, in fact. One being Ivan who gets informed where Wanda is and, consequently, his sentence: "Dear uncle, the name of Cavalli..." ends with "we will meet in the Vatican at 11 o'clock..." The other being the final moment when the noble family at last gets to know Wanda, the uncle says "Wanda Carissima!" (dearest Wanda) and their memorable walk towards St Peter's Basilica. Except for the two, there are many other witty moments that I won't reveal now. You must see the film. As far as camera is concerned, the absolute visual masterwork for me was the first view of the white sheik. We see him illusively, like Wanda regards him... And another strong point to be mentioned here: the wonderful music by Nino Rota, a mainstay in Fellini's films. UNFORGETTABLE!The performances of the movie constitute the different aspect I'd like to discuss in the separate paragraph. There are many non professionals but it does not reduce the value of the movie. The cast do extraordinary jobs, including the leading couple: Leopoldo Trieste and Brunella Bovo as well as Alberto Sordi in the role of the white sheik and many of the supporting cast. Here, it is important to mention that Fellini had that very significant flair for casting people. But, the most important fact is that we can see Giulietta Masina in LO SCEICCO BIANCO. She plays...Cabiria, different one than a few years later. She appears in one scene but what a terrific performance it is! For me, it was the best scene of the movie. Masina is given very little time on screen in an undeveloped role, yet we all get the clear point of her portrayal and once you see her, you never forget her.Very good film that I highly recommend anyone to see! To me, it appeared as if a "cinematic honeymoon" period of Fellini, of his skillful direction, of his themes' development and the particular charm that he skipped later. LO SCEICCO BIANCO is what movies have best: entertainment and education. Who was Wanda's white sheik in the end? Don't we also have "white sheiks" in our lives that lead us more often into illusions and, unfortunately, more rarely into disillusions? 9/10

The protagonist is a stuffy little bureaucrat from a small town arriving for his honeymoon in Rome with his very sheltered (only a bit more than himself) young bride. He has few romantic thoughts on his mind. His main concern is a meeting with his uncle, a minor official at the Vatican, who has arranged an audience with the Pope.While the jerk is taking a nap, his bride plots a momentary escape to fulfill her one wild fantasy---A meeting with the "White Sheik" a hero of the "frumetti"---a sort of trashy photographic comic book popular in 50s Italy---to whom she has sent red hot fan mail. She learns that the studio is only a few blocks from the hotel and resolves to meet her secret love for just a minute and get back to the hotel in time. Through a comedy of errors she is accidentally "abducted" to a shooting session where she learns to be careful about what she wishes for. Meanwhile, her husband is desperately searching for her and coming up with all kinds of frantic excuses to his family for her absence. I won't describe the movie any further for the benefit of those who wish to see it.A very effective comedy with plenty of innuendo for adults and even some slapstick and sight gags. Loads of laughs for young and old. A very sweet story that nevertheless contains some of the surrealistic elements of Fellini's later work. If possible, get the subtitled version. The Italian language enhances the comical effect. A real gem.