This was Fellini's directorial debut, although he had been involved in the Italian cinema for quite some time as a writer, mainly. "The White Sheik" heralded the great things that Fellini had in store for all his admirers. It is also the debut of a character that will come to life later on, Cabiria, the prostitute with the heart of gold, the eternal optimist, whose story will be told a few years later in full length.

Fellini was indeed inspired for this picture. He was lucky in finding collaborators of the stature of Tullio Pinelli, who will be linked to Mr. Fellini in many other projects, Michelangelo Antonionni, himself a distinguished director, and Ennio Flaiano. The music of Nino Rota adds another layer to this film with its tuneful score. Arturo Gallea's wonderful black and white photography looks as though it was just shot, with its crisp details of that Rome of the early 1950s in all its splendor.

Ivan Cavalli, an older man has married the beautiful, and younger, Wanda. They come from a small town and their honeymoon is to be spent in Rome, taking the sights and visiting his well connected relatives. The arrival at the train station captures the chaos and confusion that looks pretty much the same today. The prim Ivan is taken aback when the clerk at the Tre Fiori hotel shouts to take the couple to the "honeymoon suite" on the third floor.

Wanda, who is much younger, has something else in mind. She, like a lot of women of that era in Italy, loved the romance stories that were beautifully photographed and which had its followers who adored figures like Fernando Rivoli, the hunk male star of those soap opera paperbacks. Wanda, has been corresponding with the office that handles the production of those penny romances, goes to meet her idol. Wanda, a naive woman, is an instant hit with the woman who writes some of the stories, who tells her Fernando is downstairs waiting for her. Well, that's the beginning for Wanda's fling with celebrity.

In the meantime, Ivan awakens to a flooded room because Wanda forgot to turn off the water in the bath tub. Little does he know, but his punctual uncle and his family await the newlyweds downstairs, but Wanda is missing. What to do? Ivan does everything to excuse his absent bride to the uncle, telling them she feels too sick to go with them. Ivan decides to go along with the relatives not knowing what else to do. The visit to the Pope, a highlight of the trip, has to be postponed.

Wanda finds herself on a beach location where some of the White Sheik's photography is to be shot. She makes quite an impression with her idol, who sees in the naive woman an easy prey. Little prepares him for the way everything will turn against him as his jealous wife arrives to the shoot. Wanda, has to find her own way to Rome in the company of a beach goer who sees in Wanda the same thing Rivoli saw: sex!

Leopoldo Trieste, who plays Ivan Cavalli, was the perfect man to play this fastidious man. Mr. Trieste runs away with the picture. The only concern for this stuffy man is his honor. The mere idea of having his good name sullied by Wanda simply is too much for him; it horrifies him. Mr. Trieste, one of the best film actors in Italian cinema makes a wonderful Ivan.

Brunella Bovo appears as Wanda, the young bride. Ms. Bovo is also marvelous in the film. She is a romantic woman who probably is married to Ivan to please her parents. Ivan is the opposite of her idea of what those heroes of the romance novels she adores, must look like. Wanda is horrified when she realizes what her idol Rivoli expects from her.

Fellini and his team were blessed in casting Alberto Sordi as Rivoli. This actor was at an excellent moment in his film career. His larger than life persona dazzles Wanda, but he is like some other handsome hunks that are used to easy females who he lures to bed by telling them what they want to hear.

The ensemble cast is also excellent. Enzo Maggio, a notable character actor, plays the hotel concierge who is more interested in pushing post cards than giving service. Lilia Landi is Felga, one of the models posing for the novels. Ettore Maria Margadonna is seen as the well connected uncle. Giulietta Masina appears toward the end of the film as Cabiria who is walking the streets where she meets the distraught Ivan and comforts him.

This delicious film is a must see for all fans of that genius that was Federico Fellini.

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.

While not one of my favourite Federico Fellini films, this is one of his best early films, almost as good with Il Bidone and on par on I Vitelloni. As ever with Fellini it is beautifully filmed with a touch of quaintness, and his direction is restrained compared to his later films and with a mischievous touch of comedy and fantasy. Nino Rota's score is rousing and cheerful, almost like being at a carnival, while the writing is funny and moving- one of the most beautiful lines of any of Fellini's movies is "Our real lives are in our dreams, but sometimes dreams are a fatal abyss"- and the story is comically precise and sympathetic. The characters are engaging, again while not as identifiable as La Strada and Nights of Cabiria they are not detached as Casanova and Satyricon. Alberto Sordi's performance is top drawer as the dissolute titular character, while Leopoldo Trieste is arresting in his comic timing and Brunella Bovo is wonderfully innocent and entrancing. Giulietta Masina would go on to do even better performances like in Nights of Cabiria but she is still terrific. Overall, a great Fellini film. 9/10 Bethany Cox