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Variety Lights Photos

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Movie Info

In Italy, Checco Dal Monte (Peppino De Filippo) manages a troupe of traveling performers with plenty of heart but minimal talent. At a small town engagement, he encounters the starry-eyed, gorgeous Lily Antonelli (Carla Del Poggio), and hires her as a dancer on the show. Vivacious Lily quickly sells out crowds and earns the resentment of Checco's mistress, Melina Amour (Giulietta Masina), but the fledgling performer has far bigger ambitions and soon sets her sights on a higher-profile role.

Genre:

drama
Original Language:

Italian
Director:

Federico Fellini, Alberto Lattuada
Release Date (Streaming):

Jun 16, 2009
Runtime:

1h 33m

Cast & Crew

Giulietta Masina
Melina Amour

Peppino De Filippo
Checco Dal Monte

Carla Del Poggio
Liliana "Lily" Antonelli

Federico Fellini
Director

Alberto Lattuada
Director

Critic Reviews for Variety Lights

All Critics (11) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (11)

The cognoscenti will recognize touches that have turned up in eight Fellini features that followed this one.

May 9, 2005 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

A.H. Weiler
New York Times
It's a refreshingly evocative backstage showbiz pic, that tells a familiar story with much compassion for human frailty.

April 2, 2013 | Rating: B | Full Review…

Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
In as sordid a trade as showbiz, it pays to create theater out of life's miseries

September 25, 2009 | Full Review…

Fernando F. Croce
CinePassion
Even in this early effort the whimsical, odd world of Fellini comes dancing forth.

August 29, 2006 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…

TV Guide
Quote not available.

November 6, 2005 | Rating: 5/5

Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com
Quote not available.

July 17, 2005 | Rating: 5/5

Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
Delightfully charming and whimsical, if nowhere near as consequential as Fellini's best.

December 22, 2003 | Rating: 3/5

Gabe Leibowitz
eCinemaCenter.com
Quote not available.

August 29, 2003 | Rating: 4/5

Carol Cling
Las Vegas Review-Journal
a funny, touching film about the foibles of desire and the dreams of stardom shared by both the young and the old

February 27, 2001 | Rating: 3.5/4

James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk
It ranks with the more simple pleasures of Nights of Cabiria and La Strada -- in short, some of Fellini's best work.

January 1, 2000 | Rating: 4/4 | Full Review…

Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid
While many viewers may watch it primarily to look for clues as to the filmmaker Fellini would become, there's actually a perfectly satisfying narrative at its core.

January 1, 2000 | Rating: 78/100

Scott Renshaw
Apollo Guide

View All Critic Reviews (11)

Audience Reviews for Variety Lights

Jan 09, 2010

Federico Fellini co-directed "Variety Lights" with mentor Albert Lattuada, but it clearly bears his stamp -- the showbiz theme and loose, multi-character storytelling foreshadow his entire career. Fellini had not hooked up with composer Nino Rota yet, but the ever-delightful Giuletta Masina is here. The film's story follows a shabby vaudeville troupe led by the likably vulnerable Mr. Checco (Peppino de Filippo). A beautiful dancer seeking fame (Carla Del Poggio) contrives a way into the act and quickly becomes the star. Checco has a pattern of wooing his "discoveries" and soon falls for the new talent. This upsets his previous conquest (Masina), a dubious "master of disguise" who calls herself Melina Amour. Meanwhile, other problems with personnel and bookings threaten to sink the company. The first half is far stronger than its second -- once Del Poggio's character grabs the spotlight, the story loses steam. Still, "Variety Lights" is a must for Fellini fans. And perhaps for Woody Allen fans too -- the scenario seems a likely inspiration for "Broadway Danny Rose."

Eric B Super Reviewer