The Clowns (1970)

The Clowns (1970), a vibrant synthesis of Fellini's real memories and imaginative mockumentary, is a captivating exploration of his childhood fascination with the magnetic world of circus clowns. Fellini, once considering a career as a ringmaster, becomes the mesmerized master of ceremonies, sharing his relentless passion with an equally engrossed audience. The film unfolds in three enthralling segments, beginning with a young Fellini waking to the magical spectacle of a circus being erected outside his home in the seaside town of Rimini. Compelled by curiosity, he ventures in, where the clowns stir up eerie memories of peculiar neighbors, which are brought to life through carefully crafted vignettes. Fellini's nostalgia for the jesters of his youth propels him on a whimsical journey, alongside a comically exaggerated film crew, from Italy to Paris. They seek to uncover the rich history of clowning and track down the remaining greats of this art form. Along this journey, Fellini crosses paths with Alice Chaplin, legendary clown Charlie Chaplin's daughter, and his renowned star, Anita Ekberg, who is amusingly in the process of buying a panther at a circus. In a poignant turn of events, Fellini finds himself in a museum, confronted with the deteriorating footage of his comedic idols, a stark reminder of the passage of time. But the undying spirit of the maestro refuses to conclude his film on such a somber note. Instead, he masterfully crafts a grand, larger-than-life finale, a resplendent tribute to the mysticism and pageantry of the circus, one of his most profound influences. The Clowns (1970) serves as a deeply personal yet universally relatable love letter to an era and its entertainers, wrapped in the signature Fellini blend of reality and fantasy.

The Clowns is a comedy movie featuring Federico Fellini.

It is possible to buy The Clowns on Apple TV.