Federico Fellini’s film “La Strada” does contain artistic merit and I’m going to tell you why. La Strada is known, as one of the best films ever made back then, and Fellini is one of the best producers the movie business has ever seen. There are three main characters in the movie, Gelsomina, Zampano, and the Fool. All three of them have different mental and physical aspects about them that make this movie artistic. Gelsomina is a small and innocent girl who is forced to go on the road with a man she has never met before. Her character fits her personality because she uses her innocence to put up with Zampano. Zampano is a very large man who performs the act of breaking a metal chain with his chest throughout the country. He is a loner in this film and he thinks of people as an obstacle or as help for him with his job. The Fool is a very strange man who is constantly using different expressions and sounds to make his point. The Fool represents the energy of the film and uses his generosity in an artistic way. He is constantly messing around with Zampano and he also tells Gelsomina that she does have a purpose in life. The movement scenes in La Strada were very realistic to me. For example when Zampano and Gelsomina are driving in the motorcycle it feels like they are actually moving from town to town. Fellini also did a great job with the scenery changes. As Zampano and Gelsomina change towns, Fellini makes sure the audience sees the change in weather. For example towards the end of the movie the mountains are covered in snow when Zampano leaves Gelsomina. The Fool’s death is a big turning point in the movie. The Fool uses his creativity to make others feel better and that is why Gelsomina likes him. Zampano runs into the Fool fixing a tire on the road and he decides to get revenge for when he threw water on him earlier. When Zampano accidentally kills the Fool, both characters are changed from then on. Gelsomina is out of it the rest of the movie and cant stop saying, “The Fool is hurt”. Zampano spends the rest of the movie trying to calm her down after what happened. The end of the movie presents us with a side of Zampano that we have never seen before. Years after Zampano left Gelsomina sleeping on the road, he hears a woman in a village humming the song that Gelsomina used to play all the time. He finds out about Gelsomina’s death and later that night he breaks down. For the first time, Zampano is overwhelmed by his thoughts as he wanders down to the beach. The final scene as he stares at the sky for the first time and begins to cry. He finally shows some emotions towards her, but it is too late. She had a positive affect on his life and he didn’t realize it until she was dead. This leaves Zampano with a feeling of grief and loneliness more than ever.