Strada and Cabiria deal with similar themes of innocence vs. cynicism. Guilietta (Fellini’s wife in real life) plays the innocent in Strada who is finally beaten down by witnessing a tragedy committed by Zampano, the strongman. Here Guilietta plays Cabiria/Maria, the street walker, more familiar with life and cynical of other people, but still at times showing an innocence hidden beneath the surface. I liked Guilietta a bit more in this role playing a woman who has a lot of fight in her, sometimes dancing and being loud and not caring what others think, and sometimes worrying a whole bunch about others taunting her. There are still some touching moments, but I thought this movie was a lot funnier. Cabiria struggles when thinking about her future, she sees a famous actor who lives in a huge ornate mansion, she sees homeless people who live in caves, and becomes convinced she has to seek redemption from the church for her life as a prostitute in order to live happily and find love. I heard in a documentary that Fellini believed in the Franciscan idea that everyone can be redeemed. But in both of these Fellini movies I’ve seen so far, he also clearly shows the mob mentality that goes along with the processions and ceremonies. After repenting and asking to be saved, Cabiria realizes she and all her prostitute and pimp friends haven’t changed, a realistic cynicism comes through. Still when beautiful words and the promise of happiness that she craves are offered, she reverts to her innocent self, Maria. Toward the end she repeats a mistake she made at the beginning. But is it a mistake to trust someone when they insist they love you? Can you accept that love and keep your eyes open for the signs that something is wrong? In the midst of the tragedy of losing trust in someone you’ve given your life to, you may feel that you want it all to end. Eventually Cabiria chooses life and though she has lost a lot, she is reminded of the joy of youth and that there is hope for tomorrow.