City of Women (1980)

Federico Fellini’s City of Women (La città delle donne) is a provocative, surrealist fantasy that explores themes of gender, masculinity, desire, and fear through the lens of a dreamlike journey. Released in 1980, this Italian film is often viewed as one of Fellini’s most audacious works—simultaneously playful and critical, enigmatic and theatrical.

Detailed Summary

The Train and the Woman in White

The film opens with Snàporaz (Marcello Mastroianni), a middle-aged man, dozing off on a train. He awakens just in time to notice an attractive woman (called The Woman in White) stepping off. Driven by a mix of curiosity and lust, he follows her into the woods, embarking on a journey that will quickly dissolve the boundaries between reality and dream.

The Feminist Conference

Snàporaz stumbles upon a large hotel where a feminist convention is underway. As the only man present, he quickly becomes the target of ridicule, debate, and confrontation. The women there are caricatures—some are aggressive, some are sexually liberated, others are intellectual or militant. Snàporaz, confused and intimidated, is pulled deeper into a world that challenges his outdated views of women and his role as a man.

The Descent into Fantasies and Nightmares

From this point forward, the film becomes a phantasmagoria of scenes: he finds himself in a gymnasium where women perform martial arts, in a bizarre elevator ride with drag queens, and later in a countryside villa that’s part sex dream, part tribunal.

He meets various symbolic female figures from his past: teachers, lovers, even his childhood nanny. Each represents aspects of female power and desire filtered through the male psyche. At one point, he’s put on trial by a panel of women. His guilt isn’t for a specific crime—but for being a man who objectifies women, clings to patriarchal fantasies, and refuses to evolve.

The Air Balloon of Desire

In one of the film’s most iconic scenes, Snàporaz is lifted into the air inside a giant balloon shaped like a voluptuous woman. It’s an absurd metaphor for his entrapment by lust and his inability to escape the gravitational pull of his own libido.

As the balloon deflates, his fall symbolizes a sort of reckoning.

Movie Ending

The climax of City of Women takes place in a dilapidated circus tent, where Snàporaz is placed in a surreal courtroom. The female jurors wear exaggerated wigs, makeup, and perform mock interrogations. He’s judged not for his actions, but for the attitudes and fantasies he holds. At one point, he’s sentenced to death and tied to a roller skate cart, symbolically condemned by the very fantasies he once enjoyed.

Suddenly, the structure collapses, the scene dissolves into chaos, and Snàporaz finds himself waking up—back on the train, safe but shaken. His wife is sitting beside him. He says nothing. The train enters a tunnel, and the screen fades to black.

The ending leaves us wondering: Did he experience a genuine transformation, or was it all just a dream to be forgotten with the next lustful glance?

There’s a deliberate ambiguity—a signature of Fellini. The message isn’t handed to the audience but offered in fragments of metaphor, symbolism, and dream logic.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, City of Women does not have a post-credits scene. The movie ends traditionally with credits rolling after the final shot, consistent with the cinematic norms of European art films in the 1980s.

Type of Movie

City of Women is a surrealist drama with strong elements of fantasy, psychological introspection, and social satire. It’s best understood as a companion to dream-logic narratives like 8½, offering an unfiltered view into the subconscious mind of a man confronting the end of his sexual and societal relevance.

Cast

• Marcello Mastroianni as Snàporaz
• Anna Prucnal as Woman in White
• Bernice Stegers as Donatella
• Donatella Damiani as The Teenaged Girl
• Ettore Manni as Dr. Xavier Katzone

Film Music and Composer

The score is composed by Luis Bacalov, who blends cabaret-style motifs, dreamy instrumentals, and jazzy piano flourishes to match the film’s surreal tone. The music oscillates between whimsical and haunting, serving as a sonic extension of Snàporaz’s wandering psyche.

Filming Locations

• Cinecittà Studios in Rome, Italy: Nearly all of the film was shot here on elaborate soundstages. Fellini, a longtime collaborator with Cinecittà, preferred the control and artistry studio sets allowed over real-world locations.
• The stylized backdrops enhance the dreamlike and theatrical quality of the film rather than striving for realism.

Awards and Nominations

• César Award Nomination (1981) – Best Foreign Film
• David di Donatello Special Prize – Given to Federico Fellini for his contribution to cinema
• While not widely decorated, City of Women is considered a cult classic and remains a staple in film school syllabi and feminist cinema discourse.

Behind the Scenes Insights

• Fellini reportedly wrote the script as a response to the rise of feminism in the 1970s, trying to explore his own discomfort and confusion as a male artist.
• Mastroianni and Fellini had a close working relationship; Mastroianni described the film as one of the most psychologically exhausting roles he ever played.
• Many of the actresses in the film were non-professional performers or cast for their eccentricities rather than traditional acting skill, in line with Fellini’s preference for expressive faces.
• Several scenes were improvised or evolved on set with input from the cast.

Inspirations and References

• Inspired by the feminist movement, Fellini wanted to examine masculinity under pressure.
• Influences include Carl Jung’s theory of the anima, dreams, and the subconscious.
• It’s also partly autobiographical: Snàporaz is often viewed as Fellini’s onscreen alter ego, much like Guido in 8½.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

There are no widely known alternate endings, but deleted or extended dream sequences were likely shot and cut during editing. Fellini was known to shoot far more material than he used, and much of it remained stored in Cinecittà archives.

Book Adaptations and Differences

City of Women is not based on a book, but it was later adapted into a graphic novel-style photo book using stills from the movie. The film’s original screenplay, however, has been published and offers further insight into Fellini’s vision, including scenes that never made it to screen.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

• Snàporaz entering the feminist hotel and being surrounded by women in gas masks.
• The martial arts scene where women pummel a male dummy to empowering music.
• The air balloon shaped like a woman, lifting Snàporaz to the sky before collapsing.
• The courtroom circus finale where he is sentenced by his fantasies.

Iconic Quotes

• Snàporaz: “Why are women so angry?”
• Donatella: “Because we remember everything you want us to forget.”
• Dr. Katzone: “All a man needs is love… and maybe just a little misunderstanding.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

• The train tunnel at the end is a visual metaphor for both sexual imagery and the unconscious—a theme repeated throughout Fellini’s films.
• The circus motif ties back to Fellini’s early obsession with clowns and performers, previously seen in The Clowns (1970).
• Many background characters are recycled archetypes from earlier Fellini films—familiar faces to fans.

Trivia

• Fellini claimed he dreamed most of the sequences and wrote them down upon waking.
• The role of Snàporaz was written specifically for Marcello Mastroianni, who had already starred in 8½.
• The film contains over 300 female characters, most of whom represent different stereotypes or extremes of femininity.
• Fellini received hate mail and fan letters alike after the release—some praising the film’s daring, others calling it misogynistic or incomprehensible.

Why Watch?

City of Women is a must-watch for cinephiles and anyone fascinated by gender politics, dreams, or the mind of Federico Fellini. It’s not an easy film—it’s intentionally confrontational and abstract—but it offers a rich, surrealistic experience that rewards close attention and rewatching.

If you’re interested in films that dissect human desire, cultural shifts, or explore the subconscious with poetic flair, this one’s a unique and unforgettable ride.

Director’s Other Movies

• 8½ (1963)
• La Dolce Vita (1960)
• Amarcord (1973)
• Satyricon (1969)
• The Clowns (1970)

Recommended Films for Fans

• Persona (1966)
• The Holy Mountain (1973)
• 8½ (1963)
• The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
• Eyes Wide Shut (1999)