In Federico Fellini's 1960 classic, the viewer gets a good sense for Fellini's position on particular groups of people, through the portrayal of his characters. The papparazzi are painted in a rather unflattering light, as are religious zealots and American actors. Meanwhile the protagonist, who sports a halo over his head, is an opportunistic philanderer named Marcello.

Marcello, played by Marcello Mastroianni, along with many of his compatriots, is moving through life looking for that one thing that will make him happy, all the while running afoul of those that might stand in his way. The film opens with Marcello and various other papparazzo following a helicopter that is carrying a statue of Jesus to the Vatican for the Pope. It's here that the chase begins, with Marcello following closely behind the one thing that is believed to bring true happiness, only to abandon it later for alcohol, women, and sensationalistic journalism. The aging newsman is given a second chance at redemption when a story arises involving children and a sighting of the Virgin Mary, but he again squanders the opportunity in favor of getting the story all of the papparazzi are after.

For a film that comes in at just under the three hour mark, it is a truly simplistic story. Marcello floats about trying to find solace in any woman that will pay him an ounce of attention, thinking that they might offer him the happiness that he lacks with his girlfriend Emma. He finds his counterpart in Maddalena, who flits about, tempting Marcello with offers of fidelity, when really she is the female equivalent of Marcello himself. In actuality they are the pairing that makes the most sense, as both know that the other will never be truly monogamous.

The old maxim that states, "you're only as good as the people you surround yourself with" certainly comes into play here. That isn't to say that the actors would underperfrom without Fellini and vice versa, but with so many strong performers under one phenomenal director, with a beautifully written script, the outcome was inevitable. There is minor metatextual moment in the film, when a prostitute calls Marcello "Gregory Peck" which is not only apt due to the resemblance, but also due to Mastroianni's ability as an actor. And the moment isn't there so we can draw that correlation, but rather to show that there is an awareness of reputable American actors, despite the manner in which they are portrayed in the film.

Fellini takes a true auteur approach to his work, not only writing and directing the film, but also bringing a vision to the film that could never be replicated, no matter how hard one tries. As audiences have seen, time and time again, when a director is involved with the film from inception to reception, many times that film will draw acclaim that other films lack. The many works of Fellini, or Alfred Hitchcock for that matter, show an unparalelled commitment to creating the best film possible, which puts them and their films into a category that many modern filmmakers will never gain access to. La Dolce Vita is a very introspective look at society and the people that live in and shape it. It's easy to see the movie's influence in modern cinema.