8 1/2 (Otto e mezzo)In Fellini's supremely fabulist film, Cardinale is cast as, well, herself; an idealised vision who glides across the frame and through the consciousness of its anguished male protagonist, Guido (Marcello Mastroianni), a film director who is enraptured with her. "You're so beautiful" he tells her, "I'm at a loss for words. [You're] young and ancient.authentic and radiant".
1963 was a watershed year for Cardinale. While shooting Fellini's 8 ½, the emerging star was also in production on Visconti's The Leopard, working with established auteurs with wildly divergent approaches to directing: Visconti the absolute model of rigour and control on set, with Fellini rather more inclined towards the improvisational.
Fellini was also the first director to insist on featuring Cardinale's own voice on film; until that time, the Tunisian-born actress of Sicilian heritage (who grew up speaking French) was routinely dubbed by Italian voice-over artists.
Imported print
