This is my first Federico Fellini film, and it is very impressive.  I couldn't quite get into the early scenes, but the film got better and better as it progressed and finished quite extraordinarily.  It plays like a greek tragedy, with Anthony Quinn playing the violent, grumpy Zampano and Giulietta Masina playing Gelsomina as a naive, childlike woman...both as broad archetypes with seemingly unavoidable fates.  Apparently Fellini has a lot of circus stuff in his films, and this is no exception.  LA STRADA impressed me, especially because of the superb performances by the leads.  I can't wait to knock off some other Fellini films on this list like LA DOLCE VITA, 8 1/2, and SATYRICON.