The White Sheik

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The White Sheik
Italian release poster This image is a candidate for speedy deletion. It may be deleted after seven days from the date of nomination.
Directed by	Federico Fellini
Produced by	Luigi Rovere
Written by	Michelangelo Antonioni Federico Fellini Ennio Flaiano Tullio Pinelli
Starring	Alberto Sordi Brunella Bovo Leopoldo Trieste Giulietta Masina Lilia Landi
Release date(s)	6 September 1952 (premiere at VFF) September 20, 1952 25 April 1956
Running time	83 mins
Language	Italian
IMDb profile

The White Sheik (Italian: Lo sceicco bianco) is a 1952 film by Federico Fellini. It tells the story of a honeymooning couple in Rome: the bride is obsessed with "The White Sheik", the hero of a soap opera photo strip and sneaks off to find him.

The White Sheik was Fellini's first solo effort as a director. He had previously co-directed Variety Lights with Alberto Lattuada. Initially, it failed with both critics and moviegoers and was a commercial flop.^{[citation needed]}

Originally the treatment for The White Sheik was written by Michelangelo Antonioni. Carlo Ponti commissioned Fellini and Tullio Pinelli to develop the treatment. It was satirical in nature, targeting the trashy fotoromanzi comic strips that were extremely popular in Italy when the film was made.^{[citation needed]}

The male lead, Leopoldo Trieste, reluctantly auditioned for Fellini. Up until that point Trieste was a playwright and did not consider himself an actor. During the audition Fellini asked him to compose a sonnet that the lead character would have written to his wife. The poem which begins "She is graceful, sweet and teeny..." was included in the film.^{[citation needed]}

Brunella Bovo played the role of Wanda in The White Shiek.

Appearing briefly as the prostitute Cabiria, Giulietta Masina would later return to this role in Nights of Cabiria. This short scene inspired Fellini to write the screenplay, and also convinced producers that Guilietta was ready for the leading role.^{[citation needed]}

Nino Rota scored the film.

[edit] External links

v • d • e Films directed by Federico Fellini

1950s	Variety Lights (1950) • The White Sheik (1951) • I vitelloni (1953) • L'amore in città (1953) • La strada (1954) • Il bidone (1955) • Nights of Cabiria (1957)

1960s	La dolce vita (1960) • Le tentazioni del dottor Antonio (1962) • 8½ (1963) • Juliet of the Spirits (1965) • Toby Dammit (1968) • Satyricon (1969)

1970s	I clowns (1970) • Roma (1972) • Amarcord (1973) • Fellini's Casanova (1976) • Prova d'orchestra (1979)

1980s-1990s	City of Women (1980) • And the Ship Sails On (1983) • Ginger and Fred (1986) • Intervista (1987) • La voce della luna (1990)