The White Sheik

In Federico Fellini's 1952 solo directing debut, a bride ditches her hubby on their honeymoon for a chance to meet her idol, the actor who “plays” an Italian photo-comic strip character called “The White Sheik.” While the comically frantic groom covers up for his wife's absence with his gathered family (all the while despairing), the newlywed bride meets and is quickly disillusioned with the titular hero--a case of reality not quite matching up to fantasy--ultimately returning to her betrothed for a presumed life of domestic bliss. Slight and rather inconsequential next to the famed director's later works, this slapstick satire offers its fair share of laughs and insights, but is undercut by poorly synced post-production dubbing--an annoying practice in the Italian film industry that comes off even worse here than usual. For a half-century-old film, the b&w image quality is pretty decent but hardly one of Criterion's more pristine efforts. The DVD's bonus interview with Fellini friend Moraldo Rossi plus the two surviving leads, Leopoldo Trieste and Brunella Bovo, makes for more than a few fond remembrances. A strong optional purchase. (T. Rich)