The events take place over a year and are basically a series of memories played out on screen. There is no plot or storyline. Though a lot of the stories centre around a teenage boy, Titta, he is not a main character. It's very much an ensemble piece and a bit of a messy free for all as a result.
As per usual, Fellini's memories are mostly that of women. He is a big old perv, but as he is the horny teenager Titta, he clearly always was. Buxom beyond belief women are the stars of the show. The tobacconist who nearly suffocates him with her ample (such an understatement!) bosom; Gradisca the town beauty who allows him to place his hand on her thigh in a darkened cinema til she asks "have you lost something?"; Volpina, the town's crazy whore who kisses him when he fixes her bicycle. No-one gets away from his hormones aside from his ailing mother. He isn't alone as his friends are bags of hormones too, quite oddly displayed in a circle jerk as they all cry out their fantasy partners to each other. This shortly after going to confessional and denying the priest's accusations that each of them touches themselves.
There are a few grand set pieces in his memories. The film opens with a festival of spring as the town celebrate around a bonfire and burn a winter witch effigy. There are also complete tangent threads which get more bizarre as the film goes on. A town outing on a flotilla to watch the passing of a huge ocean liner, a mad uncle refusing to come down from a tree until he gets a woman. He is eventually talked down by a midget nun from the sanitarium he stays in. There is an odd scene as the town tramp boasts of his sexual exploits with a visiting sultan's harem. Bonkers!
You can't fault him for wanting to cram as many memories in the film as he can and it is certainly shot beautifully with great use of colour and fabulous costumes. I would just have liked a bit more of a cohesive story to it all. Great fun though.
The tobacconist and her AMPLE norks!
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