Our past is eating away at us
And we wonder if it'll ever cease to chew.
What part of our future do we really think will be the next?
The only future that's in front of us, like a blackboard slate,
Is one with nothing on it but an invisible chalk-outline.
The bittersweet realization that tragedy is bound up with hope and love is Fellini's concluding word in his masterpiece. La Dolce Vita's protagonists have a decision to make between good and the illusions of the world; the door is always open. There is a striking resemblance to La Strada's sad finale. The closing shot is Paola's innocent grin, radiating a heavenly glow. Marcello has moved away from what he really wants, and the audience is aware of this. He has, in fact, failed to achieve happiness and can only look back with nostalgia at the good times that he had.
