This stirring depiction of theater life marked the debut of one of the world's greatest directors. Though Fedorico Fellini co-directed with Alberto Lattuada, Variety Lights is clearly a Fellini original, imprinted by his sense of magic and fascination with the grotesque. When a young girl joins a second-rate variety troupe, she quickly outshines the jaded actors and beguiles their aging manager. The superb ensemble cast skillfully portray the entertainers' desperation to perform and their impenetrable loneliness. Giulietta Masina stars as the manager's abandoned girlfriend, a quietly moving performance that foreshadows her work in La Strada and other Fellini films. With this powerful film, Fellini established his talent for finding the humanity that dwells within even the most eccentric characters.