A picture that goes beyond what men think about - because no man ever thought about it in quite this way!

Guido Anselmi, a film director, finds himself creatively barren at the peak of his career. Urged by his doctors to rest, Anselmi heads for a luxurious resort, but a sorry group gathers—his producer, staff, actors, wife, mistress, and relatives—each one begging him to get on with the show. In retreat from their dependency, he fantasizes about past women and dreams of his childhood.

Marcello Mastroianni

(Guido Anselmi)

Anouk Aimée

(Luisa Anselmi)

Sandra Milo

(Carla)

Claudia Cardinale

(Claudia)

Rossella Falk

(Rossella)

Barbara Steele

(Gloria Morin)

Madeleine Lebeau

(Madeleine, the French Actress)

Caterina Boratto

(Mysterious Lady)

Eddra Gale

(La Saraghina)

Guido Alberti

(Pace, the Producer)

Mario Conocchia

(Conocchia, the Production Manager)

Bruno Agostini

(Bruno, the Second Production Secretary)

Cesarino Miceli Picardi

(Cesarino, the Production Supervisor)

Jean Rougeul

(Carini, the Film Critic)

Mario Pisu

(Mario Mezzabotta)

Yvonne Casadei

(Jacqueline Bonbon)

Ian Dallas

(Maurice, Maya's Assistant)

Mino Doro

(Claudia's Agent)

Nadia Sanders

(Nadine, the Hostess)

Georgia Simmons

(Guido's Grandmother)

Edy Vessel

(The Model)

Tito Masini

(The Cardinal)

Annie Gorassini

(Producer's Friend)

Rossella Como

(Luisa's Friend)

Mark Herron

(Luisa's Suitor)

Marisa Colomber

(Guido's Aunt)

Neil Robinson

(The French Actress's Agent)

Elisabetta Catalano

(Matilde, Luisa's Sister)

Eugene Walter

(The American Journalist)

Hazel Rogers

(La negretta)

Gilda Dahlberg

(American Journalist's Wife)

Mario Tarchetti

(Claudia's Press Office)

Mary Indovino

(Maya, the Clairvoyant)

Frazier Rippy

(The Lay Secretary)

Francesco Rigamonti

(Luisa's Friend)

Giulio Paradisi

(A Friend)

Marco Gemini

(Guido as a Child)

Giuditta Rissone

(Guido's Mother)

Annibale Ninchi

(Guido's Father)

Dina De Santis

(Dina (uncredited))

Eva Gioia

(Eva (uncredited))

Maria Tedeschi

(School Director (uncredited))

Antonio Acqua

(A Man in a Car (uncredited))

Giulio Calì

(A Man in the Mud (uncredited))

Franco Caracciolo

(Young Priest (uncredited))

Olimpia Cavalli

(Olimpia (uncredited))

Sonia Gessner

((uncredited))

Mathilda Calnan

(Luisa's Friend (uncredited))

Nadia Balabine

(Priest Teacher (uncredited))

John Karlsen