Founts of self knowledge

Anita Ekberg, the Swedish star of the 1960 black and white film La Dolce Vita,has died. The magical and iconic fountain scene comes to mind immediately in thinking of this actress's life on film. One cannot help but wonder, was it with this movie that the genesis of "the fountain scene" began? Let's take a look.

Several films and television shows have revisited this familiar landscape. Characters set against the backdrop of a man made, modern feat of engineering, and phenomenon called a fountain... causes one to contemplate whether or not this life force of water is the REAL star, and whether or not the actors set against it are merely the backdrop?

Consider the pivotal fountain scene in the gripping and dramatic film "Atonement":

More intensely, Dennis the Menace and Mr. Wilson are seen playing out their personal demons and dilemmas.. in ... none other than...a fountain.

Here, the boys of The OC are struggling to find existential meaning, and also seeking to accept and understand their true selves:

The complex and angst ridden kids of Gossip Girl...

 A familiar cadre of companions:

Carrie looking outside herself (instead of within) for meaning and for Mr. Right Now (at a fountain):

And the ultimate, most profound, and final tribute, the Lizzy McGuire movie. Where? But of course...set against the Trevi Fountain itself..

Looking at the meaning of the word Trevi...this fountain's name supposedly derives from the word Trivium, and who else can that be about than the goddess Trivia?