374. La Notte (The Night) (1961)

Directed By Michelangelo Antonioni

Synopsis

A couple is falling out of love, they go to a hospital, walk about, go home, go to a night club, and to a party.

Review

Marcello Mastroianni plays his usual caddy self in another Antonioni film. My wife was saying that Antonioni's films seem to be all middle... and it is a bit true. The travels the viewer makes in his films are really not about getting anywhere, they are about a frozen moment.

Only Antonioni drags that moment through hours. There is nothing wrong with that, and in the moments where he does it well it is really worth watching. Seeing as this is a kind of loose trilogy with L'Avventura which we've had here already and L'Eclisse which we will have, I will reserve judgement on his portrayal of bored superficial rich people until I do the Eclisse review.

I can safely say, however that this is a better film than L'Avventura, the acting is much better, with Mastroianni and Jeanne Moreau doing great and a now brunette Monica Vitti brightening up the screen. It is also not as frustrating as the "mystery with no solution" of L'Avventura. This being said there is very little excitement to be had and little to empathise with as well. Oh well.

Final Grade

8/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

A subtitle at the end of the credits of the Monty Python movie Life of Brian contains a recommendation to see La notte.

Night club scene with the impressive dancer: