Main Cast: Marcello Mastroianni, Jeanne Moreau, Monica Vitti, Bernhard Wicki, Maria Pia Luzi, Rosy Mazzacurati
Release Year: 1961
Country: IT/FR
Run Time: 122 minutes
Plot
La Notte is another of Michelangelo Antonioni's cinematic interrupted journeys. Just as no one solved the central mystery in Antonioni's L'Avventura, neither does anyone truly enjoy the literary party that is La Notte's centerpiece. The party is being thrown to celebrate the publication of author Marcello Mastrioanni's new novel. But before he even reaches the door of the house, Mastrioanni's evening is ruined when his wife Jeanne Moreau announces suddenly she is disgusted with him--this reaction evidently triggered by an earlier visit to a dying friend. Moreau skips out on the party to wander the streets, searching for...for what? Meanwhile, Mastrioanni tries to inaugurate an empty affair with Monica Vitti, the daughter of a wealthy industrialist. The very elements that drive Mastrioanni and Moreau apart at the beginning of the film reunite them at the end. Maybe. L'Avventura and La Notte were the first two chapters in Antonioni's "barreness and alienation" trilogy; the third, L'Eclisse, was released two years later. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
An equally stunning follow-up to Michelangelo Antonioni's landmark 1960 film, L'avventura, La Notte explores similar themes of dysfunctional relationships and a seemingly unattainable search for sincere passion. Again, these underlying themes center on a loosely strung, somewhat inconsequential plot, elevated to fascinating heights by the film's meticulous pace and emphasis on visual nuance. The film admittedly pales to its predecessor a bit, lumbering at times during the first hour, before suddenly becoming rejuvenated when the iconic Monica Vitti transforms the film's dysfunctional couple into a love triangle. It's difficult to not fall under Vitti's spell in this film, her Valentina character emanating a sense of seduction that doesn't need dialogue. Unfortunately, Marcello Mastroianni and Jeanne Moreau's characters aren't quite as captivating, resulting in occasional lulls -- Moreau's aimless journey through the city streets being one of the more disturbing sequences. Yet even if these pre-Vitti lulls seem a bit laborious for the viewer or even challenging in their slow development, Antonioni's gift for visual composition makes even the least interesting scenes simply genius on a visual level. The powerful conclusion complements the film's poetic yet cold view of a dying relationship -- from beginning to end, the film simply wallows in unexplainable despair without even alluding to a sense of hope. Best appreciated when benchmarked against L'avventura's epic qualities and L'eclisse's almost painful austerity, La Notte serves as a perfect medium in terms of both narrative and technique -- engaging and poetic yet simple and direct. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Movie Guide
Title of three concertos by Vivaldi: for bassoon (in B♭, rv 501), for flute (in G minor, rv 439), and a chamber concerto for flute, two violins, bassoon and continuo (in G minor, rv 104).
La Notte follows a day in the life of a middle-aged, married couple based in Milan. Giovanni (Marcello Mastroianni) is a distinguished, successful writer and Lidia (Jeanne Moreau) is his wife.
They visit their dying friend Tommaso (Bernhard Wicki) in the hospital, where a sick and uninhibited young woman attempts to seduce Giovanni, before attending a party to celebrate Giovanni’s most recent book, which has been well received. Lidia sneaks off, still shaken by Tommaso’s dire condition, and wanders the streets of Milan. She ends up in the neighbourhood where her and Giovanni lived as newlyweds, and seems content for a moment. Giovanni picks Lidia up from the old neighbourhood, they return to their chic apartment, and decide to go to a nightclub to break up the monotony of their lives. There, they watch a mesmerising performance and make small talk. To Giovanni’s surprise, Lidia suggests that they leave the club and attend a swanky party thrown by a millionaire businessman, who wants Giovanni to write a book about the history of his company.
At the party, Giovanni socialises with the guests and appears to be in his element, while Lidia walks around in a state of boredom. Eventually, Giovanni romances Valentina (Monica Vitti), the lively, charming daughter of the host. Briefly, Lidia leaves with a young man who has been observing her all night, after calling the hospital and learning that Tommaso just passed away. Both couples are aware of what the other is up to, and while Giovanni seems slightly displeased with Lidia’s behaviour, Lidia almost seems to encourage Giovanni’s flirtation with Valentina. When morning comes, Lidia admits to Giovanni that she wants to die because she is no longer in love with him, but Giovanni reassures her that they are in love and can make their marriage work.
La Notte ends with Lydia reading out a love letter that Giovanni wrote to her just before they got married, which he does not remember.
