Review of La Notte (1961) by Kevin N — 26 May 2009
A film, as made clear through an early encounter between a nymphomaniac and a married intellect, about control: what it is to have it, what it is to lose it. Antonioni isn't so much concerned with theses, but more with hypotheticals.
He draws complexities without explanations, and this is the secret ingredient to his recipes; instead of searching for answers, he sketches ideas of human flaw and, most importantly, does not employ an eraser.
The central characters- played delicately by Moreau and Mastroianni- begin together mechanically but not spiritually, and things get hazier from there. As the two leave the comforts of their small confines and enter a world with elements out of their control they begin an adventure of self-exploration and awakening.
Monica Vitti, an Antonioni trademark of youth and beauty, comes between them not personally but symbolically; it isn't so much that this particular woman has created sexual insecurity and relational doubt between the couple but more that nothing stable holds them together.
"Marriage" is a man-made state, and vows are made only of word. Somewhere beyond good intention lies a frightening world of temptation and doubt, and it can hide in the most subtle of places- the distress of a dying friend, a street fight, a party.
A remarkable centerpiece in Antonioni's unofficial trilogy filled with an admirable uncertainty and a tremendous cast.
This review of La Notte (1961) was written by Kevin N on 26 May 2009.
La Notte has generally received very positive reviews.
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