Movie #43: Released in 1960, 144 minutes, directed by Michelangelo Antonioni. New to me!

LetterBoxd Score: 4 Stars

I liked some aspects of it, and many say it improves on repeat viewing. Unlike some other movies on this list, I’m a bit more intrigued by this one and could imagine going back again. Five things stand out to me:

1. The entire extended sequence on the island is quite compelling. I love the utter mystery of what happened – she’s just gone and we’ll never know what happened. And the desolation of the island, and the characters against that big expanse of emptiness, is a fitting metaphor for our place in the universe. That’s especially true, having been primed earlier by the line “I never understood islands. Surrounded by nothing but water, poor things.” And it’s interesting to see how everyone reacts to this unfortunate situation.
2. More generally, the movie is great to look at. Lots of creating a new frame/aspect ratio via composition; blocking off half the screen with a blank wall, putting someone in an off-center door (and a white hall), etc.
3. There are a number of surprising scenes that depict crowds of Italian men gathering to look at attractive lone women; it’s menacing and feels like its on the edge of something violent breaking out.
4. The last shot of the movie, when the heroine puts her fingers into the hair of Sandro, even though he’s kind of scumbag (but he knows it too and that’s why she does it – well, maybe, it’s ambiguous).
5. The title – “The Adventure” – is a nice little joke.

The challenge I’ve been having for awhile now is that I’m struggling to feel a connection with the protagonists of this latest string of films. I don’t know why. A run of bad luck? Or are we in some kind of uncanny valley of acting style for the moment?

Because I do think there is something here to connect with. I particularly like the scene set on the bell tower where Sandro momentarily gets excited about building things, and agency, and creating beauty. It all falls away, but to know he has the capacity to care about things like that makes him a much more compelling character to me, than if he was nothing but a penis. Anna too, has a back story of some kind; she seems comfortable in this world (and money is never a problem for anyone), but she apparently didn’t come from this world. And I like her fighting with herself about how to feel about Sandro. And her commitment (initially) to finding Claudia.

Do we really need another “money without meaningful purpose is a dissatisfying way to live” kind of movie? Maybe not, but we probably need a few such movies and if so, maybe we should let this movie have one of the slots.

Why would someone think it’s one of the ten greatest films ever made?

If someone walks in on you watching this movie, it’s like the quintessential “I don’t like movies – I like the cinema” thing to be watching. Black and white. Sad rich people. Subtitles. Europe.

Maybe it can stand in for an entire kind of film making.

Next: The Apartment