Le Notti Bianche (1957)

Le Notti Bianche

Medium: Film
Director: Luchino Visconti
Country: Italy
Released: 1957
First Consumed: May 17, 2012
Format: DVD
Rating: 8.0/10

A lowly clerk wanders the streets at night looking for something. He thinks he's found it when he crosses paths with a beautiful blonde willing to give him the time of day. Over the course of four nights he tries to make her fall in love with him. 

We know from the beginning that this happy ending just isn't in the cards. Luchino Visconti adapts Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel into a lush, almost-romance between two lonely souls. Marcello Mastroianni and Maria Schell are the lovers.

I don't have much to say on this one except that Visconti is in his usual masterful form here. The whole thing is shot on a massive set, a rare move for the director; but he seems comfortable.

The film's best scene finds the couple in a dance hall/bar where they dance to some classic rock 'n' roll. It's the only scene that feels grounded in any definable time period, and Mastroianni's wild flailings are a wonder to behold.