Overview
A night of passion and introspection unfolds in the heart of Milan.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- intimate
- austere
- quiet evening
- arthouse film night
What critics said
Critics broadly admire Antonioni's subtle, intuitive depiction of emotional uncertainty and marital alienation, supported by exceptionally controlled direction and performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Giovanni and Lidia move through hospitals, parties, and nightlife while their deteriorating marriage remains largely expressed through mood and evasive interaction.
Milanese streets, a nightclub, and Gherardini's mansion frame the couple's isolation within sleek but impersonal environments.
The night's flirtations and encounters expose the weakening bond between Giovanni and Lidia without reducing the conflict to a conventional love triangle.
The film's black-and-white imagery and carefully composed Milan locations make physical spaces mirror the characters' emotional separation.
Films like La Notte, and why
L'Avventura
shared modernist relationship drama, emotional alienation, and understated marital disintegration
Le Notti Bianche
shared Italian art cinema, marriage in crisis, and psychologically opaque urban atmosphere
The Passenger
shared intimate romantic drama, social disconnection, and emotionally restrained performances
Movie Details
- Director
- Michelangelo Antonioni
- Release Date
- 1961-01-24
- Runtime
- 122 min
- Rating
- 7.9 / 10 (760)
Cast
- Marcello Mastroianni
- Jeanne Moreau
- Monica Vitti
- Bernhard Wicki
- Rosy Mazzacurati
- Maria Pia Luzi
- Guido A. Marsan
- Vittorio Bertolini
- Vincenzo Corbella
- Ugo Fortunati
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+, Criterion Channel, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is La Notte about?
- Over one restless night in Milan, a novelist and his wife drift through hospitals, nightlife, and elite parties while confronting the quiet exhaustion of their marriage.
- What is La Notte like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of La Notte as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is La Notte violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in La Notte.
- What did critics think of La Notte?
- Critics broadly admire Antonioni's subtle, intuitive depiction of emotional uncertainty and marital alienation, supported by exceptionally controlled direction and performances.
- Which films are like La Notte?
- Films with a similar feel include L'Avventura, Le Notti Bianche, and The Passenger.
- How long is La Notte?
- La Notte runs 122 minutes.
- Where can I watch La Notte?
- In United States, La Notte streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+, Criterion Channel, HBO Max.
