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La notte is a 1961 Italian film directed by Michelangelo Antonioni, starring Jeanne Moreau, Marcello Mastroianni, and Monica Vitti. It is a masterful depiction of the empty, disillusioning nature of modern urban life in the 1960s, exploring themes of alienation, ennui, and existential despair. The film is set over the course of one long, hot summer day and night in Milan. The story follows a couple - Giovanni (Mastroianni), a successful writer, and Lidia (Moreau), his beautiful, emotionally detached wife - as they wander through the city, attending a swanky party and reminiscing about their life together. But as the night goes on, their marriage starts to unravel, and they begin to drift further and further apart.

One of the most striking aspects of the film is its use of location shooting. Antonioni shot many of the film's scenes on location in Milan, capturing the city's stark, modern architecture and bustling streets. But despite the beautiful scenery, La notte creates a sense of urban alienation and isolation, turning the city into a symbol of existential despair.

The film's central characters, Giovanni and Lidia, are both deeply unhappy with their lives, but they are unable to connect with each other or the world around them. Giovanni is struggling with writer's block and feels unfulfilled in his career, while Lidia is plagued by a sense of ennui and alienation. Their relationship is characterized by a lack of communication and emotional distance, and they seem to be drifting further apart with each passing day.

The film also explores themes of class and social stratification. At the party they attend, Giovanni and Lidia are surrounded by Milan's society elite, who are smugly self-satisfied and indifferent to the suffering of others. The contrast between their privileged existence and the poverty and despair of the city's working-class neighborhoods highlights the deep inequalities of Italian society during the 1960s.

La notte is a moody, atmospheric film that is brilliantly acted and beautifully shot. The film's use of long takes and slow, measured pacing creates a sense of unease and tension, drawing viewers into Giovanni and Lidia's emotional struggles. The film is a powerful meditation on the emptiness of modern existence and the difficulties of human connection, and it remains a classic of Italian cinema to this day.

La notte is a 1961 drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 2 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.9.