Skip to content
Le Amiche – 1955 Antonioni
- 4th feature but first in the “Antonioni style”—at least fully- puts lonely, selfish characters (mostly well off and good looking) in alienation amidst gorgeous and vast landscapes and architecture– the main picture above of a man and would would be gloriously recreated film after film
- Released in the US after L’vventura after that success in 1960
- So eloquent in mise-en-scene space, walls as canvas and body language/posture—

- Antonioni often leaves the
- released in US after L’Avventura
- the mystery of Rosetta’s suicide attempt is answered here more clearly than it would be in his future films- there’s more in the text here than his works that would follow- the strongest part of the film is the mystery of why she does it—when we find out- it’s more melodramatic

- diverting plots moving from woman to woman amongst this group of “friends” (very loose) as he often would later as well—masterful control of the camera
- definitely a rough draft for L’Avventura with the gorgeous beach and island just out of reach
- Silver Lion Venice
- Ensemble of beautiful people
- Some location shooting in Turin
- Infidelity, mystery, coldness, long takes framing, moving, reframing within scene- Renoir—switching of leads and we glide between them
- Standalone gorgeous shots – bottles blocking mise-en-scene like Von Sternberg—another shot through the Venetian blinds

- Yvonne Furneaux is a standout- hypnotic- looks destined to be a star
- Oddly split into two parts- literally with intermission- 106 min movie
- At times Antonioni pointedly glimpses at the lives of secondary background characters outside this group of friends—we have the housekeeper sneaking off with the boyfriend- it’s his way of saying this human disconnect, frailty and triviality goes on with all people
- A great gorgeous dark alley shot after Rosetta gets dumped again
- Wonderful train station farewell- unrequited (of sorts- I mean she just chooses another path) love final scene

- R/HR leaning HR with another view
Drake2020-07-03T10:29:54+00:00
Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!
Leave A Comment