LA NOTTE BRAVA

Italy, 1959, 95 minutes, Black and white.
Rosanna Schiaffino, Elsa Martinelli, Laurent Terzieff, Jean- Claude Brialy, Anna- Maria Ferrero, Franco Interlenghi, Thomas Milian, Mylene Demongeot, Antonella Lualdi.
Directed by Mauro Bolognini.

La Notte Brava focuses on a group of young women in Rome. The central characters are impoverished, involved in crime, especially theft and the passing on of stolen money during one night. The film is strong on atmosphere but also strong in the development of characters. This is principally due to the origin of the film in a novel by Pier Paolo Pasolini who wrote the screenplay. Soon after he was to make his own version of these areas of Rome and the characters in Accatone.

Many of the cast were at the beginning of long careers. Bolognini himself had been making films for a number of years and was making a number of films about young people in Rome, Il Bell’ Antonio, La Giornata Balorda. However, by 1970 he began making exquisite historical dramas like Metello and continued to do this during the 1970s: The Ferramonti Inheritance, By the Old Staircase, The Lady of the Camelias.

1. The enjoyment and interest of the film? How evident that is was an early work of the director, of the writer?

2. A film reflecting the 50s and 60s: the neo-realistic presentation of characters and society, the social interest in rich and poor in Rome? The symbolic use of characters as representing attitudes and status in society? Its impact in its time, now? Does it seem dated?


3. The quality and importance of black and white photography, detailed Roman and Fiumicino locations? The contemporary musical style of the early 60s? The atmosphere of streets, countryside, homes? An authentic atmosphere to study the characters?

4. The dramatic importance of the structure: the presentation of twenty four hours, indications of the title (night heat as an appropriate title or not?) The focus on particular characters, the change of focus? Beginning with the prostitutes and ending with Ruggero? The importance of the credit sequence with the money, ending with this and the significance of what had happened?

5. The opening of the film and the focus on the world of the girls, the prostitutes at the walls of Rome, the of their attitudes, fighting of the two women? The transition to the boys arriving in the car? The daily life of the prostitutes, the arbitrary men that they meet? Their talk about their clients and their rivalry? Their watching and waiting while the boys try to fence their goods? Boredom and the transition to taking the initiative to get rid of the rifles? Their taking charge at Fiumicino? Nicoletta joining them? The flirting sequences, the wandering in the countryside and the irony of their outsmarting the boys by robbing them? The revelations about the characters of the two girls? Matter of fact approach, Anna being deceived by the romantic approach? What did the audience respond to in their day and their characters?

6. The character of Nicoletta as a variation on the prostitute theme? The first visualising of her, her rapport with the deaf man, participation in getting rid of the stolen goods? Her easy going off with the group? The romantic scene with Bella Bella? The irony of seeing, her later and her having been robbed also?

7. The transition to focus on Ruggero and Scintillone: ordinary ragazzi di vita? Their look, their manner, way of speaking and walking, dressing? Roman types? Cruising for girls, stealing rifles, intruding into funerals and disregarding people's feelings, naive and striking a bond with Bella Bella? Their relief at getting rid of the guns at Fiumicino, their encounter with the man and their disregard of him? Their greed for the money? The romantic sequences and Scintillone's harshness about romanticising? Ruggero and his running in the sprinklers? The irony of their wanting to rob the girls and being robbed?

8. Their return to search for them amongst the cattle? The humour and irony of their meeting the other group of young men with the prostitutes? Fighting and rushing off together, deciding not to fight? Drinking, the expectations of a party, Bella Bella still in the wallet and their fighting and falling out and betraying one another? The irony of a dawning of a new day? Audience response to the days and night of these young men? How much more than the average was there in Ruggero's character, in his relationship with Scintillone, allowing Bella Bella in? The bond with Achille? The discovery of Laura and wanting to return the wallet to meet her again? Taking over the outing with Rossana? The importance of the night where he was the big spender? What did he do, how did it affect him, spending all the money, the irony of throwing the note away at the end? The importance and the audience taking, with the camera, a long look at his face? What insight into this idle young man of Rome?

9. The contrast with Scintillone and his brutality, the irony that Achille Ruggero was a lion and Scintillone a tiger? His attitude towards girls, his robbing Ruggero? His giving money to Rossana's brother for the song? His going to the restaurant and his not being acceptable, thrown out and arrested?

10. Bella Bella in comparison with the others? His greed at the funeral, cutting himself in, the irony of his failure to fence the goods and the man in the empty house and Bella Bella's lies? His participation at Fiumicino and setting up the deal, with Nicoletta, wanting to rob the girls? Pretending to be drunk and robbing the wallet? The audience last seeing him bashed in the piazza? Achille said he was a hyena.

11. Rossana in comparison with the prostitutes, seeing her at home, With Eliseo? The attraction with Scintillone? Her going home and preparing to go out? the sensuality of her character the way this was visualised? Her taking the money and Ruggero taking it back from her, her sharing the night out for enjoyment? A portrait of an idle young girl with little future?

12. The contrast with Achille and his friends, their wealth, Achille giving the money to the boys, the big car, the house, arranging a party? Idle rich and decadence? The comparison with the poor men? No difference?

13. The significance of Ruggero's encounter with Laura? Her place in the household, sensuality, the truth that she told to Ruggero? His fascination and the possibility of his falling in love?

14. This world of Rome where rich and poor can meet as equals? work and lack of work, boredom, lack of a sense of direction and values?.

15. Comment on the skill in which some set scenes were portrayed: the complexity of the two men arriving at the funeral, the interview with the man, Bella Bella's curiosity and the continual progress of the funeral? The encounter with the deaf man at Fiumicino? Ruggero and the prostitute running and lying in the sprinklers? The fight sequences? The boredom at Achille's house? The car rides?

16. The focus on Ruggero at the end and the demand that they ask themselves the meaning of this twenty four hours?