Marcello Mastroianni, as a lonely city transplant, and Maria Schell, as a sheltered girl haunted by a lover’s promise, meet by chance on a canal bridge and begin a tentative romance that quickly entangles them in a web of longing and self-delusion. Luchino Visconti’s White Nights is an exquisite adaptation of Dostoevsky’s legendary novella, transforming this romantic, shattering tale of two restless souls into a ravishing black-and-white dream.
“Extremely surreal… A beautiful film.” – James Gray
“A crucial turning point, the link between Visconti’s early neorealist manner and the obsessive stylization of his late films.” – Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
“Among various international adaptations of Dostoevsky’s story, Visconti’s version has the most lustrous reputation and loyal following.” – David Sterritt, Turner Classic Movies
