The Passenger
I never really had a good grasp of this film, and I’d be interested in hearing interpretations of it—specifically what the film says about alienation, loneliness and identity.
Btw, I understand that Professione: reporter is the original title of the film, and I recall liking that more. (I assume “professione” is Italian for “profession.”)
Yeah — I noticed that too Jazz. I don’t know why they changed the title.
If Antonioni is a “limited filmmkaer” who’s your idea of an unlimited one?
Bunuel and Rossellini, who could make any type of film in any language, any country, any studio or not-studio. “Limited” is probably too pejorative of a term, but I can’t think of a better one. Maybe “specific” is a better term. I’m not trying to deny Antonioni’s importance at all, but he made an artistic decision to go “international” for what I can only assume is the specific milieu of location and actors. Yet, would it make a damn bit of difference if The Passenger starred Jean-Pierre Cassel and Romy Schneider and was set in Germany?
I too felt that Monica was missing in The Passenger. She’s definitely his inspiration. It’s beautiful to see how well some directors and actors, cinematographers, etc etc work together. Several pas de deuxs (sp?) in tandem.
With her smile and overall nature Monica provides a great balance or counterpoint to Antonioni. I agree his films with her are his best. I can definitely see her as a comedian.
Heh, I’d say that photo pretty much captures it, Odi.
There are a few Youtube clips of Vitti on variety shows doing cabaret/song and dance acts and such—things of a generally jocular nature, but nothing quite straight comic.
I love that you bring up the original title, Jazz. It seems to be far more reflective of the essential themes of the piece than the other title. That is, his profession, the thing that makes up his life, is reporting. Ergo, thematically speaking, he is a messenger, not an independent agent. Objective reiteration as opposed to subjective identity. He has no center. His identity is occupied with the endeavor of being a conduit. He is filled up—by a void.
Just for kicks:
Ergo, thematically speaking, he is a messenger, not an independent agent. Objective reiteration as opposed to subjective identity. He has no center. His identity is occupied with the endeavor of being a conduit.
That ^
This also confers with what Antonioni himself said in an interview with Gideon Bachmann after the release of The Passenger:
I no longer want to employ the subjective camera, in other words the camera that represents the viewpoint of the character. The objective camera is the camera wielded by the author. Using it I make my presence felt. The camera’s point of view becomes mine (Bachmann, Antonioni, 27).
Ah, thanks for the quote, Robert. I don’t believe I’ve come across this interview, though I probably have it in a book somewhere.
That quote reminds me of how the photographer’s disappearance at the end of Blow-Up was characterized by Antonioni as being his ‘signature’ or some such.
Yes, his films are theoretically deeper than most think….simplicity as the highest form of sophistication.
Indeed. An artist’s obliqueness always runs the risk of obscuring the work to the extent of coming off as uneven or yes, simplistic. Not that the artist is wholly to blame for this, or that the work should then be altered in any sense, of course.
And thanks for adding the link, by the way. Looks like a great essay.
“es, his films are theoretically deeper than most think….simplicity as the highest form of sophistication.”
really? I thought people thought they were ‘deep’ and ‘complex’ enough, with a few contrarians telling us otherewise.
“I’m not trying to deny Antonioni’s importance at all”
well you couldn’t, even if you wanted to make an argument that your boy Rossellini kicked off the whole ‘trend’ with Voyage To Italy ;-)
“but he made an artistic decision to go “international” for what I can only assume is the specific milieu of location and actors. Yet, would it make a damn bit of difference if The Passenger starred Jean-Pierre Cassel and Romy Schneider and was set in Germany?”
True, he probably didn’t take full advantage of the surroundings in his international films, but most people would disagree with us about use of London in Blow Up.
Love these comments, Dada, Robert.
Also the Monica Vitti comedy sketch, cute!
Great Monica clip!
In Italy she’s primarily known for comedy.
@Dada
I love that you bring up the original title, Jazz. It seems to be far more reflective of the essential themes of the piece than the other title. That is, his profession, the thing that makes up his life, is reporting. Ergo, thematically speaking, he is a messenger, not an independent agent. Objective reiteration as opposed to subjective identity. He has no center. His identity is occupied with the endeavor of being a conduit. He is filled up—by a void.
I’m glad you expanded on that because I could no longer remember why I preferred the original title, but, from what I recall, you summed up the reason!
@Jerry
I actually think Antonioni captured the spirit of the times (in America) fairly well in Zabriskie Point. I’m not sure about “capturing” London in Blow-Up, but whatever the case maybe, I think that’s a pretty good film, fwiw.
Glad to help jog your memory, Jazz.
Anyway folks; just happened to come across these, which I hadn’t seen before:
ok you’re scarily obsessed ^
Totally relevant to the conversation, Ruby. It’s her and Antonioni.
It’s not like I would post just anything, like this:
OMG LOVE THAT! ^
She’s DA BOMB! Awesome and sexy shots, Dada.
Though I hope the cigarette ash didn’t drop into her hair and set it on fire in the first one…
Her hair would have likely just consumed and smothered the cig. Woman had some pretty monumental hair.
And I’m glad we can all be obsessed together then.
:D
Now I guess all that’s left is for someone to photoshop Vitti into stills from The Passenger….
We’ll wait, folks.
About Maria Schneider, who died earlier this year, so I honor her here (from Wikipedia):
I’m still struggling for the image of women in film and I’m still working, not as much as I would like to because for a woman in her late forties, it’s hard to find work. Not only in France. I had a chat with Anjelica Houston last year. We spoke about the same problem, you know. I don’t know where it comes from? The writers, the producers, or the directors. But I think it’s a pity even for the public. We get a response to see a mature woman in film. We see many, many macho men in film. An actress like Meryl Streep doesn’t work as much as Bob De Niro.
Whenever i say to native Italians that i think Vitti is hot they just kind of look at me like i’m crazy or something! hahah.
Damn Antonioni and his women. Ditto Bergman.
one of the many fringe benefits of being a director back in art film’s alleged ‘heyday’.
Hawks and Ford weren’t anywhere near as smooth as those cats ;-)
Some interesting aesthetic subtleties in The Passenger, or Profession: Reporter, as it is called in its slightly longer version:
1. At the beginning of the film, we see the tire tracks of a Jeep or some such vehicle in the desert sand. The tracks inscribe the Greek letter alpha (α), first letter of the Greek alphabet. It’s a letter that turns in upon itself, the path that David Locke (Nicholson) takes, a complete turnaround.
2. At the end of the film, the camera’s path inscribes a shape (seen from above) of the Greek letter omega (Ω), the 24th and last letter of the Greek alphabet. It’s ALSO a letter that turns in upon itself. In that final scene, the famous penultimate shot, the shapes on the exterior of the bullring (seen outside Locke’s window) have a Moorish design that resembles omega.
3. Yes, Antonioni cast beautiful women (and often slept with them) but his imagery was also beautiful.
4. Finally, the title always puzzled me until I learned from co-writer Peter Wollen that Locke was supposed to be “the passenger” (on somebody else’s life and in the car), but when everyone arrived on set they discovered that Maria Schneider did not know how to drive a car so she became the literal passenger.
Thanks for these subtleties, Frank! :)
Frank: Peter Wollen is the film academic correct? I remember coming across some great pieces of his when i was studying the auteur theory at university years ago, particularly his reading of Hawks and Ford and the whole problem of conscious/unconscious structures of meaning in film and art.
Joks: Yes, Peter Wollen was a film professor and author for several decades. He is now Professor Emeritus (retired) at UCLA, my doctoral alma mater. I understand that he has been in ill health recently.
His writings, especially Signs and Meaning in the Cinema, were very influential in the early days of cine-semiotics. He also wrote a very sophisticated addition to Sarris’s interpretation of the auteur theory. He was also an experimental filmmaker, probably most famous for Riddles of the Sphinx (1977), which he made with feminist film theorist Laura Mulvey.
oh yes, Mulvey, came across that name a few times too ;-)
Had no idea they made a film together though. I’m curious.
odilonvert
One would have to do some digging and see if they could find any footage of her doing a comedy routine… hmmmm….