Abstract

Monica Vitti’s performances are marked by a profound lack of harmony between the individual and the surrounding objects, that could be defined as «distraction». When translated into signs of performance, this sentiment ends up allowing an unexpectedly easy shift from a dramatic to a comedic attitude. In my opinion, it is precisely in this ambivalent meaning of an attitude marked by an (apparent) lack of attention that Vitti’s politique d’actrice can be detected. In this vein, this essay aim to explore Vitti’s acting style through two case studies – L’eclisse (M. Antonioni, 1962) and Amore mio aiutami (A. Sordi, 1969) – focusing in particular on the reworking of some elements that belong to performances of the silent era