In the suburb of Rome, the translator Vittoria (Monica Vitti) breaks her engagement with her boyfriend, the writer Ricardo (Francisco Rabal),after a troubled night. Vittoria goes to downtown to meet her mother (Lilla Brignone),who is addicted in Stock Market, and she meets the broker Piero (Alain Delon) in a day of crash in the Stock Market. The materialist Piero and the absent Vittoria begins a monosyllabic relationship.

"L'Eclisse" is a love story in the world of Michelangelo Antoniani, where the lack of communication, emptiness and loneliness in the big city prevails over the human feelings. The first ten or fifteen minutes with Vittoria and Riccardo alone in his apartment, practically without any words (actually very few words are spoken),is amazing, showing a couple whose love and relationship is completely exhausted. The scenes in the Stock Market of Rome are also very impressive. Monica Vitti, the favorite actress of Antonioni, shows a stunning beauty and her alienation of feelings is expressed by her face and few words along the story. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Eclipse" ("The Eclipse")

Was very much interested for a long time in seeing Michaelangelo Antonioni's films, with knowledge of his reputation. With being busy, it took me a while to do so but managed to do so. As of now have not seen all of his work but enough to judge. Antonioni is one of those "highly appreciate and recognise their influence in film-making" rather than "adore and becoming a favourite" directors and can understand why he won't work for some.

As a director, Antonioni was interesting and deservedly influential with what has been said of his output being well worth watching to masterpiece. His style is something of a polarising one. One that is fascinating and transfixing to many, with exceptional use of imagery and photography and how he explored subjects in some of his best work was ground breaking. At the same time alienating and confusing to others who consider his style as detatched, ambiguous and self-indulgent. Personally very much lean towards the former, though can understand the latter. Made during Antonioni's best and richest period, 'L'eclisse' is among his better films (as does the other films in the trilogy of alienation),even if the culminating open-endedness perplexes as much as it transfixes. 'L'avventura', which was ground-breaking, exceptionally directed and some of the best cinematography of the decade (all three applying to 'La Notte'). Loved the much more accessible, and the most accessible of the trilogy, 'La Notte' even more, with the characterisation deeper and clearer in my view and it connected with me more on an emotional level. The final film in the trilogy 'L'eclisse' is the bleakest of the three, exemplified by the ending, and perhaps the most real. It is every bit as great as the previous two, my personal favourite of the trilogy being 'La Notte'.

'L'eclisse' again looks amazing, the locations are striking in their atmosphere and are enhanced by some of the most beautiful and most vivid cinematography of any film from that decade and perhaps ever. The cinematography at the end in the famous final montage is unforgettable, stayed with me for a long time. Some of Antonioni's best and most accomplished directing can be seen here too, like with 'L'avventura' and 'La Notte' he approaches the subject in a thought-provoking and brutally truthful yet sincere manner that doesn't try too hard.

Monica Vitti's performance is one of her best, very alluring in looks and emotionally powerful. Alain Delon conveys a lot of emotion very effectively even when not saying much or anything. As with particularly 'La Notte', the look into the various relationships is insightful and provokes a lot of thought in a way that one does not expect before watching.

The script is both sympathetic and unforgiving in equal measure and the story made me think, approaches its subject with sophistication and complexity and connected with me emotionally. The pace is deliberate but never dull or troubling which is remarkable for a film with many silent passages.

All in all, wonderful film. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Vittoria (Monica Vitti) is unhappy and breaks up with boyfriend Riccardo. While visiting her mother in Rome, she encounters stockbroker Piero (Alain Delon) and they start dating.

First, Vitti is mesmerizing. More than attractive, she has real screen presence. At first, I'm thinking that this is a movie of relationships. The stock market threw me off a bit. The airport is where it finally hits me. She's looking and looking and she becomes alone. She is operating on a different plane. She's observing and trying to find meaning in the world. She is still unhappy and alone despite her relationship. It stops being about plot although the big market crash is very effecting. I love that she concentrates her attention on the 50 million man. Again, she's observing the world that is underneath the surface. The ending montage is terrific. It is that moment at the airport but this time, it's the audience who experiences what Vittoria was experiencing. It's a kind of loneliness and emptiness. It's observing the world. It's this film.