The Vacation: -la Vacanza- - Tinto Brass 1971 -s...
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The premise is deceptively simple. A married couple, the intellectual and cynical Osiride (Franco Nero) and the restless, sensual Gigliola (Vanessa Redgrave’s younger sister, the magnetic and tragically underused Florinda Bolkan), drive from Rome to a remote villa in the countryside for a weekend getaway. They are joined by a younger man, the naive and impulsive Sandro (Franco Nero in a dual role—yes, Nero plays both the husband and the lover).
The setup suggests a ménage à trois drama, perhaps in the vein of Antonioni’s L’Avventura. But Brass immediately subverts expectations. There is no erotic liberation. Instead, La Vacanza depicts a slow, systematic psychological unravelling fueled by boredom, political disillusionment, and a venomous class resentment.
Osiride, a failed revolutionary turned cynical advertising executive, spends his time baiting Sandro, a working-class anarchist. Gigliola floats between them, not as an object of desire but as a barometer of the emotional vacuum. The "vacation" becomes a sealed chamber where the three characters perform the rituals of 1960s liberation (free love, political debate, hedonism) only to discover that the ideologies are dead. The only thing left is cruelty. The Vacation -La Vacanza- - Tinto Brass 1971 -S...
Director: Tinto Brass Year: 1971 Starring: Vanessa Redgrave, Franco Nero, Leopoldo Trieste
La vacanza stands as a thoughtful, somber study of a woman pushed to the margins by love and society. It’s rewarding for viewers interested in character-driven European cinema and the socio-cultural anxieties of 1970s Italy.
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This 1971 cult classic, featuring a standout performance by Vanessa Redgrave
, offers a hallucinatory and subversive look at the blurred lines between sanity and societal expectation. The Vacation (La Vacanza) – A Review Tinto Brass
delivers a surrealist, anti-establishment drama that is far removed from the hyper-eroticized "Cheeky" style he became known for later in his career. Instead, La Vacanza is a biting social critique wrapped in a dreamlike, avant-garde aesthetic. The story follows Immacolata
(Redgrave), a woman "released" from a mental asylum for a brief holiday, only to find that the "sane" world of the Italian aristocracy and bureaucracy is far more deranged and cruel than the institution she left behind. Redgrave is spectacular, capturing a mix of fragile innocence and fierce independence as she navigates a landscape of exploitation. Why it works: Visual Style:
The film is visually inventive, utilizing experimental editing and a vibrant, almost psychedelic color palette typical of early 70s European cinema. Political Edge:
It serves as a sharp condemnation of how society treats outsiders, the poor, and those deemed "mentally unfit," suggesting that the real madness lies in the rigid structures of the state. The Score:
The haunting soundtrack perfectly complements the film’s transition from whimsical liberation to crushing disillusionment.
While the pacing can feel disjointed—deliberately mirroring the protagonist's fractured state— La Vacanza remains a powerful piece of Italian New Wave
cinema. It is a must-watch for those who appreciate films that challenge the status quo through a lens of surrealism and bold performance.
this film to Tinto Brass's more famous erotic works or help you find where to stream
Tinto Brass's 1971 film La Vacanza (The Vacation) is a biting, experimental critique of societal norms and institutional oppression. Overview
Before he became internationally known as a maestro of softcore erotica, director Tinto Brass was a fierce proponent of the avant-garde. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 4, 1971, where it was awarded the prestigious Pasinetti Award for Best Italian Film. 🎬 The Plot: A "Vacation" from Sanity
The film follows Immacolata, played by a fiercely unglamorous Vanessa Redgrave:
The Premise: Deemed mentally unstable, Immacolata is granted a experimental one-month leave—or "vacation"—from a psychiatric hospital to see if she can reintegrate into society.
The Reality: Society proves to be far madder than the asylum. Her family rejects her, eventually selling her to a creditor to pay off a debt.
The Escape: She breaks away and joins up with Osiride (Franco Nero), a sympathetic poacher. Together, they embark on a series of surreal, free-flowing adventures that expose the hypocrisy of the upper classes and the legal system. 🌟 Star-Studded Cast
The film brought together some of the most prominent acting talents of the era, marking a reunion for several of them: Vanessa Redgrave as Immacolata. Franco Nero as Osiride. Corin Redgrave as Gigi the Englishman. Leopoldo Trieste as the Judge.
had famously collaborated just a year prior on another radical romantic drama titled Dropout. 🎨 Style & Reception
La Vacanza represents Tinto Brass at the peak of his early, politically charged period.
Experimental Language: The film utilizes fragmented, rapid-fire editing and highly stylized camera movements.
Satirical Bite: It serves as a relentless attack on the nuclear family, the Catholic church, and psychiatric institutions.
Cult Status: While it was highly acclaimed by critics in Venice, it faced censorship battles and was largely kept out of mainstream American theaters for decades. Tinto Brass - Vacation
Directed by Tinto Brass La Vacanza (The Vacation) is an Italian drama that blends experimental filmmaking with sharp social and political satire. Starring Vanessa Redgrave Franco Nero
, the film explores themes of institutionalization and the "insanity" of modern society. Movie Highlights Plot Summary
: Immacolata (Redgrave), a woman committed to an asylum by her former lover, is granted a one-month experimental "vacation" to prove she can function in society. Rejected by her family, she finds herself in a series of surreal and tragic adventures alongside a poacher named Osiride (Nero). Key Cast & Crew Vanessa Redgrave : Immacolata Meneghelli. Franco Nero : Osiride. Corin Redgrave : Gigi the Englishman. Leopoldo Trieste : The Judge. Tinto Brass : Director, Screenwriter, and Editor. Critical Recognition : It won the Pasinetti Award for Best Italian Film at the 32nd Venice International Film Festival in 1971. Why it matters
: Known for its unconventional, non-linear editing and "visual economy," where complex ideas are expressed through absurd exaggerations (e.g., using midgets to represent Immacolata’s family to emphasize her being a "misfit"). Production Details La vacanza - Cinecittà
* Genre Drama. * Director Tinto Brass. * Country, yearITALIA, 1971. * Runtime 105. * Film Yes. * Production Lion Film. Cinecittà La Vacanza - Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival
Before he became the high priest of Italian erotica, Tinto Brass was a radical provocateur of the avant-garde. His 1971 film La Vacanza (The Vacation)
remains one of his most politically charged and surrealist works—a sharp departure from the "peek-a-boo" style he’d later perfect. Letterboxd The Core Premise: A "Vacation" Into Chaos The film stars Vanessa Redgrave
as Immacolata, a peasant woman committed to an insane asylum after an affair with a local Count soured. She is granted a one-month "experimental leave" to prove she can reintegrate into society.
However, as she moves through rural Italy, she finds that the "sane" world—populated by neglectful family, exploitative landowners, and a bizarre assortment of eccentrics—is far more unhinged and restrictive than the asylum she left behind. Letterboxd Why This Film Matters The Anti-Institution Message : Like much of 1970s European cinema, La Vacanza
explores the idea that society itself is a "poorly run insane asylum". It critiques how power structures (the church, the law, and the family) use the label of "madness" to control those who don't conform. A Powerhouse Trio : This was a self-financed "labor of love" for Vanessa Redgrave Franco Nero
, and Brass. Redgrave’s performance is deliberately unglamorous and raw, winning the Pasinetti Award for Best Italian Film Venice Film Festival Avant-Garde Aesthetics
: Brass uses fragmented editing, surrealist vignettes (like a "medieval fable" enacted mid-film), and a haunting folk-inspired soundtrack with lyrics allegedly written by actual mental institution inmates. Political Satire
: The film doesn't shy away from class struggle, featuring a climax involving striking factory workers that borders on the hallucinatory. Viewing Context
If you are coming to this expecting the polished softcore of Così fan tutte , you might be disappointed. La Vacanza grim, earthy, and impenetrable
at times. It is a "socially conscious diatribe" that captures the feverish, revolutionary spirit of the early '70s.
Looking for more context on Tinto Brass's transition from avant-garde to erotica, or perhaps a similar era of Italian cinema? Vacation (1971) - IMDb
The Vacation is profoundly a film of its time. The revolutionary fervor of the late 1960s had given way to the early 1970s’ hangover. What happens when all social rules have been questioned, but nothing new has been built?
Brass answers: You get Glauco and Gigi. They are free—free from marriage, from work, from societal judgment—and yet they are utterly trapped. Their arguments are circular; their attempts at eroticism feel like combat drills. The titular “vacation” becomes a metaphor for a generation on leave from history, waiting for a revolution that never arrives, or for a feeling that has already gone numb.
The film’s most shocking scene is not sexual but emotional: a long, silent dinner where the two protagonists refuse to look at each other, communicating only through the violent clinking of silverware. It is a masterclass in cinematic discomfort.