I Fidanzati (1962)

I love Olmi's Il Posto. For me, it's one of the little-known gems in the Criterion Collection. I've been waiting to see I Fidanzati for a while, since it's impossible to find anything else by him. That said, I don't really know how to feel about the film. The good part is that it's very emotional, very true, very tender, and it's extremely thought-provoking. But, it didn't do much to engage me. In fact, despite its strengths, it was kind of boring to me. I think it's strange that I can be bored by a film, but still have it make an emotional impact on me.

I Fidanzati is a simple story, a young couple is separated due to the man's work, offering him an opportunity to make more money working in a Milan. The film covers their partition and the emotions that they feel, once apart. Without one another, all alone, there's a sense of a banal monotony, also something Olmi covered in Il Posto. The man tries his hardest to settle into Milan, and even though it was his own choice, he just can't seem to become comfortable in his surroundings.

Some of the most impressive parts of the film are the slow, seemingly meaningless stretches. During these, because the film is all about the couple, you find yourself thinking about them, wondering what they're thinking about, wondering what memories they're conjuring up to try to comfort themselves. It's a great example of the less-is-more principle of filmmaking. Somehow, this gives the feeling a very genuine feeling of emotion, and personally, it had a big impact on yours truly.