The film failed spectacularly at the box office. Critics called it “pretentious” and “moribund.” But decades later, film scholars have reclaimed it as a missing link between Antonioni’s L’Eclisse (1962) and Michael Haneke’s The Seventh Continent (1989).
Director Tinto Brass, Vanessa Redgrave, and Franco Nero had just wrapped their previous collaboration, Dropout (1970). Seeking to expand their exploration of societal outcasts, they immediately pushed forward with La Vacanza .
: Her family rejects her and eventually sells her to a creditor to pay off debts. Bizarre Allies
[Mental Asylum] ──(1-Month Leave)──> [The "Vacation"] ──> [Encounter with Society] │ Subjugation & Exploitation <─┴─ Family, Aristocrats, Factories The Plot Breakdown
: Critics often compare the film's atmosphere to the works of Luis Buñuel, blending folk-style music with bizarre, dreamlike scenarios. Key Production Details Tinto Brass The Vacation -La Vacanza- - Tinto Brass 1971 -S...
: After escaping her family, Immacolata finds genuine human warmth only among those society deems outcasts—such as gypsies, an underwear salesman, and Osiride (Franco Nero) , a rugged, independent poacher and birdcatcher.
La Vacanza is a transitional film for Tinto Brass. It comes before his later erotic blockbusters like Caligula and Salon Kitty , but it contains all the seeds of his future obsessions: the rejection of consumer society, social hypocrisy, and a fascination with the marginalized.
The story follows (played by a fearless Vanessa Redgrave), a vulnerable peasant woman who was previously institutionalized in a psychiatric clinic. Her crime was not madness, but rather her refusal to submit to societal expectations after an affair with a local count turned sour. To test if she can properly conform to civilized society, the asylum grants her a one-month experimental leave—an ironic "vacation".
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. The film failed spectacularly at the box office
The story follows (Vanessa Redgrave), a woman previously committed to a mental asylum after a scandalous affair with a Count. She is granted a one-month "vacation" to test her ability to reintegrate into normal society. However, the world she returns to—filled with a rejectionist family, bizarre bureaucrats, and social outcasts—is often depicted as more "insane" than the institution she left. During her journey, she meets Osiride (Franco Nero), an understanding poacher, and together they embark on a series of free-flowing, often surreal adventures that challenge societal norms. Key Highlights and Themes
The editing, by , is jagged and arrhythmic. Arcalli was a master of temporal dislocation (he edited Last Tango in Paris ). Here, he creates jump cuts that disorient the viewer. A conversation begins in a car; it ends in a bedroom, with no transition. Time has collapsed. The vacation has become a loop.
The narrative follows (Vanessa Redgrave), a woman deemed mentally unstable by society, who is granted a temporary "vacation" release from her psychiatric hospital. The experiment is designed to test whether she can function normally within conventional civilized frameworks. Italian Cinema: "The Vacation" - cybermuse
The story follows Immacolata (), a peasant woman who was previously committed to a mental asylum after a scandalous affair with a Count. She is granted a one-month "experimental leave" (the titular vacation) to prove she can function in society. Seeking to expand their exploration of societal outcasts,
Released theatrically on April 5, 1972, after premiering at the Venice Film Festival on September 4, 1971, the film took home the prestigious Pasinetti Award for Best Italian Film. It paired Brass with international powerhouse Vanessa Redgrave and Italian icon Franco Nero, creating a confrontational artwork that remains deeply relevant today. The Satirical Plot: An Institutional "Leave"
Vanessa Redgrave, Franco Nero, Leopoldo Trieste, and Corin Redgrave
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).
In addition, "The Vacation" has become a cult classic, with a dedicated following of fans who appreciate its unique blend of humor, drama, and social commentary. The film's influence can be seen in everything from the works of Harmony Korine to the more recent output of Italian filmmakers like Gabriele Mainetti.