I hesisitate to say that White Nights is a romantic comedy, because all though it is romantic and is obsensibly a comedy it doesn't totally fit in with that genre as we define it in America. It's more ambitious, and more less emotionally intense as well.
Based on a short story I have not read by Fydor Dostekeksy, concerns an enduringly befuddled man playbed Marcello Mastranioni who falls hopelessly in love with an adorable young woman who is a little screwed up. She's waiting for a nameless man who seems to be a total jerk (Jean Marias, parodying his persona) to return after inexplicably depating for a year. The film's charm is that Mastrantoni is such a nice guy that he really does want the girl to be happy, although, of course, it preferably would be with him.
The movie's black and white photography is absoultley gorgeos. I'm sure I would enjoy the film if I watched it all the way through with the sound off. The actrors are all charming, Nino Rota's music is great, the screenplay is well written with witty dialouge.
Some might argue that this film doesn't have the weight or the substance to be a four star film but I disagree. It's certaily not a "hard four stars" in the way that say, The Godfather is. A lot of movies are like going to the symphony, they try to hit the highest highs. This movie is more like your neibor who'se really good playing his guitar on a nice summer's day, both are equally good, only different. The movie does what it wants to do to perfection. It's a low key, laid back, and entertaing film- that still has something to say.
Le Notti Bianche (1957)