La prima notte di quiete

Set in a grey winter Rimini, the film tells the story of Daniele Dominici (Alain Delon), a professor of letters who, after losing his passion for teaching and life, moves to the city for a substitute. Here, he falls in love with Vanina Abati (Sonia Petrova), his sixteen-year-old student, who introduces him to a group of local "vitelloni", including Gerardo (Adalberto Maria Merli), a young boss, and Giorgio "Spider" Mosca (Giancarlo Giannini), a Chinese but sensitive doctor. 
Despite his involvement with Monica (Lea Massari), a woman with a turbulent past, Daniele lets himself be carried away by the passion for Vanina. Their love affair, however, is hampered by numerous factors, including the romantic complications of Daniele and the shadows of Vanina’s past. The film explores themes such as loneliness, the search for meaning in life and communication difficulties in a changing society.