Amazon.com essential video: Bernardo Bertolucci's controversial 1973 film stars Marlon Brando as an expatriate American in Paris reeling from his wife's suicide and entering into a nihilistic sexual relationship with a young woman (Maria Schneider). The film is still shocking, not simply because of its (sometime unconventional) sexual sequences, but because Brando's protagonist needs his liaison with Schneider's character to remain anonymous, an experience not to be shared but indulged on either end. Bertolucci is also operating on subtext here: in a way, Brando's nonengaging engagement is a metaphor for a certain attitude toward directing movies. Jean-Pierre Léaud costars, but the film is more than anything a vehicle for a great performance by Brando. --Tom Keogh
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Mejor actucion de Brando.
En mi humilde opinion esta pelicula marca la mejor actuacion de Brando y en lo particular una de las mejores actuaciones en la historia, Brando ya para este filme habia renunciado a los Oscar ,por esa razon ese 1973 el no gano el Oscar ,aunque fue nominado como mejor actor, es remarcable y unico en este drama en su papel de Paul, lo recomiendo a los q gusten de una buena actuacion y mas si eres fan de Brando.
Rating: - I'LL SKIP THE BUTTER ON MY POPCORN THIS TIME
I hadn't seen this movie since it came out in the early 70's, and I'm wondering how I sat through the thing back then. I guess it was Maria Schneider's bod that got me through the thing. Things like that matter a lot more when your hormones are gushing like some Parisian fountain instead of like a fine wine being decanted. Yes, I'm aware that that's some pretty hokey mixing of metaphors. I'm just trying to say that Mlle. Schneider was hot then, and is hot now, but it takes more than that to get a viewer through this movie these days.
The good news for my fellow geezers is that, ... Read More
Rating: - A tragically misunderstood masterpiece...
Let me fist say this; if this film has offended you or left you thinking it nothing more than a pointless perversion then you've clearly missed this entire point and have misunderstood this films purpose.
I felt that was important because I've seen this film get unfairly targeted by some who refuse to truly embrace it for what it is. Yes, there was a lot of controversy that surrounded it upon its release; and that NC-17 rating doesn't help matters, immediately drawing the viewer to the obvious reasons for its harsh rating; but underneath the layers of sensuality lies a very poignant portrayal ... Read More
Rating: - Boring, Senseless, Waste of Time
Don't waste your time. If you are watching it to see the controversial steamy sex scenes, you'll be disappointed. There is nothing erotic here. It's a film devoid of emotion or excitement. It's mind-numbing and boring. It may have been praised at the time it was first released, but it has not aged well. Surprising that it was ever determined to be a film with any value even when first released. Pointless film with characters that don't seem to have any direction in their lives and don't seem to care about anything important. The viewer doesn't care either. Glad I saw this free, as I would hate to have ... Read More
Rating: - I don't know what it is...
but I love this movie. It's just the right level of sinful arousal and plot that really works. I also find myself really caring about the characters. Usually I'm not a fan of movies that have sex in them at all... it's almost always unnecessary to the plot. But this movie explores desperation in a way that makes lots of sexual content mandatory.
- 
- 
- 