Last Tango in Paris

1972 Drama

In Bernardo Bertolucci's art-house classic, Marlon Brando delivers one of his characteristically idiosyncratic performances as Paul, a middle-aged American in "emotional exile" who comes to Paris when his estranged wife commits suicide. Chancing to meet young Frenchwoman Jeanne (Maria Schneider), Paul enters into a sadomasochistic, carnal relationship with her, indirectly attacking the hypocrisy all around him through his raw, outrageous sexual behavior. Paul also hopes to purge himself of his own feelings of guilt, brilliantly (and profanely) articulated in a largely ad-libbed monologue at his wife's coffin. If the sexual content in Last Tango is uncomfortably explicit (once seen, the infamous "butter scene" is never forgotten), the combination of Brando's acting, Bertolucci's direction, Vittorio Storaro's cinematography, and Gato Barbieri's music is unbeatable, creating one of the classic European art movies of the 1970s, albeit one that is not for all viewers. more..

Director: Bernardo Bertolucci

Starring: Marlon Brando, Maria Schneider, Jean-Pierre Leaud, Darling Legitimus, Massimo Girotti

Reviews

  • Bernardo Bertolucci's Last Tango in Paris is one of the great emotional experiences of our time.

    Roger Ebert - The Chicago Sun-Times

    27 May 2013

  • Shattering social and sexual conventions, Last Tango in Paris stands as one of Bernardo Bertolucci's finer achievements.

    - TV Guide

    27 May 2013

  • Bernardo Bertolucci's Last Tango in Paris is a beautiful, courageous, foolish, romantic, and reckless film.

    Vincent Canby - The New York Times

    27 May 2013

  • The surface plausibility is probably the contribution of Marlon Brando, whose performance has strength and detail enough to counterbalance Bertolucci's taste for pure psychological essence.

    Dave Kehr - Chicago Reader

    27 May 2013

  • Interesting for it's historical notoriety, but overlong and dull in places.

    Emma Cochrane - Empire

    27 May 2013

Awards

  • Best Actor in a Leading Role

    Academy Awards (1974)

     
  • Best Actor

    BAFTA Awards (1974)

     
  • Maria Schneider

    David di Donatello Awards (1973)

  • Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures

    Directors Guild of America (1974)

     
  • Best Director - Motion Picture

    Golden Globes (1974)