Back home

Last Tango in Paris

1327 votes

Producing House

A recently widowed American begins an anonymous sexual relationship with a young Parisian woman.

movie

Status: Released

Released Date: 1972-12-15

Runtime: 129 mins

Director: Bernardo Bertolucci

Spoken language: English, Français

Genres: Drama, Romance

Original title: Last Tango in Paris

Production Companies: Les Productions Artistes Associés, PEA

Production Countries: France, Italy

Reviews

G

Geronimo1967
"Jeanne" (Maria Schneider) is flat-hunting when she encounters the predatory "Paul" (Marlon Brando) in an empty apartment where he proceeds to rape her. It turns out that he has recently lost his wife to suicide and is completely bereft - bewildered and almost feral in his attitude towards this girl. He rents the apartment and she comes back for more - always using the no names no pack drill routine as the sex becomes perfunctorily obsessional for both of them. The question is - can they both remain so dispassionate emotionally as their rendezvous become more intense, more humiliating for her and ultimately completely addictive? She is obedient in every way, and like most things reliably delivered on a plate the sex soon ceases to satiate his desires. He must completely control this young woman. She, meantime, is engaged to the aspiring film director "Tom" (Jean-Pierre Léaud) who remains blissfully oblivious of his fiancée's peccadilloes. In the end, it's going to be "Jeanne" who has to take control of her own life - but which way will she turn? For a film that's essentially about passion, this is an entirely sterile affair with little actual chemistry between the couple as Bertolucci exposes us to endless pointless female nudity, some clumsily choreographed sex and a surfeit of dialogue that doesn't generate steam so much as spray amidst a series of gratuitous nookie that did neither Brando nor the marginally more natural Schneider any favours. If it's supposed to be a penetrative look at the human psyche, or at our animal instincts, or maybe even at our dependencies, then I'm afraid it was all just too plodding, repetitive and undercooked. This just wasn't for me, sorry.
2024-07-18

Recommendations

Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice
3.1

Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice

1969-09-17

After returning to Los Angeles from a group therapy session, documentary filmmaker Bob Sanders and h

The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things
2.9

The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things

2004-09-15

Young Jeremiah lives in a stable environment with loving foster parents until the day his troubled m

Summer Catch
2.7

Summer Catch

2001-08-22

Local boy Ryan Dunne, now a pitcher for Boston College, meets Tenley Parrish, the daughter of a weal

Humoresque
3.5

Humoresque

1947-01-25

A classical musician from a working class background is sidetracked by his love for a wealthy, neuro

Before the Rains
2.3

Before the Rains

2007-09-07

Set in southern India in the late 1930s, this provocative tale traces the story of three people caug

The Mediterranean Sea
3.5

The Mediterranean Sea

2024-10-03

After a student's scholarship falls through, her academic dreams lie in a life-changing offer: marry

Savoring Paris
3.2

Savoring Paris

2024-06-08

Disillusioned with her life, Ella embarks on a soul-searching journey to Paris where she navigates l

Take a Number
3

Take a Number

1997-03-15

A group of 20-somethings stage their own 1990s version of The Big Chill by engaging in a frenzied we

Schoßgebete
2.5

Schoßgebete

2014-09-18

A comedy centered on a sexually adventurous young woman who is trying to be the perfect wife, mother

La Belle
2.8

La Belle

2000-08-12

On one gloomy rainy night, a writer encounters an unexpected visit paid by a woman of his past. Seek

Ghost Dance
2.5

Ghost Dance

1983-12-15

Through the experiences of two women in Paris and London, Ghost Dance offers an analysis of the comp

I Could've Been a Hooker
2.3

I Could've Been a Hooker

2011-01-01

Mina has a panic attack at the checkout of a DIY shop and falls into Pierre's arms. This is the stor

Happy End
3.3

Happy End

1999-12-11

When a wife becomes the breadwinner of her family after her husband loses his job, adultery becomes

Together
3.8

Together

2009-01-23

A family of a father, a mother and their son is looking forward to go on vacation. On the way they e

The Voyeur
2.8

The Voyeur

1994-01-27

At a college in Rome, a professor, nicknamed "Dodo" is in a deep depression. His stunningly beautifu

The Raspberry Reich
2.8

The Raspberry Reich

2004-04-01

Gudrun has modeled her amateur German terrorist group after the 1970s Red Army Faction (Baader-Meinh

Abroad: Finding Faith
5

Abroad: Finding Faith

2018-03-01

A Chinese student in Edinburgh struggling to adapt to her new culture and everyday challenges ultima

Peach
3.3

Peach

1996-07-19

Lucy Lawless stars in this short which predated her rise to fame as Xena Princess Warrior. Sal is in

You I Love
2

You I Love

2004-02-06

Vera and Tim are successful young professionals. Everything changes one night when Tim hits a young

Tex
3

Tex

1982-07-30

After their mother dies and their father leaves them, teenage brothers Tex and Mason McCormick strug