Director: Bernardo Bertolucci
Starring: Marlon Brando, Maria Schneider
Costume Designer: Gitt Magrini
I saw this film as a teenager and wanted to see it again. I can't remember my initial thoughts on this film. I remember feeling naughty for watching it but can not remember if I actually liked it. I have been thinking about this film today. I can't work out if I like it or not. I think it's a very well done, well acted film but I don't feel good about it. There are many stories surrounding Last Tango In Paris (Ultimo tango a Parigi). Marlon Brando refused to learn his lines (not unusual for him). He insisted on pasting cue cards all over the set. In the scene where he laments to his wife in a lengthy monologue he keeps looking up at the ceiling where his cue cards were posted. I thought he was looking up at his wife in heaven! Brando also came up with the infamous butter scene. Maria Schneider has spoken about how she regrets this film and felt both physically and mentally raped by Brando and Bernado. Her animosity seems to be directed more towards Bernado as it is said she remained friends with Brando until his death. Marlon Brando also commented that he would never do a film like this again. I guess what has been bugging me all day is that Bernado said that this film was based on his ultimate fantasy. He dreamed of meeting a nameless girl in Paris and having a torrid sexual affair with her without any consequences. Does that mean I was meant to be turned on? Because I wasn't. I too can see the sexiness in that idea. But this film doesn't portray two sound of mind sexually confident people meeting and discrectly having sex. Brando's Paul is a broken, hurt, explosive beast who manipulates, chastises and bullies Jeanne. Jeanne does come back for more but she is 19! We all make mistakes as teenage girls, especially when it comes to relationships and sex. While watching it I felt such a sadness. Sometimes I love to be taken on an emotionally taxing ride but to think that Bernado described it in interviews time and time again as a fantasy more so than a sorry tale makes me fervently dislike him.
Costume note: I love everything Jeanne wears. It's a very natural looking wardrobe. It makes me think she possibly wore some of her own things which I love.
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