Fresh off the groundbreaking success of "The Godfather," Marlon Brando was catapulted back to the spotlight. His next film was the controversial (even by today's standards) erotic film directed by Bernardo Bertallucci. Brando turns in what is arguably his very best performance in one of his finest films.
Brando plays middle-aged American hotel owner living in Paris named Paul. His wife, Rose, recently committed suicide, leaving Paul in a melancholy state. We never know why Rose took her life, which is actually a good move on the writing. There are no easy answers in real life.
Maria Schneider plays Jeanne, a young woman soon-to-be-engaged to a film director, who stumbles into a blank hotel room and meets Paul. She finds him interesting and is ready to have a fling with nearly anyone.
The hotel room they have their relationship in is not the same one in the loft that Paul owns. This room is drab and blank. Despite having no colour or furniture or decorations, we are immediately sucked into this world where our leads have no names and begin a physical affair. While Jeanne is sprouting as a woman, Paul desperately wants to shut out everything in the world. But it can't last for long as Paul must deal with funeral expenses.
The thing about Brando that makes him top of the line is not only his believability and sheer conviction, but how deep he makes his characters. Paul feels betrayed at his wife's suicide and wants to live in his own little world where he doesn't have to feel so much pain. This is just a little bit of a deep character.
I don't know Maria Schneider, but she did a great job too. Her nuances are surprising and she does hold her own in what is a basically two-person character study.
One thing I will say is that this has not aged well. Jeanne is like 20, Paul is 45, and they have sex within seconds of meeting. In reality, she would have been calling out rape. How this woman less than half this man's age agrees to a sexual relationship with him is beyond me. I guess it was the time. And at the end when the characters change, it seems a little sudden and out of the blue.
These flaws are only visible if you aren't completely sucked into this world. Most people would be fully immersed and feel every little thing that happens. A movie is great if it is able to do that.
4/4.
Brando plays middle-aged American hotel owner living in Paris named Paul. His wife, Rose, recently committed suicide, leaving Paul in a melancholy state. We never know why Rose took her life, which is actually a good move on the writing. There are no easy answers in real life.
Maria Schneider plays Jeanne, a young woman soon-to-be-engaged to a film director, who stumbles into a blank hotel room and meets Paul. She finds him interesting and is ready to have a fling with nearly anyone.
The hotel room they have their relationship in is not the same one in the loft that Paul owns. This room is drab and blank. Despite having no colour or furniture or decorations, we are immediately sucked into this world where our leads have no names and begin a physical affair. While Jeanne is sprouting as a woman, Paul desperately wants to shut out everything in the world. But it can't last for long as Paul must deal with funeral expenses.
The thing about Brando that makes him top of the line is not only his believability and sheer conviction, but how deep he makes his characters. Paul feels betrayed at his wife's suicide and wants to live in his own little world where he doesn't have to feel so much pain. This is just a little bit of a deep character.
I don't know Maria Schneider, but she did a great job too. Her nuances are surprising and she does hold her own in what is a basically two-person character study.
One thing I will say is that this has not aged well. Jeanne is like 20, Paul is 45, and they have sex within seconds of meeting. In reality, she would have been calling out rape. How this woman less than half this man's age agrees to a sexual relationship with him is beyond me. I guess it was the time. And at the end when the characters change, it seems a little sudden and out of the blue.
These flaws are only visible if you aren't completely sucked into this world. Most people would be fully immersed and feel every little thing that happens. A movie is great if it is able to do that.
4/4.