Last Tango in Paris is without a doubt one of the most controversial films of all time. It’s raw portrayal of sexual violence and emotional turmoil shook the world for almost a decade beginning from it’s release in 1972. Banned by multiple governments, tapes seized by police, the Director’s (Bernardo Bertolucci) civil rights revoked in Italy… Last Tango in Paris left in its wake a media frenzy and in the end still received two Oscar nominations: Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Director.
I had never seen Last Tango in Paris until it arrived in the mail. I had no idea that the film I was watching had been banned in multiple countries or that the actor/actress had such disgusted feelings after having created it. In today’s time, Last Tango in Paris wouldn’t seem so out of place. We’ve become numb to most areas of violence, little shocks us, even R Ratings do little to stop people from picking up a film. We’re a little more jaded than we were at that time, in my opinion, but even with all my numbness the scene where Marlon Brando laments in perfect monologue over his deceased wife shook me to my core. There was no doubt that he deserved the nomination for Best Actor in Leading Role despite the movie’s many controversies. His role as Paul was spectacular.
The film in it’s basic points is about a man named Paul (Marlon Brando) who had lost his wife from suicide. During the movie I was caught between feeling as though he perhaps murdered her or drove her to madness, but it never tells you why she did it. The man meets a young Parisian woman named Jeanne (Maria Schneider) and begins to carry on an affair with her in a loft they are both interested in. Deciding to never speak of anything about themselves they carry on what is in it’s basic nature an animalistic desire that is both willing and ultimately unwilling at times. When Last Tango in Paris ended with Jeanne repeating the same words to herself while staring off in the distance, I was left with a feeling of sickness, a hatred and a deep love for both of the characters and what they had ultimately lost or had stolen from them. In truth I had no idea how I was going to write a review on this movie that left such a powerful imprint and yet was so morally horrifying.
If you can watch this movie while keeping in mind it’s artistic and historical form, then it is an amazing movie to watch for it’s value. The acting is so staggering that it almost made it painful for me to read that in the most controversial scene wherein Jeanne is horridly abused by Paul, that her tears are real and that she actually felt the emotional pain. Even though it was made in the 1970s it is still as powerful as if it had been released yesterday. I recommend this movie only to the strong of heart, it is absolutely not a family movie and one that will either leave you horrified or amazed, or quite possibly both. I must agree with Pauline Kael, a renowned critic, when she said:
“Tango has altered the face of an art form. This is a movie people will be arguing about for as long as there are movies.”
I was given a product for the purpose of reviewing. Opinions expressed are my own or my families and are not influenced by any form of compensation. Take it or leave it. Click here to view my full acknowledgment policy.
