Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie (1972)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Luis Buñuel

Writers:

Luis Buñuel (written by)
Jean-Claude Carrière (written by)

Release Date:

22 October 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

A surreal, virtually plotless series of dreams centered around six middle-class people and their consistently interrupted attempts to have a meal together.

Plot Keywords:

Middle Class | Dream Like | Social Commentary | Terrorism | Bedroom Scene

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 5 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Fernando Rey	...	Don Rafael Acosta
Paul Frankeur	...	M. Thevenot
Delphine Seyrig	...	Simone Thévenot
Bulle Ogier	...	Florence
Stéphane Audran	...	Alice Sénéchal (as Stephane Audran)
Jean-Pierre Cassel	...	Henri Sénéchal
Julien Bertheau	...	Mgr Dufour
Milena Vukotic	...	Ines
Maria Gabriella Maione	...	Guerilla
Claude Piéplu	...	Colonel
Muni	...	Peasant
Pierre Maguelon	...	Sgt de police
François Maistre	...	Delecluze
Michel Piccoli	...	Ministre
Ellen Bahl

Also Known As:

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (Canada: English title) (USA)
El discreto encanto de la burguesía (Spain)
Il fascino discreto della borghesia (Italy)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

France | Italy | Spain

Language:

French | Spanish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 (DVD rating) | Singapore:PG | West Germany:16 (f) | Australia:M (DVD rating) | Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG | Australia:PG | UK:AA (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

Dean Film

Trivia:

The date Don Rafael tells Florence is his birthday, 22 February, is also director Luis Buñuel's birthday.

Goofs:

Continuity: After sending the terrorist out of his apartment, Rafael's position in the windows changes between shots.

Quotes:

[Francois Thevenot has unknowingly interrupted an illicit rendezvous between his wife and Rafael Acosta.]
M. Thevenot: Coming home with me?
Mme. Thevenot: Yes.
Rafael Acosta: No, no, wait. Let her stay just two minutes more. I must show her the sursiks.
M. Thevenot: What?
Rafael Acosta: The sursiks.
M. Thevenot: Ah, yes. I'll wait in the car.
Mme. Thevenot: I'll come right away.
[Francois Thevenot leaves.]
Mme. Thevenot: What are sursiks?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Settling the Score (2006) (V)

i was charmed...

Leave it to Luis Bunuel to hit the head of the nail like he did here. The style and mood created by this movie is immaculate. It is a satirical look at complete bedlam through the eyes of our meticulous & pedantic champions. His camera, dialog, settings - everything stays true to his bourgeois focal point. And nowhere do you ever see them or the camera frame lose their cool - even with the world in shambles at every turn. They simply walk through this movie the way blind persons would a construction site.

I've heard it said many times that Bunuel made the bourgeois class enemy number one throughout his lifetime - that, and the catholic church, who also receives a fair share of ridicule in the picture. While this movie is more like a dark comedy there is also, I believe, a strong spiritual/philosophical/& moral whatever statement here: That the world and all its unanswerable/unknowable/ & unwatchable chaos can not be simply pushed aside. You can not brush off the dirt and consider yourself above or separate from it. You are part of the whole, and you are most likely viewed as an ass by 95% of the rest of us to consider yourself otherwise. That IS something to laugh at. Bunuel's life and work was a heroic statement against such an unlikely target. It's Bunuel's arsenal of genius versus the impenetrable ignorance of this giant. Bunuel begrudgingly makes them the protagonists, but betrays them ever so slyly. I love it - a masterpiece.