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IMDbPro

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie

Original title: Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie
  • 19721972
  • PGPG
  • 1h 42m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
44K
YOUR RATING
Stéphane Audran, Paul Frankeur, Fernando Rey, and Delphine Seyrig in The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
Trailer for The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
Play trailer0:53
2 Videos
99+ Photos
Comedy
A surreal, virtually plotless series of dreams centered around six middle-class people and their consistently interrupted attempts to have a meal together.A surreal, virtually plotless series of dreams centered around six middle-class people and their consistently interrupted attempts to have a meal together.A surreal, virtually plotless series of dreams centered around six middle-class people and their consistently interrupted attempts to have a meal together.
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
44K
YOUR RATING
    • Luis Buñuel
    • Luis Buñuel(scenario)
    • Jean-Claude Carrière(with the collaboration of)
  • Stars
    • Fernando Rey
    • Delphine Seyrig
    • Paul Frankeur
    • Luis Buñuel
    • Luis Buñuel(scenario)
    • Jean-Claude Carrière(with the collaboration of)
  • Stars
    • Fernando Rey
    • Delphine Seyrig
    • Paul Frankeur
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 101User reviews
    • 89Critic reviews
    • 93Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar

    Videos2

    The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie: 40th Anniversary
    Trailer 0:53
    Watch The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie: 40th Anniversary
    The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie - Rialto Pictures Trailer
    Trailer 1:16
    Watch The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie - Rialto Pictures Trailer

    Photos179

    The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
    The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
    The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
    The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
    The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
    The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
    The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
    The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
    Stéphane Audran, Julien Bertheau, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Paul Frankeur, Bulle Ogier, Fernando Rey, and Delphine Seyrig in The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
    Stéphane Audran, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Paul Frankeur, Bulle Ogier, Fernando Rey, and Delphine Seyrig in The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
    Stéphane Audran, Bulle Ogier, and Delphine Seyrig in The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
    Paul Frankeur, Bulle Ogier, Delphine Seyrig, and Milena Vukotic in The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Fernando Rey
    Fernando Rey
    • Don Rafael Acosta
    Delphine Seyrig
    Delphine Seyrig
    • Simone Thévenot
    Paul Frankeur
    Paul Frankeur
    • François Thévenot
    Bulle Ogier
    Bulle Ogier
    • Florence
    Stéphane Audran
    Stéphane Audran
    • Alice Sénéchal
    • (as Stephane Audran)
    Jean-Pierre Cassel
    Jean-Pierre Cassel
    • Henri Sénéchal
    Julien Bertheau
    Julien Bertheau
    • Monsignor Dufour
    Milena Vukotic
    Milena Vukotic
    • Ines
    Maria Gabriella Maione
    Maria Gabriella Maione
    • Guerrilla
    Claude Piéplu
    Claude Piéplu
    • Colonel
    Muni
    Muni
    • Peasant
    Pierre Maguelon
    Pierre Maguelon
    • Police Sergeant
    François Maistre
    François Maistre
    • Inspector Delecluze
    Michel Piccoli
    Michel Piccoli
    • Interior Minister
    Ellen Bahl
    Christian Baltauss
    • Lt. Hubert de Rochcahin
    Olivier Bauchet
    Robert Benoît
        • Luis Buñuel
        • Luis Buñuel(scenario)
        • Jean-Claude Carrière(with the collaboration of)
      • All cast & crew
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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      Storyline

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      Did you know

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      • Trivia
        The movie includes three of Buñuel's recurring dreams: a dream of being on stage and forgetting his lines, a dream of meeting his dead cousin in the street and following him into a house full of cobwebs, and a dream of waking up to see his dead parents staring at him.
      • Goofs
        After Rafael gives the terrorist champagne, his position in the chair changes between shots.
      • Quotes

        Rafael Acosta: You're much better suited for making love than for making war. Vamos, muchacha. Vamos.

      • Connections
        Featured in Pour le cinéma: Episode dated 16 September 1972 (1972)

      User reviews101

      Review
      Review
      Featured review
      open up your ears and clean out your eyes
      A satire on everyone who's too big for their boots (or secretly wants 2 B), because they will not achieve the aims they pursuit and are ultimately doomed to be separated from their privileges when they wake up to reality. The story may also come across as remote parody on The Last Supper, but from the bourgeois point of view (who never really get their supper), in contrast with 'Viridiana' (1961, Buñuel), where the poor and disabled DO get their Last Supper. But I don't know much about the bible, so I'm probably wrong about that. It proves though that you don't have to be pious to appreciate Buñuel's films; in fact, you'd better NOT be.

      The 'adventure' of the protagonists is a proverbial sinking ship, because they seem to know what they want, but never reach their goal, which is quite simple and basic (to eat), because they're so caught up in supposed etiquette. They have all kinds of knowledge about manners and gestures, but they cannot sit down and eat. That is actually a fairly clear message: 'look before you leap' or 'behold the priorities of life'.

      What's more indiscrete: drinking a martini the wrong way, or selling cocaine abusing your position as an ambassador and fooling around in the garden while you're having friends over for diner? And are you ultimately discrete simply because nobody discovers your subversive or criminal actions? These guys just can't control their carnal and financial lust, while complaining: 'No system can give the masses the proper social graces. But you know me, I'm not a reactionary.' Blah.

      Cinematographer Edmond Richard (Le Procès (1963, Welles), Fantôme de la liberté, Cet obscur objet du désir) exhibits his excellent collaboration with Buñuel's visions. Buñuel tried before to make it easier for audiences to understand the imagery by incorporating it in a dream sequence (e.g. Tristana, 1970), but he returns here (as in Belle de Jour, 1967) to the early days (1930) where the dream sequences were just put forward as if they were reality. You'll never know what is a dream and what is real. As always, there is no music here to guide you, apart from the ringing church bells. Just open up your ears and clean out your eyes and you'll not be disappointed.

      One last remark: the cover of the video is definitely one of the most applicable and distinctive covers (Ferracci) ever made, as is the cover of 'Fantôme de la liberté' (an odd-faced statue of liberty with a limp torch) by Jean-Paul Commandeur and the cover of 'Cet obscur objet du désir'. Buñuel didn't worry about the surrealism in his own life. He seemed to live in harmony with all his contradictions and hypocrisy.

      10 points out of 10 :-)
      helpful•53
      20
      • rogierr
      • Aug 6, 2001

      Details

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      • Release date
        • October 22, 1972 (United States)
        • France
        • Italy
        • Spain
        • French
        • Spanish
        • Latin
      • Also known as
      • Filming locations
        • Paris, France
      • Production company
        • Greenwich Film Productions
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Box office

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      See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

      Technical specs

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      • 1 hour 42 minutes
        • Mono

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