Wick's Review

Summary - OK 2.5

Brando’s feral sexuality reached its nihilistic extreme in Last Tango in Paris, a high-toned porno distinguished then for its daring explicitness and now as a period piece of iconic 70s indulgence.

The minimalistic story about a grief stricken older man conducting an anonymous sexual marathon with a much younger woman provides the basis for Bernardo Bertolucci’s explorations of pop-art filmmaking and Beat-inspired nihilism.

Unfortunately, the way that he and Brando used and abused Maria Schneider marks the movie as little more than a notable example of the movie industry’s tawdry treatment of actresses.

Sure it’s extravagantly romantic and shows off Brando when he was still lean. It’s also self-centered and full of ostentatious symbolism.

Like its nonpareil star, Last Tango in Paris didn’t age well.

Acting - Good 3.0

Marlon Brando cornered the market on the odd combination of sensitive, brooding and virile. Here he’s full of addled urbanity. The fact that he delivers most of his dialogue in French is impressive as hell for this most quintessential of American actors.

Poor Maria Schneider was little more than a girl when she put herself in the hands of Brando and Bertolucci, and didn’t know what she was getting herself into. Of the director she said: “He was fat and sweaty and very manipulative, both of Marlon and myself, and would do certain things to get a reaction from me.”

She described her relationship with Brando as paternal, though it was he who came up with the “butter scene,” which was only known to her just before filming it. Source: Wikipedia

Thus it shouldn’t be a surprise that she became a drug addicted, emotionally unstable lesbian in the years following her Last Tango in Paris.

Film - Barely OK 2.0

Edge - Sordid 3.3

Several of the sex scenes border on rape, especially the anal intercourse “butter scene.” No doubt many viewers would expunge the “border on” qualification from the previous sentence.

Reality - Glib 1.3

Poor Maria Schneider died just a few weeks ago. “Maria accused me of having robbed her of her youth and only today am I wondering whether there wasn’t some truth to that,” said Bernardo Bertolucci following her death. Wondering? What a jerk.

1 Comment

• BigdaddyDave Mar 2, 2011 6:03AM

  Regarding Wick’s Review
  “Like its nonpareil star, Last Tango in Paris didn’t age well.” I couldn’t agree more!

  Great Review Wick. I watched it back in January and felt it was was really disappointing.

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