Last Tango in Paris (1972)

Content warning: contains sexual violence and explicit material; viewer discretion advised. Last Tango in Paris (1972) is a raw, divisive drama by Bernardo Bertolucci that follows an anonymous, whirlwind affair between Paul (Marlon Brando), a grieving middle-aged American, and Jeanne (Maria Schneider), a young Parisian preparing to marry. Meeting by chance in an empty apartment, they agree to a strict, nameless arrangement: to meet only for physical encounters and to leave their pasts and identities outside. What begins as a desperate, sometimes brutal attempt at escape becomes an emotionally volatile bond that forces both characters to confront grief, power, shame, and desire. Seeing the film is an intense, often unsettling experience: Brando’s elemental, tormented performance and Schneider’s vulnerable, conflicted presence drive scenes that alternate between passionate intimacy and harsh dehumanization. Visually and sonically the movie is intimate and melancholic — moody Parisian streets, a spare apartment set, and a sultry, jazz-inflected score by Gato Barbieri create an atmosphere of loneliness and yearning. The film is deliberately provocative and morally challenging; viewers may feel disturbed, moved, or outraged by its depiction of sex, control, and emotional ruin. It’s a powerful, controversial work that lingers long after the credits, inviting reflection on identity, grief, and the destructive limits of desire.

Actors: Marlon Brando, Maria Schneider, Maria Michi

Director: Bernardo Bertolucci

Runtime: 129 min

Genres: Drama, Romance

6.9 /10 77 /100 6.9 /10 7.2 /10