Last Tango in Paris

From ArticleWorld

Last Tango in Paris was a 1972 film written by Bernardo Bertolucci, France Arcalli, with additional dialogue done by Agnes Varda. The film deals with a relationship, sexual in nature, by an older American widower and a younger engaged Parisian woman. The film was based on a book, by the same title and written by Robert Alley.

Facts

Last Tango in Paris was directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. It starred Marlon Brando as the American widower and Mario Schneider as the young Parisian woman. The cinematography was by Vittorio Storaro and Gato Barbier did the music. The film was nominated for a couple of Academy Awards: one for Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Director. The budget of the film was approximately 1,250,000.

Plot

Marlon Brandon plays Paul. Paul is a globe-hopping American who decides to settle down in marriage and takes ownership of a rundown hotel in Paris. His wife commits suicide and Paul is sent into an existential tailspin. Paul winds up in an apartment up for rent.

• Jeanne, played by Maria Schneider, enters the apartment looking to rent it. Ultimately, Paul and Jeanne end up making love. They continue with the sexual affair in the same vacant apartment where they first met. There sexual relationship is without boundaries. They decide to not exchange names.
• Paul is hoping to forget his wife while Jeanne is overwhelmed by her fiancé played by Jean-Pierre Leaud. The fiancé is a filmmaker who wants Jeanne to be his inspiration and subject. Three days after the affair, Paul breaks the spell of impersonality and everything changes.

Scandal

In Italy the film caused a deep scandal for its sodomy scene. Consequently, the film was sequestered by censorship and officially all the copies were destroyed. An Italian court also revoked Bertolucci’s civil rights for five years and gave him a four-month suspended prison sentence. Last Tango in Paris reappeared after the censorship had been abolished.