Watch Last Tango in Paris

Last Tango in Paris is a controversial 1972 film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci and starring Marlon Brando, Maria Schneider, and Maria Michi. The movie is set in Paris, France and follows a young Parisian woman named Jeanne (Maria Schneider) who meets an American expatriate named Paul (Marlon Brando) while apartment hunting. Paul is a middle-aged man reeling from the recent suicide of his wife and Jeanne is a young engaged woman. Despite their age difference and different backgrounds, Jeanne and Paul quickly become lovers and begin to explore their innermost desires and secrets with each other.

The film is a raw and emotional exploration of eroticism, love, and pain. The relationship between Paul and Jeanne is passionate but also tumultuous, filled with moments of aggression and violence alongside intimacy and vulnerability. The film features several explicit sex scenes that caused controversy upon its release and continue to be debated to this day.

Marlon Brando's performance is often cited as a standout, with his portrayal of Paul being both vulnerable and domineering. Maria Schneider's Jeanne is also praised for her complex and naturalistic portrayal of a young woman coming into her own sexually.

The film's themes of power dynamics and sexual exploration have made it a seminal work in the erotic art-house genre. The movie's critical success and controversy helped to shape a new wave of filmmaking in the 1970s, both in the United States and Europe.

Despite the film's lasting legacy, it faced harsh criticism upon its release. Many accused the movie of being misogynistic and exploitative, and its sexually explicit scenes were seen as vulgar and gratuitous. In addition, Bertolucci received backlash for his controversial direction style, which included using real butter as a prop in one of the film's most infamous scenes.

Overall, Last Tango in Paris is a haunting exploration of desire and the search for connection. The film's striking cinematography and acclaimed performances have made it a lasting masterpiece of 1970s cinema, and its controversial themes continue to spark conversation and debate to this day.

Last Tango in Paris is a 1973 drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 7 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.9 and a MetaScore of 77.