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That Obscure Object of Desire
Cet obscur objet du désir
1977 103 min France, Spain R 16+
★8.4
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Director: Luis Buñuel
🎭 Based on
«The Woman and the Puppet»
byPierre Louÿs
Trailers
Description
After dumping a bucket of water on a beautiful young woman from the window of a train car, wealthy Frenchman Mathieu, regales his fellow passengers with the story of the dysfunctional relationship between himself and the young woman in question, a fiery 19-year-old flamenco dancer named Conchita. What follows is a tale of cruelty, depravity and lies -- the very building blocks of love.
Worldwide:
$2,864
Starring
Fernando Rey
Actor
Carole Bouquet
Actor
Ángela Molina
Actor
Awards
César Awards 1978
— Best Director
Academy Awards 1978
— Best Adapted Screenplay
César Awards 1978
— Best Screenplay
Academy Awards 1978
— Best International Feature Film
Golden Globe 1978
— Best International Feature Film
Key opinion
Luis Buñuel’s final film is widely regarded as a masterful, surrealist exploration of obsessive love and the unattainable nature of desire. By employing the unique device of having two actresses portray a single character, the film creates a multifaceted meditation on male insecurity, bourgeois hypocrisy, and the shifting dynamics of power in relationships.
| Acting | The casting of two different actresses to play the single role of Conchita brilliantly externalizes the duality and elusiveness of the female object of desire. | |
| Acting | Fernando Rey delivers a compelling, nuanced performance that captures the vulnerability and absurdity of an aging, obsessed aristocrat. | |
| Theme | The interplay between the central romantic obsession and the peripheral, chaotic terrorist attacks effectively underscores the volatility of the protagonist's internal and external worlds. | |
| Direction | Buñuel’s direction successfully balances surface-level simplicity with dense, surrealist symbolism that rewards attentive viewers. | |
| Pacing | The film's pacing is viewed differently: some find the repetition and deliberate tempo essential to its philosophical impact, while others perceive it as occasionally sluggish. |