Last Tango in Paris (1973)

 I don't know what it is...
but I love this movie. It's just the right level of sinful arousal and plot that really works. I also find myself really caring about the characters. Usually I'm not a fan of movies that have sex in them at all... it's almost always unnecessary to the plot. But this movie explores desperation in a way that makes lots of sexual content mandatory. April 26, 2008

 A masterpiece, but misunderstood
Thi is one of the best films made about grief--not sex, but grief. The entire drama must be seen through the prism of brando's wife's death. Powerful, moving, haunting, unforgettable. April 23, 2008

 Superb, but not perfect.
This film is a beauty. The directing and acting A-1. Brando in particular showing what he was capable of acheiving when he really tried. Watching Brando, one can only say "WOW!". Schneider isn't too bad herself and is quite a beauty.

There are a few loose ends that never seem to get tied up and it's puzzling how it can be late at night inside a building but when they run outside, it's broad daylight. There are some exquisit scenes involving Brando and a few scenes tend to drag on a bit, but overall, this film is a must-see for any fan of great acting. April 8, 2008

 what's the big deal?
This has to be the most overrated movie ever made. Even by 1970's standards, I don't see what all the hoopla is about. Marlon Brando is just his usual brooding self. The girl is extremely beautiful, but even if she was naked through the entire movie, I cannot understand why anyone considers this a cinema masterpiece. March 1, 2008

 Bertolucci , Brando, and Breillat together in 'Paris' is reason enough to see this film.
Last Tango in Paris ("L'Ultimo Tango a Parigi," "Le Dernier Tango à Paris") (1972) is among my three favorite Bernardo Bertolucci films. (The other two are 1900 and The Last Emperor.) These three films define Bertolucci's work when comes to sex (Last Tango), politics (1900; The Last Emperor) and cinephilia. Although upon its release the film caused a stir with its graphic depictions of sex, it should be credited for for opening the door for contemporary, mainstream erotic filmmakers like Catherine Breillat (Anatomy of Hell; Fat Girl), who had a minor role in the film. Last Tango tells the story of a middle-aged American widower, Paul (Marlon Brando), who is drawn into a anonymous, purely sexual relationship with a young, soon-to-be-married Parisian woman Jeanne (Maria Schneider) in her twenties. Their joyless sexual relationship is something they both need, and it exists only in an empty Paris apartment. One scene (the infamous "butter scene") depicts anal sex, and resulted in a four-month suspended prison sentence for Bertolucci in Italy. "That scene wasn't in the original script," Maria Schneider has stated. "The truth is it was Marlon who came up with the idea" (New York Post 7/23/07). Although this may not be Bertolucci's strongest film, it offers one of Brando's strongest performances, which is reason enough to see Last Tango. The film also features an orchestral-jazz soundtrack composed by Gato Barbieri.

G. Merritt December 15, 2007

More reviews at Amazon.com ...