Belle de Jour

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Belle de Jour

R

Released Apr 10, 1967

1h 42m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

95%

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60 Reviews

86%

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2,500+ Ratings

Beautiful young housewife Séverine Serizy (Catherine Deneuve) cannot reconcile her masochistic fantasies with her everyday life alongside dutiful husband Pierre (Jean Sorel). When her lovestruck friend Henri (Michel Piccoli) mentions a secretive high-class brothel run by Madame Anais (Genevieve Page), Séverine begins to work there during the day under the name Belle de Jour. But when one of her clients (Pierre Clémenti) grows possessive, she must try to go back to her normal life.

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Critics Consensus

The radiantly filmed Belle de Jour entrances even as it resists easy interpretations.

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Charles Champlin

Los Angeles Times

"Belle de Jour" is more interesting and provocative than the great run of pictures one ever sees. Buuel's handling of color is gorgeous. And the acting is impeccable.

Apr 13, 2018

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Anthony Lane

Independent (UK)

People think of Deneuve as cinema's answer to bone china, and indeed the romantic efforts of Truffaut, say, left her looking stiff and staid. But she made the brilliant Bunuel think again, and gave his heart a jump.

Jan 4, 2018

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

With co-writer Jean-Claude Carrire, Buuel creates a secret theatre of erotic shame.

Rated: 5/5

Sep 6, 2017

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Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

Belle de Jour encompasses all Buñuel’s succeeding directorial features...

Jul 18, 2023

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Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

Such a fascinating and engaging study of satiating sexual appetites...

Apr 10, 2023

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Louis Séguin

Positif

Seeking rational justifications for his tale would remove all of Bunuel’s impact.

Apr 5, 2022

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Will G

A fantastic Foreign film. The acting was great. There was drama and romance. It was nice to see Paris and practice my French. It was cool to see the Arc de Triomphe.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/19/25

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Savannah G

This film's style, rhythm, and acting shames modern-day cinemetography. The crisp detail in the colors and framing in this film proves the directorial magnificence! Trying to find reason or justification in this film would make you fail to see the beauty in what making a story through film is. Despite the year this film was made, the film is beyond its time. Classy and timeless! Enjoyed this rendezvous of a masterclass in cinemetography.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/24/24

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Merick H

Terrible film. Poor character development: we learn nothing at all about her relationship with Pierre or who she is as a person or what she really wants. Unclear/underdeveloped, and therefore, unbelievable, character motivation makes Belle de Jour unsympathetic. Ultimately, I was not made to care about any of these characters, and therefore, I don't care, and have no interest in this story. Bad storytelling all around. There is nothing special about the way that it looks visually, either. The idea that this is a masterpiece is absurd.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

12/12/24

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Alexsander F

Belíssimo filme de Buñuel, um dos meus diretores favoritos, a história é de um surrealismo um tanto quanto subjetivo, simplesmente fantástico, e, como estava linda e brilhante no papel a atriz Catherine Deneuve. Menção honrosa a Geneviève Page, que classe e que mulher rica de feição, um espetáculo.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/17/24

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Joel P

Frigid, bored, sexually repressed, pretty blonde housewife gets job as prostitute. Her dreams and past memories reveal some disturbing issues, such as molestation. Whatever you think could go wrong, increase it by about 30-40 %.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/29/23

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Dani G

Was it all just a dream? Was it just the hidden desires from Severine? I don't know, it's a Buñuel film. Don't try to understand everything. Catherine Deneuve, sober as always

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

12/23/23

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Luis Buñuel

Director

Catherine Deneuve

Séverine Serizy aka Belle de Jour

Jean Sorel

Pierre Serizy

Michel Piccoli

Henri Husson

Macha Méril

Renee

Pierre Clémenti

Marcel

Les Biches

77%

68%

Les Biches

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Joanna

20%

50%

Joanna

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That Obscure Object of Desire

97%

90%

That Obscure Object of Desire

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The Conformist

98%

90%

The Conformist

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for The Conformist

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92%

77%

Rachel, Rachel

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Synopsis

Beautiful young housewife Séverine Serizy (Catherine Deneuve) cannot reconcile her masochistic fantasies with her everyday life alongside dutiful husband Pierre (Jean Sorel). When her lovestruck friend Henri (Michel Piccoli) mentions a secretive high-class brothel run by Madame Anais (Genevieve Page), Séverine begins to work there during the day under the name Belle de Jour. But when one of her clients (Pierre Clémenti) grows possessive, she must try to go back to her normal life.

Director: Luis Buñuel
Producer: Henri Baum, Raymond Hakim
Screenwriter: Luis Buñuel, Jean-Claude Carrière, Joseph Kessel
Distributor: Miramax Films, Miramax Home Entertainment [us], Miramax Zoë, Criterion Collection
Production Co: Paris Film Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 10, 1967, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 11, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.5M
Runtime: 1h 42m

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