Last Tango in Paris

Play trailer

Last Tango in Paris

NC-17

Released Oct 14, 1972

2h 10m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

43 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Distraught following his wife's suicide, American hotelier Paul (Marlon Brando) becomes transfixed by the beautiful younger Frenchwoman Jeanne (Maria Schneider) when he meets her by chance at an apartment both are attempting to rent. The couple begin an extended but purely anonymous sexual relationship in which they do not even tell each other their names, but it soon becomes clear that the couple's deliberate level of disassociation cannot continue.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Naturalistic but evocative, Last Tango in Paris is a vivid exploration of pain, love, and sex featuring a typically towering Marlon Brando performance.

Read Critics Reviews

Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

When Brando improvises within Bertolucci's structure, his full art is realized; his performance is intuitive, rapt, princely. Working with Brando, Bertolucci achieves realism with the terror of actual experience still alive on the screen.

Jan 3, 2018

Full Review

Helen O'Hara

Empire Magazine

Brando gives his all but just ends up becoming himself. Interesting for its historical notoriety, but overlong and dull in places.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 7, 2007

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

An uneven, convoluted, certainly dispute-provoking study of sexual passion in which Marlon Brando gives a truly remarkable performance.

Dec 7, 2007

Full Review

Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

It has some visual notes that are complemented by a strong performance by Marlon Brando, but his essay on passion and the dilemmas of couple relationships often remain imprisoned in the walls of superficiality. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 6/10

Apr 4, 2024

Full Review

Tim Dirks

Filmsite

Director Bernardo Bertolucci's landmark and controversial erotic film - an arthouse film, told about the development of a destructive relationship, as it followed a distraught, confused, grieving widower and middle-aged American exile named Paul

Nov 9, 2023

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Marlon Brando, at the height of his fame and his talent, delivers a raw, emotionally naked performance as the 45-year-old American widower ...

Sep 22, 2023

Full Review

Read all reviews

Matheus A

To simply violate a woman during the filming of this movie—an idea conceived by Marlon Brando and the director—is one of the most reprehensible acts imaginable. It does not matter if he is a talented artist or a skilled director; his actions essentially ruined the young woman's life. If you think this is trivial, let me see how you would feel if the same were done to you.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

12/22/24

Full Review

James B

pretty good brando was great shocking ending on the waterfront and the godfather are good brando films too

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/08/24

Full Review

nick s

A very immersive movie with a slow, voyeuristic vibe, but without any story complexity. Quite a bit of exposition. It was somewhat on the raw side with nude scenes and simulated sex. How the director could use such a young actress for that l have no idea. Its strongest points for me were the acting, which I couldn't fault, and the cinematography, which was often gorgeous.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/27/24

Full Review

Shioka O

A controversial film by Bertolucci in 1972. Brando at the peak of his career, and his performance looks terrifyingly realistic and improvised. Beautiful cinematography by Storaro as always. Story is mediocre but still worth watching.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/09/24

Full Review

Rami A

Though it occasionally tries not to be, the film is incredibly humorous despite being a very sad film. Marlon Brando gives a truly remarkable performance here.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/27/23

Full Review

Leaburn O

I don't think I have any idea what this was about or why I should like it….but I did like it and found Brandio and Schneider captivating and ridiculous simultaneously. Bought this one on DVD a long time ago and finally watched it.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/26/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Bernardo Bertolucci

Director

Marlon Brando

Paul

Maria Schneider

Jeanne

Jean-Pierre Léaud

Tom

Darling Legitimus

Concierge

Catherine Sola

TV Script Girl

In the Realm of the Senses

84%

64%

In the Realm of the Senses

Watchlist

Henry & June

60%

68%

Henry & June

Watchlist

Arabian Nights

83%

76%

Arabian Nights

Watchlist

Shame

79%

75%

Shame

Watchlist

El perro

83%

81%

El perro

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Distraught following his wife's suicide, American hotelier Paul (Marlon Brando) becomes transfixed by the beautiful younger Frenchwoman Jeanne (Maria Schneider) when he meets her by chance at an apartment both are attempting to rent. The couple begin an extended but purely anonymous sexual relationship in which they do not even tell each other their names, but it soon becomes clear that the couple's deliberate level of disassociation cannot continue.

Director: Bernardo Bertolucci
Producer: Alberto Grimaldi
Screenwriter: Bernardo Bertolucci, Bernardo Bertolucci, Franco Arcalli, Agnès Varda, Franco Arcalli, Bernardo Bertolucci
Distributor: MGM Home Entertainment, United Artists
Production Co: Les Productions Artistes Associés, Produzioni Europee Associate (PEA)
Rating: NC-17
Genre: Drama
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 14, 1972, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 29, 2012
Runtime: 2h 10m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm

Most Popular at Home Now