Last Tango in Paris

NC-17

Released Oct 14, 1972

2h 10m

Drama

List

82%

Tomatometer

44 Reviews

75%

Audience Score

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.

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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.

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Pauline Kael

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

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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

Brent A

10% rating ... I had troubles watching this. The romance was borderline creepy because Marlon Brando's character seemed very manipulative. A little off-putting in my opinion that made him an unlikeable character.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

08/04/23

Full Review

Thomas V

LTIP doesn't age well, and it exemplifies the problems I have with Bertolucci. Visually it is well made with great cinematography and camera movement, and the set pieces are beautiful. Brandon and Schneider give raw, unbridled performances, especially Brando. But it is muddled and overlong, and here in 2023 and knowing that this film and the director's behavior toward Schneider make it repulsive. I can't discount my knowledge of how this film ruined poor Maria's life and scarred her when still just a kid. This film, as is 1900, is abusive to its female characters and actors, and the sex and full nudity are often excessive and gratuitous. This is not because I'm prudish, but because I don't think his more egregious depictions were necessary to move the story forward, and they may have harmed the actors because of the director's actions. Film buffs should probably still see it, but it is distasteful IMO. One thing of note is that Bertolucci's treatment of Schneider is unwittingly referenced in the film through her scenes with her drippy director fiance, who uses her much as Bertolucci did IRL. This adds another layer, but doesn't make it easier to watch.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Half a star is too much.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

05/16/23

Full Review

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Bernardo Bertolucci

Director

Marlon Brando

Paul

Maria Schneider

Jeanne

Jean-Pierre Léaud

Tom

Darling Legitimus

Concierge

Catherine Sola

TV Script Girl

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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
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

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