
Belle de Jour
1967, Drama, 1h 42m
58 Reviews 2,500+ RatingsYou might also like

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Where to watch
Belle de Jour Photos
Movie Info
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.
Cast & Crew
Catherine Deneuve
Séverine Serizy aka Belle de Jour
Séverine Serizy aka Belle de Jour
Jean Sorel
Pierre Serizy
Pierre Serizy
Michel Piccoli
Henri Husson
Henri Husson
Macha Méril
Renee
Renee
Pierre Clémenti
Marcel
Marcel
Francisco Rabal
Hyppolite
Hyppolite
Critic Reviews for Belle de Jour
Audience Reviews for Belle de Jour
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May 28, 2017The premise of a pretty young housewife (Catherine Deneuve) who has dark sexual fantasizes and becomes a prostitute in order to engage in them is interesting, but the execution is lacking, and seems quite dated. To start with, there is no emotional honesty in this film, it's instead antiseptic and superficial. Deneuve's acting is poor, displaying all the range of a mannequin. Director Luis Buñel weaves fantasies directly into the plot, but not in ways that hadn't been done before in 1967, and far from "surreal". There is nothing erotic at all here, and the fantasies seem suspiciously like male fantasies, not female. I did like how Buñel avoided using a soundtrack, and the creepiness of the husband's friend (Michel Piccoli), but that's about it, otherwise it was a snooze. It's a little mystifying to me as to how this film is a masterpiece, but I guess to each his or her own.Antonius B Super Reviewer
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Jul 30, 2013there is a point at which the film stands still a bit too long, but taken as a whole its commentary on the human psyche is very interesting and effective. of course, deneuve is very good, as are each of the supporters, and the mapping of the film was well done. a very good film.danny d Super Reviewer
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Dec 26, 2012Rating: 3 stars Arthouse Rating: 3.5 stars Luis Bunuel created the colorful and seductive work of Belle de Jour. An emotionally but not sexually pleased woman, who goes into prostitution, and also has several bondage fantasies. The film opens with one of these fantasies, and similar to the opening suicide scene in Harold & Maude, we are informed it isn't reality. Everything does feel real enough though, the genuine development of the character "Belle de Jour" was paced professionally. The tension between her and an obsessive client brings a true turning point in the story. The film had you sucked in the whole time, it played with your mind, and pushed the borders. While it did expose some taboos to the screen, I believe it didn't go to far, as to making the viewer turned off. While it was entertaining, I believe the end was unexplained. Bunuel had the potential to pull anything out during the full film, but the ending was delicate, and it ended up coming out of nowhere. I have no true explanation, while it did stick to you, I think it'll result in the movie being forgotten in the mind. The core of the film is toned, but there was no outer result.Daniel D Super Reviewer
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Oct 04, 2012One of the most amazing surrealistic film after Un Chien Andalou, It's so beautifully directed, every scene in the film blended so well together. The acting was so natural, Catherine shines as Severine. There are so much subtext and sexual innuendos but yet there is nothing graphic. I can't express how much I appreciate the direction of Bunuel. One of the best films from the French Cinema.Sylvester K Super Reviewer
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