Belle de Jour

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Cast & Crew

Catherine Deneuve
Séverine Serizy aka Belle de Jour

Jean Sorel
Pierre Serizy

Michel Piccoli
Henri Husson

Macha Méril
Renee

Pierre Clémenti
Marcel

Francisco Rabal
Hyppolite

Geneviève Page
Madame Anais

Francis Blanche
Monsieur Adolphe

Françoise Fabian
Charlotte

Maria Latour
Mathilde

Luis Buñuel
Director

Luis Buñuel
Writer

Jean-Claude Carrière
Writer

Joseph Kessel
Writer

Henri Baum
Producer

Raymond Hakim
Producer

Sacha Vierny
Cinematography

Louisette Hautecoeur
Film Editing

Robert Clavel
Production Design

Robert Clavel
Set Decoration

Yves Saint-Laurent
Costume Design

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Audience Reviews for Belle de Jour

• May 28, 2017

  The 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
• Jul 30, 2013

  there 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
• Dec 26, 2012

  Rating: 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
• Oct 04, 2012

  One 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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