The film follows a woman who returns to a small town, with her American husband, in Tuscany to commemorate her father’s passing as she also hopes to deal with some unfinished business with her funny including her brother whom she had an incestuous relationship with. It is a film that puts the Greek tragedies relating to the character of Electra and set in 1960s Italy as this woman returns home as she copes with various issues within her family as well as the need to commemorate her father who had died in a concentration camp at World War II. The film’s screenplay, that also features additional yet un-credited contributions from Giampiero Bona, is largely straightforward as its titular character is a woman who has created a new life away from her small town yet knows she has to return to that town with her husband Andrew Dawdson (Michael Craig) for her late father as well as to maintain a secret relationship with her brother that she doesn’t want Andrew to know.
Yet, the arrival of Gianni (Jean Sorel) at the family home does create confusion within Sandra as she also knows that he would arrive as he had been staying at their old home for some time. There is also tension relating to their stepfather Antonio Gilardini (Renzo Ricci) who knows about their secret as he and Sandra despise each other with Gilardini also taking care of their ailing mother (Marie Bell) who also issues with her children. Dawdson would try to settle things as he also meets a former lover of Sandra in Dr. Pietro Formari (Fred Williams) who would further the tension that is already boiling as he is also watching over Sandra and Gianni’s mother. Even as Dawdson would stage a dinner for everyone to settle matters once and for all as he would learn about his wife’s shocking secret.
Luchino Visconti’s direction is mesmerizing for the way he captures a woman returning to her hometown as it is filled with unique yet abstract visuals that play into this sense of dread and regret. Shot on location in Volterra in the Tuscan region of Italy, Visconti maintains an intimacy throughout the film though there are wide shots of these locations including the main home where Sandra’s family lived in that includes some decayed area where a bust of her father’s head is to be unveiled. Much of Visconti’s direction emphasizes on close-ups and medium shots as it plays into the dramatic tension and melodrama that occurs throughout the film. Notably in the scene at the decayed wall on a windy night where Sandra and Gianni reunite as there is something rich in Visconti’s compositions as well as scenes where Gianni and Andrew walk around town where the latter meets Dr. Formari for the first time as it is an awkward meeting.
Visconti also maintains this dramatic tension as it includes a tense scene between Sandra and her mother that is intercut with a meeting between her and local officials including her stepfather as the tension is felt throughout the film. Even as Visconti would go into the melodrama as well as these rich compositions in a scene at an old water tower between Sandra and Gianni as it acts as the two siblings possibly rekindling their taboo relationship. Yet, their relationship is put to the test in this climatic dinner scene at the film’s third act where Sandra, Gianni, Andrew, Dr. Formari, and Gilardini are attending as Visconti definitely creates this tense atmosphere where something is about to happen. Even as its aftermath would have this sense of tragedy but also acceptance of letting go something that has been the source of discord within her family. Overall, Visconti crafts a chilling yet rapturous film about a woman returning home to celebrate her father’s legacy as well as confront her troubled relationship with her brother.
Cinematographer Armando Nannuzzi does brilliant work with the film’s black-and-white photography as it is filled with imagery with its usage of lights and shadows for the interior/exterior scenes including some really dark scenes in some of the bedrooms at night. Editor Mario Serandrei does excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward to play into the dramatic tension as well as some of the melodrama that occurs with its usage of rhythmic cuts. Production designer Mario Garbuglia and set decorator Laudomia Hercolani do amazing work with the look of the rooms at the family estate including its main hall and a room full of statues and antiques as it is a highlight of the film.
Costume designer Bice Brichetto does fantastic work with the costumes in some of the suits the men wear as well as the stylish clothing that Sandra wears. The sound work of Bruno Borghi and Claudio Maielli do superb work with the sound in the way the wind sounds up close and from afar in a key scene early in the film as a lot of it emphasizes on natural sounds presented from its location as it is a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Cesar Franck is phenomenal for its classical-based piano score that features some classical variations as it adds to the drama and tension that looms throughout the film while its soundtrack features some pop and rock music of that period.
The film’s wonderful ensemble cast feature some notable small roles and appearances from noted production designer Ferdinando Scarfiotti as a party guest at the film’s opening scene, Amalia Tosca as the family maid Fosca, and Marie Bell (w/ the voice of Andreina Pagnani) as Sandra and Gianni’s mentally-ill mother who despises her children. Fred Williams is terrific as Dr. Pietro Formari as a former lover of Sandra who finds himself dealing with some of the family chaos as he also cares for their mother as he tries to help settle things despite the awkwardness between him and Dawdson. Renzo Ricci is excellent as Antonio Gilardini as Sandra and Gianni’s stepfather who isn’t fond of them yet loves their mother as he is trying to take care of her while he knows about their secret relationship as it is the source of his issues between his stepchildren.
Michael Craig (w/ the voice of Giuseppe Rinaldi) is brilliant as Sandra’s American husband Andrew Dawdson as he is someone trying to learn about the family as well as Sandra’s early life as he also serves as a mediator between the family and their many issues as he is largely reserved until the film’s climax. Jean Sorel (w/ the voice of Massimo Turci) is amazing as Sandra’s brother Gianni Wald-Lutazzi as a man who had maintained a mysterious life as he spends much of his time at the family estate as he hopes to renew his incestuous relationship with Sandra, despite liking Dawdson, as he becomes unhinged over the possibility that it wouldn’t continue. Finally, there’s Claudia Cardinale in a tremendous performance as the titular character as this woman who returns to her hometown to commemorate her Jewish father as well as deal with family issues including her brother as she is unsure about restarting their taboo relationship. Cardinale brings in a complex performance as a woman that is full of grief but also someone that is conflicted and full of rage as it relates to her family as it is a career-defining performance from Cardinale.
Vaghe stele dell’Orsa is a sensational film from Luchino Visconti that features a great leading performance from Claudia Cardinale. Along with its ensemble cast, riveting story of family tragedy and taboo, ravishing visuals, and an evocative music score. It is a film that explores a woman trying to settle family matters as well as confront a taboo relationship with her brother that had been the source of family drama. In the end, Vaghe stele dell’Orsa is a phenomenal film from Luchino Visconti.
Luchino Visconti Films: (Obsessione) – (Giorni di gloria) – (La Terra Firma) – (Appunti su un fatto di cronaca) – (We, the Women) – (Bellisima) - Senso – White Nights (1957 film) - Rocco and His Brothers - (Boccaccio ’70-Il lavoro) – The Leopard - (The Stranger (1967 film)) – The Witches-The Witch Burned Alive - The Damned - Death in Venice - (Alla ricerca di Tadzio) – (Ludwig) – (Conversation Piece) – The Innocent (1976 film)
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Based on the novel by Joseph Kessel, Belle de Jour is the story of a housewife who spends her afternoons as a prostitute while her husband is at work as she deals with her sexual desires. Directed by Luis Bunuel and screenplay by Bunuel and Jean-Claude Carriere, the film is an exploration into a woman trying to find sexual fulfillment as she’s not finding that in her marriage prompting her to take drastic actions. Starring Catherine Deneuve, Jean Sorel, Francisco Rabal, and Michel Piccoli. Belle de Jour is a provocative yet entrancing film from Luis Bunuel.
The film explores the world of a bored housewife of a surgeon who decides to become a prostitute in the afternoons to fulfill her sexual desires. There, she encounters men who give her the sexual fulfillment she craves which would have an ironic effect in her relationship with her husband until she meets a troubled criminal who wants her. It’s a film that is largely told from the perspective of the protagonist Severine (Catherine Deneuve) who has these fantasies of being beaten and insulted yet has a hard time living that out in the real world as she is bored and aloof which confuses her husband Pierre (Jean Sorel) who often works. Yet, she is also quite cold to his friend Henri Husson (Michel Piccoli) who would mention about the brothel that one of Severine’s old friends used to work at which prompts the curious Severine to see what is there where she would find this strange balance of fantasy and reality.
The film’s screenplay by Luis Bunuel and Jean-Claude Carriere creates a unique story that is largely told from a woman’s perspective where it’s opening scene is where Severine and Pierre are riding in a carriage where Pierre demands the carriage drivers to beat her. It’s a very strange moment to open the film but the fact that it’s Severine’s fantasy makes it even stranger into why would this woman want to feel pleasure from being whipped by men and such? Pierre has no clue about Severine’s fantasies as he is also baffled by her reluctance to have sex with him but he respects her too much to not do anything against her will. Still, there is that question of maybe Severine wants Pierre to take action but it doesn’t happen where she also is also attracted to Husson in some respects though she also despises him greatly because of how flirtatious he can be.
The script is also intriguing in how Severine manages to be part of this world of sex where she works for this very stern brothel madam known as Madame Anais (Genevieve Page) who shows her the ropes of what to do. Under the name Belle de Jour, Severine would become one of class and intrigue to the clients she meets. Yet, it becomes more troubling in its third act with the arrival of a criminal named Hyppolite (Francisco Rabal) who is an old friend of Madame Anais as he is joined by his young protégé Marcel (Pierre Clementi) whose attraction to Severine is very unstable. Notably as it clashes with everything she wanted but also the stability that she craves for at home.
The direction of Luis Bunuel is very entrancing in the way he blurs the idea of fantasy and reality. Most notably with its opening sequence that seems real but it has an air of surrealism that is common with a lot of Bunuel’s work as there would be these scenes that are presented in some of the beautiful ways. Even as it has this degradation that makes it so strange where Husson throws mud at Severine in one scene while she’s tied up on a tree in another scene to showcase how extreme these fantasies of sadomasochism can be. Even where Severine finally gets to act in these fantasies where there is a sense of happiness that occurs where even the fantasies become more playful in some respects.
The compositions that Bunuel creates are mesmerizing in the way he puts his actors into a frame or how he maintains the idea of reality and fantasy colliding. Notably as some of the moments of reality where Severine interacts with the other prostitutes showcase an intimacy in some of these scenes as well as scenes between Severine and Pierre where it’s quite calm. Still, Bunuel does create some great scenes in these moments where he would also include moments of symbolism to suggest the fate that Severine might face. Most notably a sequence where Severine is hired to play the dead wife of a man in this elaborate yet strange funeral scene. Things get darker in the third act where her encounter with Marcel is one that is just chaotic as it also begins to blur the idea of reality and fantasy where Severine must make a choice. Overall, Bunuel creates a very fascinating and captivating film about a woman trying to find fulfillment in her sexual desires.
Cinematographer Sascha Vierny does amazing work with the film‘s very colorful cinematography from the way the scenes in the forests look with its vibrant colors to some of the lighting schemes that is created in some of the film‘s interiors. Editor Louisette Hautecoeur does brilliant work with the editing where it is stylized with its jump-cuts and dissolves as it plays to some of the film‘s humor and strange moments. Production designer Robert Clavel does fantastic work with the look of the brothel that Severine works at as well as her lavish home that she and Pierre live in. The costumes of Helene Nourry is superb for its sense of style in the clothes that Severine wears that ranges from quaint and innocent to some of the sensual clothing she has to wear for work. The sound work of Rene Longuet is excellent for some of the effects that is created to play up that blur of fantasy and reality as well as in creating an atmosphere in some big scenes in the film.
The film’s incredible cast includes some notable small roles from Marguerite Muni as Madame Anais’ maid, Georges Marchal as a duke who hires Severine to come to his home, Macha Merill as Severine’s friend Renee, Francoise Fabian and Maria Latour as a couple of women who work for Madame Anais, and Francisco Rabal as the notorious yet cautious criminal Hyppolite. Pierre Clementi is excellent as the unpredictable and fierce Marcel who falls for Severine as she has everything he wants yet has a hard time not being with her. Genevieve Page is superb as Madame Anais as a woman who is stern but also very kind as she helps Severine figure out how to play her part while dealing with the fact that Severine is only working in afternoons. Michel Piccoli is great as Henri Husson as a man who is attracted to Severine no matter how much she despises him as he’s one full of charm and wit while he would be the one that would play a key role into ending Severine’s time as a prostitute.
Jean Sorel is terrific as Severine’s husband Pierre as he’s sort of this aloof yet kind surgeon who loves his wife but doesn’t know what she wants as he’s quite oblivious to her activities while being a much more brutal person in her fantasies. Finally, there’s Catherine Deneuve in a remarkable performance as Severine as this woman who sort of has this cold yet lost personality early in the film to someone who seems to enjoy being beaten and humiliated in her fantasies as it’s definitely one of Deneuve’s finest performances in her career where she shows a bit of skin but also shows something much more in this film.
Belle de Jour is a phenomenal film from Luis Bunuel that features a radiant performance from Catherine Deneuve. The film is certainly one of the most interesting takes on the world of sexual fantasies and sadomasochism as well as what a woman wants in her life as she is just simply trying to find herself. Most notably as it would also play into the idea of reality and fantasy in what a woman wants. In the end, Belle de Jour is a sensational film from Luis Bunuel.
Luis Bunuel Films: Un Chien Andalou - L’Age d’Or - Land Without Bread - (Gran Casino) - (The Great Madcap) - Los Olvidados - (Susana) - (La hija de engano) - (Mexican Bus Ride) - (A Woman Without Love) - (El Bruto) - (El) - (Illusion Travels by Streetcar) - (Wuthering Heights (1954 film)) - Robinson Crusoe (1954 film) - (The Criminal Lives of Archibaldo de la Cruz) - (El rio y la muerte) - (Cela S’apelle l’Aurore) - (Death in the Garden) - (Nazarin) - (La Fievre a El Pasao) - (The Young One) - Viridiana - The Exterminating Angel - Diary of a Chambermaid - Simon of the Desert - (The Milky Way) - Tristana - Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie - (The Phantom of Liberty) - (That Obscure Object of Desire)
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