Luis Bunuel’s Masterpiece of Erotica!|May. 24, 1967|France|101 Min.|R
Genre: Adult;Drama;Romance
Description: Séverine Serizy, a young and beautiful housewife portrayed by Catherine Deneuve, struggles with physical intimacy in her marriage to Dr. Pierre Serizy, played by Jean Sorel. Despite their mutual love, Séverine’s sexual life is confined to intricate fantasies involving domination, sadomasochism, and bondage. Although frustrated by her emotional distance, Pierre respects her boundaries.
During a visit to a ski resort, the couple encounters Henri Husson and Renée. Séverine is uncomfortable with Husson’s demeanor and the way he looks at her. Back in Paris, she learns from Renée that their mutual friend Henriette now works at a brothel. Séverine is unsettled when Husson sends her roses, and during a conversation at the tennis courts, he mentions a high-class brothel at 11 Cité Jean de Saumur. Despite his confession of desire, Séverine rejects his advances.
Haunted by childhood memories, including an inappropriate encounter with a man, Séverine visits the brothel, run by Madame Anaïs, who gives her the alias “Belle de Jour.” Though hesitant at first, Séverine succumbs to Madame Anaïs’s firm guidance and engages with her first client. After a week-long absence, she returns to the brothel, working daily from two to five in the afternoon while maintaining her role as a devoted wife in the evenings.
When Husson visits her at home, Séverine refuses to see him but fantasizes about him in front of her husband. Meanwhile, her physical relationship with Pierre begins to improve, and she starts engaging with him intimately. However, Séverine’s life takes a darker turn when she becomes involved with a young criminal, Marcel, who fulfills her fantasies of thrill and excitement.
As Séverine navigates her dual life, the film delves into themes of desire, repression, and the complexities of human relationships.
Cast director: Luis Buñuel
Cast actor: Catherine Deneuve, Jean Sorel, Michel Piccoli, Geneviève Page, Pierre Clémenti, Françoise Fabian, Macha Méril, Muni, Maria Latour, Claude Cerval
Original name: Belle de jour