Belle de jour (1967)

Belle de jour
Directed by Luis Buñuel
Written by Joseph Kessel, Luis Buñuel, and Jean-Claude Carriere
1967/France
Robert and Raymond Hakim/Paris Film Productions/Five Film
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

[box] Madame Anais: You look a bit nervous. Relax. You’ll be out at 5:00. Don’t worry. You have someone waiting for you? A boyfriend? A husband? Oh, don’t think I’m prying. Kiss me.[/box]

Odd that one of Buñuel’s most mainstream films is also one of his most sexually explicit.

Severine Serizy (Catherine Deneuve) leads an apparently idyllic life with adoring husband Pierre.  But she just cannot warm up to him in bed.  She was molested as a child and now all her sexual fantasies involve masochism and humiliation.  One day, Severine hears about an acquaintance who is now working in a brothel.  The friend does it for money.  Severine looks into it not for money but for sexual gratification.  The Madame calls her “Belle de jour” since she must depart for home no later than 5 pm.

We see both Severine’s real life trysts and her fantasies.  Pierre appears in many of the latter meting out punishment and calling her names.  I will not spoil the deliciously ambiguous ending.  With Michel Piccoli as a friend who discovers Severine’s secret.

This certainly qualifies as a must-see in my book.  Love the black humor and all the acting.