That Obscure Object of Desire

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Scott R @ScottR Mar 4, 2026 NYT 1000 films. This one I struggled with, mostly because the dubbing was so distracting that it was laughable dialogue. It also wasn’t clear about the relationship of the two women switching all the time. The symbolism does resonate, but the motivations of the man were implausible. Bauer was a beautiful woman. The other one was a bit off though. Saw on box. See more Petros T @PetrosTserpelis Jul 10, 2023 Luis Buñuel's swan song is an intriguing film bolstered by the good main cast, which includes two actresses in the same role, a choice that is interesting even if their alternation isn't necessarily timed in any distinctly meaningful way, and the engaging story, which plays with your expectations and pulls off a subversive if not totally unpredictable twist towards the end. The symbolic aspects of the plot are not completely weightless but feel unexploited and a little limp compared to the rest. See more William L @RT77267842 Jul 29, 2022 Much less reliant on the visual gags or overt absurdism than many of his other films, this final work from Luis Buñuel still has much of his trademark sense of sharp social satire. In That Obscure Object of Desire, the director takes on love, obsession, and sexual politics, using a frustrating and protracted romance without consummation as a means of exploring the fickle nature of affection. In a role played by two actors (Carole Bouquet and Ángela Molina, a combination that has been frequently remarked upon but which seems to stem less from thematic symbolism than an unusual practicality) Conchita takes on the form of an ideal lover to the much older Mathieu (Fernando Rey), but is also frequently erratic in her behavior and affections. This is because, in becoming the personification of all that Mathieu seeks in a partner, Conchita becomes a walking contradiction. She exists to Mathieu as an image, ideal, or an icon, and any gratification would shatter the illusion and his affections for her; most obviously, Conchita frequently maintains a seductive and alluring personality, but is simultaneously the embodiment of virginity and chastity (at once sexually charged and woefully inexperienced). She is whatever Mathieu wants in the heat of the moment, but she simply cannot sincerely exist with the many attributes that he wants simultaneously. Less immediately extreme than many of Buñuel's other projects, there is still plenty of creativity and thematic weight in That Obscure Object; the director had perhaps the longest career of any filmmaker to remain a true boundary-pusher from beginning to end. (4/5) See more Kevin L @Lakeman May 22, 2022 I missed the point, the main ideas, of this film when I first saw it. It was frustrating, puzzling, and I hated the Mathieu character more than the fickle, manipulative Conchita. But I went back over it again after reading a particularly insightful review or two, and now with a bit more patience see this as a rather remarkable film. I don't see it as the 'masterpiece' some do, but it's certainly better than my first impression of it. Bunuel's decision to go with two actresses to play Conchita was very clever. Good thing Maria Schneider (the original and only Conchita) was such a 'object of distraction' (see what I did there?) on the set. The anti-hero Mathieu gives off the impression of a respectable, successful businessman, but is not so respectable in reality. He's actually a pretentious, self-absorbed prat. He has little respect for women, it seems, at least for young women. The terrorist element in the movie is a symbolic one, relating more to how people so often treat each other in the messiness of relationships. I found the lead characters to mostly be pretty deplorable, and 'poor Mathieu' deserved that watering, too. He was a presumptuous jackhole to think a woman of that age would seriously want to have sex with him. He basically tried to buy her for sex multiple times, to show even more what skeez he is. But the two sides of Conchita make for a frustrating, manipulative two-headed monster. Her supposed virginity may be that 'object of desire' in some sense, but I think it relates more to how difficult it is for them to express their true, honest emotions. As critic Cosmo Salovaara put it very aptly, "The film presents a world in which a woman is capable of pathologically taunting a man who tries to buy her affection, if only because they cannot clearly communicate their honest desires to one another. Just how far removed from reality is this? Furthermore, it is Buñuel's dual casting that would seem to play the absurd to its hilt, but by cleaving Conchita in two, he is able to at least somewhat rationalize her muddled actions. The presence of Bouquet and Molina becomes a surrealist red herring." The very last action in the movie, as the actresses switch for the final time from the more compliant, submissive Conchita to the fiery, rebellious personality, shows us the couple truly is doomed to never consummate that 'obscure object' of their desires. Impressive work by Rey and especially Bouquet and Molina. This is yet another example of why great art, film especially, so often deserves that second, even third look sometimes, as we can fail to grasp what makes it great. 3.8 stars See more dave s @RT68722908 Mar 18, 2022 In That Obscure Object of Desire, Luis Bunuel's final film, Mathieu (Fernando Rey) is a sophisticated widower seemingly content with his station is life. However, when he falls in love with the elusive and much younger Conchita, he is deeply frustrated over the fact that he is allowed only to lust after her and never allowed to consummate his love. Interestingly, Conchita is played by two actresses, Carole Bouquet as the cultivated beauty and Angela Molina as the sensuous Flamenco dancer. As with most Bunuel films, it's challenging without being incomprehensibly complex and absurd without being ridiculous. That Obscure Object of Desire proves do be a fitting coda for a director who was always willing to challenge an audience. See more Sameir A @RT21611577 Dec 15, 2021 The final movie of legend Luis Buñuel, as usual he amuses the audience with his unique and powerful way of presentation. The first and most discussed matter is the presentation of the central character Conchita by two actresses alternately. Well, as per my observations, this is an obvious choice made by the director to represent the unstable and insane character of this beautiful, attractive, seducing being. The movie is very engaging and keeps you glued to the seat, as the audience in the train. Watch it...!! See more Read all reviews

That Obscure Object of Desire

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