The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
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98% of critics liked it
(46 reviews) -
88% of users liked it
(11,738 ratings)
In typical Luis Buñuel fashion, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie surrealistically skewers the conventions of society. Buñuel applies his surrealist touch to a mundane event: a dinner party that may never come to pass. A group of well-to-do friends attempt to gather for a social evening, but are… More In typical Luis Buñuel fashion, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie surrealistically skewers the conventions of society. Buñuel applies his surrealist touch to a mundane event: a dinner party that may never come to pass. A group of well-to-do friends attempt to gather for a social evening, but are thwarted at every turn. The initial problem seems to be a simple scheduling mistake, but the obstacles become more and more bizarre. At one point, the guests are interrupted at the table by an army on maneuvers. Later they learn that they are merely characters in a stage play and so cannot have dinner together. These misadventures are combined with symbolic dreams of the various characters, some of which also involve interrupted dinners. Wicked social satire and one of Buñuel's funniest films. Winner of the Academy Award for "Best Foreign Film" in 1972. ~ John Voorhees, Rovi
- Directed By
- Luis Buñuel
- Genres
- Drama, Art House & International, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy, Special Interest
- In Theaters
- Sep 15, 1972 Wide
- Studio
- 20th Century-Fox
Critic Reviews
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Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Luis Buñuel's 1972 comic masterpiece, about three well-to-do couples who try and fail to have a meal together, is perhaps the most perfectly achieved and executed of all his late French films.
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Variety Staff, Variety
Luis Bunuel adds another fine film to his solid record with this surrealistically oriented tale of so-called bourgeois types.
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Geoff Andrew, Time Out
The chic stylishness of the characters comes over as overbearing rather than satirically revealing.
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Peter Rainer, New York Magazine
Take a look again at its dream sequences, especially the nocturnal one involving the young man in the side street, and you will see a master disturber still at work.
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Gary Dowell, Dallas Morning News
An absurdly comic assault on the meaningless social rituals and polite hypocrisies of the upper middle class.
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Cast
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Fernando Rey
as Ambassador Raphael Acosta
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Delphine Seyrig
as Simone
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Stéphane Audran
as Alice Senechal
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Jean-Pierre Cassel
as Senechal
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Paul Frankeur
as Thevenot
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Bulle Ogier
as Florence
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Francois Maistre
as Delecluze Superintendent of Police
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Claude Piéplu
as Colonel
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Julien Bertheau
as Bishop Dufour
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Milena Vukotic
as Ines the Maid
- Christian Baltauss
- Jean Degrave
- Anne Marie Descott
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Georges Douking
as Dying Gardener
- Claude Jaeger
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Robert Le Beal
as Tailor
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Pierre Maguelon
as Police Sergeant
- Maxence Mailfort
-
Muni
as Peasant
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Bernard Musson
as Servant
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Michel Piccoli
as Home Secretary
- Jacques Rispal
- Luis Buñuel
- Sebastien Floche
- Ellen Bahl
- Pierre Lary
- Amparo Soler Leal