Ep1121: I Can't Believe It's Not Better!: Being Maria (2025) / Last Tango in Paris (1972) - Movie Review
In 1972, Bernardo Bertolucci's Last Tango in Paris pierced the cinema landscape with its gritty and unrelenting portrayal of animalistic sex, grief, and urban malaise.
Marlon Brando stars as Paul, a recent middle-aged widower who meets 20-year-old Jeanne (Maria Schneider) while looking for an apartment. The two decide to shack up for three hedonistic days, blocking out the sad concerns of the world outside. The result is a portrait of mutual and self-destruction, helmed by a director so bent on "authenticity" that he permitted an actual assault to take place on his set.
This year, co-writer/director Jessica Palud brought us Being Maria, a biopic about Schneider and the aftermath of Last Tango's scandalous shoot/release, with Matt Dillon and Anamaria Vartolomei turning in commendable interpretations of the film's iconic actors.
In today's episode, Ian and David examine both films and walk through the various reasons neither come close to being as memorable (or, frankly, as good) as they ought to be--outside the sensationalism inherent in the infamous "butter" scene. They also look at critic Pauline Kael's 1972 New Yorker review and how it brushes right up against contemporary social mores.
Show Links
Watch the Being Maria (2025) trailer.
Being Maria is now available On Demand and on Blu-ray, courtesy of Kino Lorber.
Keep up with all of David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.
As mentioned in the show, you can read critic Pauline Kael's 1972 review of Last Tango in Paris.
Plus! Listen to Ian and David's other recent (and very raucous) reviews of:
The Unholy Trinity (2025)
A Real Pain (2025)
Rebel Ridge (2024)
Duchess (2024)
