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That Obscure Object of Desire

Play trailer Poster for That Obscure Object of Desire R,  1977,  1h 43m,  Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Stream Now Watchlist 97% 34 Reviews Tomatometer 90% 5,000+ Ratings Popcornmeter
97% Tomatometer 34 Reviews 90% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
After dumping a bucket of water on a beautiful young woman from the window of a train car, wealthy Frenchman Mathieu (Fernando Rey), regales his fellow passengers with the story of the dysfunctional relationship between himself and the young woman in question, a fiery 19-year-old flamenco dancer named Conchita (played alternately by Carole Bouquet and Angela Molina). What follows is a tale of cruelty, depravity and lies -- the very building blocks of love.
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That Obscure Object of Desire

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Critics Consensus

That Obscure Object of Desire is a frequently unsettling treatise on the quixotic nature of lust and love.

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Critics Reviews

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Pauline Kael The New Yorker Sep 18, 2023
The special quality of Bunuel’s late, storyteller’s style is that there are no layers, nothing hidden; that’s what makes it so serene. Go to Full Review
Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Jul 27, 2012
4/4
[Bunuel's] film is filled with small, droll touches, with tiny peculiarities of behavior, with moral anarchy, with a cynicism about human nature that somehow seems, in his hands, almost cheerful. Go to Full Review
Ed Gonzalez Slant Magazine Sep 17, 2003
4/4
From Un Chien Andalou to That Obscure Object of Desire, Luis Buuel spent almost 50 years cataloging the frustrated romantic desires of his characters. Go to Full Review
Dennis Harvey 48 Hills Jul 18, 2023
She may be a maddening sphinx—but Buñuel seems to suggest that his alter ego does, indeed, deserve just such treatment. Go to Full Review
Kevin Kouns Gay Community News (Boston) Aug 18, 2022
Anyone who does not understand that this is comedy of manners, and that Bunuel’s slant is distinctly Marxist, will naturally find the film mostly incoherent. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Jan 24, 2021
3/4
If this sounds rather conventional for Buñuel, be aware that the role of the temptress is played by not one but two actresses. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Leia S Nov 29, 2017 All films by Bunuel is a pure craftsmanship, this one is not exception. His satires are so biting and subtle. This film in particular is about an old man's obsession with a young girl, often bordering with absurdity. It remains a mystery to me why the director used two actresses to play the role of Conchita, but it is an interesting move. See more
Hermione W Apr 14, 2017 Compelling but makes too blatant of a statement on sexuality.
Luke W Feb 26, 2017 My second favorite film of all time. Using two actresses as one female character is brilliant.
Luke G Aug 13, 2015 F 8.2 [Luis Buñuel]
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That Obscure Object of Desire

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Cast & Crew

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Luis Buñuel

Director

Fernando Rey

Mathieu

Carole Bouquet

Conchita

Ángela Molina

Conchita

Julien Bertheau

Judge

Milena Vukotic

Woman in train

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That Obscure Object of Desire

Poster Art That Obscure Object of Desire (1977) That Obscure Object of Desire (1977) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis After dumping a bucket of water on a beautiful young woman from the window of a train car, wealthy Frenchman Mathieu (Fernando Rey), regales his fellow passengers with the story of the dysfunctional relationship between himself and the young woman in question, a fiery 19-year-old flamenco dancer named Conchita (played alternately by Carole Bouquet and Angela Molina). What follows is a tale of cruelty, depravity and lies -- the very building blocks of love.
Director
Luis Buñuel
Producer
Serge Silberman
Screenwriter
Luis Buñuel, Jean-Claude Carrière, Pierre Louÿs
Distributor
Rialto Pictures, Criterion Collection
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 8, 1977, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 29, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$55.3K
Runtime
1h 43m
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