Belle de jour
Encyclopedia
Belle de Jour is a 1967 French
film directed by Luis Buñuel
. The film stars Catherine Deneuve
as a woman who decides to spend her days as a prostitute while her husband is at work.
The title is the French name of the daylily
(literally: "daylight beauty"), a flower that blooms only during the day, but also refers to a prostitute whose trade is conducted in daytime. The film was based on the 1928 novel of the same name
by Joseph Kessel
. American director Martin Scorsese
promoted a 2002 release of the film on DVD. In 2006 the Portuguese director, Manoel de Oliveira
released Belle Toujours
, imagining a future encounter between two of the central characters from Belle de Jour.
fantasies about elaborate flogging
s and bondage
. She is married to a doctor (Jean Sorel
) and loves him, but cannot bring herself to share physical intimacy with him, which frustrates them both although her husband respects her wishes. A male friend, Monsieur Husson (Michel Piccoli), mentions a high-class brothel
to Séverine, also confessing his desire for her. Unsatisfied with her sex life at home, Séverine secretly works at the brothel during the afternoon using the pseudonym Belle de jour. The brothel is run by Madame Anaïs (Geneviève Page
). Séverine works from two to five o'clock each day, returning to her blissfully unaware husband in the evening, but she attends only intermittently.
As the film progresses, Séverine becomes entangled with Marcel, a young gangster, who offers her the thrills and excitement contained in her fantasies. The situation becomes more complicated when Séverine decides to leave the brothel, with Madame Anaïs' agreement, after finding Marcel has become too demanding, and jealous of her husband. Husson has also discovered her secret as a potential, though unwilling, client. One of the gangster's associates tracks Séverine to her home address. Marcel visits her, and threatens to reveal her hidden identity, but Séverine persuades him to leave.
Marcel waits outside for her husband to return home and shoots him three times before escaping and eventually being shot by the police. Séverine's husband survives, but is left in a coma. The police are unable to find a motive for the attempted murder, but after he leaves hospital, now blind and in a wheelchair, Husson visits him and possibly tells him the truth.
The film's ending is ambiguous and admitting several interpretations. This reflects similar ambiguities of earlier scenes which introduce the blurring of the line between reality and daydreaming. In the last scene her husband is healthy again and they kiss before looking out the window on to the opening scene of the film.
at the Venice Film Festival
in 1967.
Cinema of France
The Cinema of France comprises the art of film and creative movies made within the nation of France or by French filmmakers abroad.France is the birthplace of cinema and was responsible for many of its early significant contributions. Several important cinematic movements, including the Nouvelle...
film directed by Luis Buñuel
Luis Buñuel
Luis Buñuel Portolés was a Spanish-born filmmaker — later a naturalized citizen of Mexico — who worked in Spain, Mexico, France and the US..-Early years:...
. The film stars Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve is a French actress. She gained recognition for her portrayal of aloof and mysterious beauties in films such as Repulsion and Belle de jour . Deneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her performance in Indochine; she also won César Awards for that...
as a woman who decides to spend her days as a prostitute while her husband is at work.
The title is the French name of the daylily
Daylily
Daylily is the general nonscientific name of a species, hybrid or cultivar of the genus Hemerocallis . Daylily cultivar flowers are highly diverse in colour and form, as a result of hybridization efforts of gardening enthusiasts and professional horticulturalists...
(literally: "daylight beauty"), a flower that blooms only during the day, but also refers to a prostitute whose trade is conducted in daytime. The film was based on the 1928 novel of the same name
Belle de Jour (novel)
-Plot:The novel opens with an event from Séverine Sérizy's childhood, in which a mechanic touches the eight-year-old on her way from her bedroom to her mother's. The story then follows Séverine as a young, beautiful housewife. It is difficult for her to fulfill her sexual affinity for masochistic...
by Joseph Kessel
Joseph Kessel
Joseph Kessel was a French journalist and novelist.He was born in Villa Clara, Entre Ríos, Argentina, because of the constant journeys of his father, a Lithuanian doctor of Jewish origin. Joseph Kessel lived the first years of his childhood in Orenburg, Russia, before the family moved to France...
. American director Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
promoted a 2002 release of the film on DVD. In 2006 the Portuguese director, Manoel de Oliveira
Manoel de Oliveira
Manoel Cândido Pinto de Oliveira, GCSE is a Portuguese film director born in Cedofeita, Porto. He began working on films in the late 1920s, but did not receive international recognition until the early 1970s. Since the late 1980s he has been one of the most prolific working film directors and...
released Belle Toujours
Belle Toujours
Belle Toujours is a 2006 Portuguese film directed by Manoel de Oliveira. It was Portugal's submission to the 80th Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but was not accepted as a nominee.-Plot:...
, imagining a future encounter between two of the central characters from Belle de Jour.
Plot
Séverine Serizy is a young, beautiful housewife who has masochisticSadism and masochism
Sadomasochism broadly refers to the receiving of pleasure—often sexual—from acts involving the infliction or reception of pain or humiliation. The name originates from two authors on the subject, Marquis de Sade and Leopold von Sacher-Masoch...
fantasies about elaborate flogging
Flagellation
Flagellation or flogging is the act of methodically beating or whipping the human body. Specialised implements for it include rods, switches, the cat o' nine tails and the sjambok...
s and bondage
Bondage (BDSM)
Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :...
. She is married to a doctor (Jean Sorel
Jean Sorel
Jean Sorel is a French actor.He also worked in Italian cinema, and Spanish cinema with directors such as Luis Buñuel or Luchino Visconti. However since 1980 he has worked mostly in television...
) and loves him, but cannot bring herself to share physical intimacy with him, which frustrates them both although her husband respects her wishes. A male friend, Monsieur Husson (Michel Piccoli), mentions a high-class brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
to Séverine, also confessing his desire for her. Unsatisfied with her sex life at home, Séverine secretly works at the brothel during the afternoon using the pseudonym Belle de jour. The brothel is run by Madame Anaïs (Geneviève Page
Geneviève Page
Geneviève Page is a leading French actress with a film career spanning fifty years. She is the daughter of Jacques Paul Bonjean , a well known French art-collector.-Career:...
). Séverine works from two to five o'clock each day, returning to her blissfully unaware husband in the evening, but she attends only intermittently.
As the film progresses, Séverine becomes entangled with Marcel, a young gangster, who offers her the thrills and excitement contained in her fantasies. The situation becomes more complicated when Séverine decides to leave the brothel, with Madame Anaïs' agreement, after finding Marcel has become too demanding, and jealous of her husband. Husson has also discovered her secret as a potential, though unwilling, client. One of the gangster's associates tracks Séverine to her home address. Marcel visits her, and threatens to reveal her hidden identity, but Séverine persuades him to leave.
Marcel waits outside for her husband to return home and shoots him three times before escaping and eventually being shot by the police. Séverine's husband survives, but is left in a coma. The police are unable to find a motive for the attempted murder, but after he leaves hospital, now blind and in a wheelchair, Husson visits him and possibly tells him the truth.
The film's ending is ambiguous and admitting several interpretations. This reflects similar ambiguities of earlier scenes which introduce the blurring of the line between reality and daydreaming. In the last scene her husband is healthy again and they kiss before looking out the window on to the opening scene of the film.
Awards
The film won the Golden LionGolden Lion
Il Leone d’Oro is the highest prize given to a film at the Venice Film Festival. The prize was introduced in 1949 by the organizing committee and is now regarded as one of the film industry's most distinguished prizes...
at the Venice Film Festival
Venice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
in 1967.
Cast
- Catherine DeneuveCatherine DeneuveCatherine Deneuve is a French actress. She gained recognition for her portrayal of aloof and mysterious beauties in films such as Repulsion and Belle de jour . Deneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her performance in Indochine; she also won César Awards for that...
as Séverine Serizy, alias Belle de Jour - Jean SorelJean SorelJean Sorel is a French actor.He also worked in Italian cinema, and Spanish cinema with directors such as Luis Buñuel or Luchino Visconti. However since 1980 he has worked mostly in television...
as Pierre Serizy - Michel Piccoli as Henri Husson
- Geneviève PageGeneviève PageGeneviève Page is a leading French actress with a film career spanning fifty years. She is the daughter of Jacques Paul Bonjean , a well known French art-collector.-Career:...
as Madame Anaïs - Pierre ClémentiPierre ClémentiPierre Clémenti was a French actor.Born in Paris, Clémenti studied drama and began his acting career in the theatre. He secured his first minor screen roles in 1960 in Yves Allégret's Chien de pique performing alongside Eddie Constantine...
as Marcel - Georges MarchalGeorges MarchalGeorges Marchal was a French actor, one of the most beautiful. He was married to Dany Robin, forming a famous and popular couple , they play together in movies La Passagère , La Voyageuse inattendue, Le plus joli péché du monde, Jupiter directed by Gilles Grangier , Quand sonnera midi written by...
as Duke - Françoise FabianFrançoise FabianFrançoise Fabian is a French film actress. She has appeared in over 80 films since 1956.She was born in Algiers, Algeria, and is the widow of screenwriter and director Jacques Becker and actor Marcel Bozzuffi. One of her best-known roles is as Maud in Eric Rohmer's My Night at Maud's...
as Charlotte - Macha MérilMacha MérilMacha Méril, born Princess Maria-Magdalena Vladimirovna Gagarina on 3 September 1940, Rabat, Morocco, is a French actress and writer, descended by her father from the Russian princely house Gagarin and by her mother from a Ukrainian noble family...
as Renée - Marguerite MuniMarguerite MuniMuni was a French actress who often appeared in the late films of movie director Luis Buñuel. She is sometimes credited as Marguerite Muni.-Selected filmography:* Diary of a Chambermaid...
as Pallas - Maria Latour as Mathilde
Trivia
- Ranked #56 in EmpireEmpire (magazine)Empire is a British film magazine published monthly by Bauer Consumer Media. From the first issue in July 1989, the magazine was edited by Barry McIlheney and published by Emap. Bauer purchased Emap Consumer Media in early 2008...
magazines "The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema" in 2010.