The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie

(1972) dir. Luis Buñuel
viewed: 02/02/09

Back when I began this film diary in 2002, one of the first films that I watched that was by a significant filmmaker was Belle de jour (1967) by Luis Buñuel, thinking that it would be the beginning of watching many of his films and catching up.  But here it is 2009, and The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie is only the second of his films that I have watched in the past 6-7 years.  Time certainly flies.  I certainly have watched numerous other classics by significant directors.  But for Buñuel, I have not followed through.

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie is an intentionally odd film.  The great thing about Buñuel and his Surrealism is how pure and political he maintained his vision throughout his career.  And that he managed to do so with continued critical acclaim.  You know, the only thing that I can come close to comparing this film to is Jean-Luc Godard’s Week End (1967), in depicting a world so clearly set in archetypes and non-logic that the film can’t be viewed for just pure pleasure, rather the film is constantly pushing the viewer into awareness of the medium, breaking the logic of narrative, and critiquing the film’s present world.

A trio of bourgeois couples try to sit down for a series of meals, which are broken up in a variety of non-sensical ways.  Dream interludes invade the story, sometimes quite clearly, and at other times in more disjointed ways.  The bourgeois men are corrupt cocaine dealers, presenting their social graces as pure fraud.  The political situation of Fernando Rey’s ambassador from Miranda is a bizarre mixture of terrorism, hidden crimes, and courtly gentlemanness.

Somewhat like my reaction to Belle de jour back in 2002, some of the societal eccentricities and character that are being flouted in the film have an archaic quality today.  Perhaps they are depicted this way to exemplify their archaic qualities of the time.  It’s hard to say.  I was 3 years old in the United States at the time this film was made.  It refelcts its period with images of strange moments against an intended facade of society.  Vietnam is reflected upon, all of the bougeouis are shown up to an extent.  And even everyone gets gunned down in the end.

It’s funny, but I didn’t enjoy watching it so much in the process, but am thinking more of the film as I consider it in retrospect.  Again, like Godard’s Week End the experience itself is a challenge, not meant for “pleasure” perhaps.  But for Buñuel, there is more pleasure, more comedy, more potential for pleasure.  I don’t know.  It’s a lot to think about.