Last Tango in Paris

After losing his wife—and with her, his sense of purpose—an American man unexpectedly falls in love with a young French woman.

A classic erotic thriller, one of Bertolucci’s most famous works, and also a case where the scandal surrounding the film overshadowed the creation itself. About forty years after its release, the director admitted he had not properly informed young Maria Schneider about all the details of the infamous “butter scene.” A major scandal erupted: countless people declared they wished they could unsee the film, while some called for Bertolucci to be jailed. The director’s attempts to explain it as a “ridiculous misunderstanding” proved futile. So now it’s time to ask: is this a masterpiece—or just a soap bubble born of the director’s wild imagination?