A Strange Ride In The Country

Artistic Spanish Director Luis Bunuel's 1967 psychodrama Belle de Jour, begins and ends with a quaint carriage ride in the French countryside, as colorful autumnal leaves flurry about. From there, the scene shifts dramatically to a sadomasochistic daydream sequence in which the lead character, the beautiful Severine, (Catherine Deneuve) is tied to a tree, whipped, and sodomized by the coachman at the command of her husband, Pierre. (Jean Sorel) Based on Joseph Kessel's 1928 novel, this film is considered by some to be a masterpiece in psychological drama.

Sandwiched between Severine's sexual fantasies are scenes of mundane domestic interchanges between husband and wife, each sleeping in separate beds. Severine is portrayed in these scenes as something of an ice maiden, while her patient husband appears too absorbed in his work as a Surgeon, to pay her much attention.

During a luncheon, a man whom Severine distrusts, Henri Husson (Michel Piccoli) mentions that there is an elegant brothel in the neighborhood, that he once frequented. Bored with her life of leisure and bland marriage, the intrigued Severine, appears compelled to explore the experience of prostitution. Hesitant and shy at first, she is slowly introduced to the perverse fantasies of the clientele of Madame Anais' (Genevieve Page) brothel, with the understanding that she only works afternoons between 2:00 and 5:00 pm, so that she can return home and tend to the needs of her husband.

Eventually, Pierre is encouraged by Severine's sexual awakening, unaware of her extracurricular activities. However, danger lurks as Severine becomes involved with a passionate and violent gangster Marcel, (Pierre Clementi) who demands more and more attention, and Henri Husson who discovers her secret double life and threatens to expose it to her unsuspecting husband.

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this sublime film, is Bunuel's uncanny ability to blur the lines between fantasy and reality to the point that the viewer is never really sure whether the scene is based in reality or merely an illusion. At several points in the film, Bunuel injects flashbacks to Severine's childhood which are suggestive of possible sexual abuse, yet once again, it is never clear whether these scene are to be taken literally, or as part of the overall elaborate fantasy.

On another level, Belle de Jour which translated means Beauty Of The Day, can be viewed as a social satire of the life of leisure and emptiness of the upper class French society who, in their affluence, spend their afternoons indulging in secret sexual fantasies. Either way, Bunuel's stylishly, cunning depiction of Severine's erotic exploits, is open to a variety of interpretations. The film is actually devoid of explicit sex scenes and the nudity is minimal. Bunuel rather chooses to focus on Severine's internal struggles with her sexuality.

Catherine Deneuve's steely blond demeanor is the perfect foil for her handsome husband's obsession with his work. Pierre Clementi adds a thrilling performance as Severine's exotic lover, Pierre. Michel Piccoli is equally sinister as he walks a thin line between desiring and shaming Severine, as she becomes a pawn in his own ghastly fantasy.

Due to it's enigmatic, surreal, quality Belle de Jour is somewhat difficult to follow in French with English subtitles, with so much left to the imagination. In typical Bunuel fashion, a shocking, surprise ending is totally obscured, when the opening scene of the tranquil carriage ride is reprised. The viewer is left wondering not only whether the events actually took place or whether they are just another facet of Severine's perplexing delusions, but why this strange journey was necessary at all.