That Obscure Object of Desire

I was completely captivated by That Obscure Object of Desire. I watched it for the first time one late spring evening when friends were gathered in the backyard. I had started it before anyone arrived but was so enamored by it that I couldn't tear myself away to join them. There was also a total babe out there but even that didn't prompt me to turn it off. In the end I got to finish the movie and I got the guy (with time!) so all was well.

Luis Bunuel directed this masterpiece (his last film) starring Fernando Rey, Carole Bouquet and Angela Molina. Visually, what I loved about this film was his use of two actresses, one French and one Spanish, both absolutely gorgeous, to play the role of Conchita. Going into the film not aware of this really threw me for a loop at first but once I realized what he was doing and got used to it, I thought it was such a strange, bold and ultimately really interesting idea.


Conchita

Mathieu is a wealthy man who upon noticing one of the maids working in his home becomes filled with an intense sexual desire for her. The maid is Conchita of course. He is determined to let nothing stand in his way of getting her.

Conchita goes back and forth from tempting and teasing him to refusing him. She never gives herself up to his desires and slowly Mathieu's patience wears thin until he is full of rage.

As she continues to withold sex from him, his anger and frustration reach a boiling point and he threatens to have her deported.

The background of this film is littered with guns and explosions courtesy of a terrorist group wreaking havoc on the city. It's interesting that this all really does just lay in the shadows of Mathieu and Conchita's bizzare relationship.

For me, the culminating point in the film is when Mathieu buys Conchita a house. He hands over the keys and she closes the wrought iron door. He can still see and hear everything. Conchita lets loose and tells him how repulsive she's always found him and then to torture him further she has sex right there with another man in front of him. AAAH! That had to hurt, huh Mathieu?! As I sat watching this by myself, I felt so uncomfortable. I felt her disgust for him and found myself wanting to spit in his face and also glad that she was rubbing her honeypot in his face like that. I wanted to high five her and say, "You go girl, show the man what he's missing!" And then on the flipside I felt my face burning with his humiliation.

Most of this film is told in flashback as he tells his story to strangers on a train. They were curious after witnessing him dump a bucket of water on Conchita's head while she stood on the platform. I'm not often a fan of stories told this way but this film is an exception.

Hands down, one of my very favourite films.

-Amanda

1977, French/Spanish
Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
IMDB: 8/10