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Ultimo tanso a Parisi/Last Tango in Paris: Bertolucci's Cinematic Manifesto After the successful reception of The Conformist, Last Tango in Paris (1972) is arguably the film with which Bertolucci heralded the new ideas about film-making that he had investigated two years earlier. Hence the elements that contributed to the success of The Conformist were transposed in the making of Tango: the editing was assigned to Franco Arcalli, the man responsible for Bertolucci's u-turn regarding montage (see the 'Conclusion' in the chapter on The Conformist}; the photography was again assigned to Vittorio Storaro; Ferdinando Scarfiotti moved from costume design to production design; a famous actor - Marion Brando - was cast as a protagonist; finance for the project came from a European production company that had links with an American counterpart, in this case Italy's P.E.A. (Produzione Europee Associate Rome), and France's Artistes Associes (Paris) linked with the American United Artists. Because these companies exemplified the idea of private production companies being open to politically committed films - for instance P.E.A.'s production list included Pasolini's Said (1975) and Rosi's Illustrious Corpses (1976) - the organizational ingredients of Tango convey Bertolucci's intention to construct another film amalgamating auteurist elements with a Classical Hollywood legacy, a film appealing both to the senses and the intellect. This was an artistic path virtually described by Bertolucci himself: Partner was entirely based on the contradiction between the 'spectacle' and "distanciation" [...] The Conformist was my first film-spectacle, an exploration into the desire to create a spectacle. But it was only with Last Tango in Paris that I stopped feeling that notions of experimentation and spectacle were contradictory (Ungari, 1982: 89). In Tango, Bertolucci explored contemporary social malaise, articulating the theme within a Hollywood mode of film-making enriched by sophisticated camera movement and frame 144
compositions; the outcome is a dense filmic style which engages viewers intellectually, cognitively and affectively. The presence within the film of a parallel cinematic style, pursued by Tom, a secondary character, is an expose of Nouvelle Vague conventions and arguably designed to substantiate Bertolucci's decision to abandon the mode of film-making that had characterized his early work. The film's portrayal of the existential unease and angst in society is centred on the protagonist Paul, whose tormented journey towards self- awareness draws on elements from literary and philosophical sources. The decision to depict Paul's search for authenticity in a relationship based on uninhibited sexuality marked a real cinematic innovation at the time of the film's release. Plot summary Again, as in films such as The Spider's Strategem, the film's opening credits draw a cognitive engagement from viewers by foreshadowing its content; clues regarding this are conveyed via two paintings by Francis Bacon: the image of a man lying bleeding on a red armchair is replaced by that of a woman with a swollen face, sitting on a chair against a black backdrop and a red floor. Eventually both pictures are shown together, but off-centre, hinting at the excruciating liaison that is to follow. The film depicts the development of a love triangle as two strangers, Paul and Jeanne, meet while viewing a Parisian apartment. In their subsequent secret relationship, based on uninhibited sexual exploration, they follow a rule established by Paul - who is contemptuous of social institutions and mores - to remain in the dark about each other, even withholding their names. To portray their lives outside the apartment, the film's narrative follows two parallel tracks that never merge. Paul is an unemployed American drifter, married to the French proprietor of a hotel of ill repute, who has just committed suicide. Jeanne is younger and is engaged to Tom, a tedious young director who is using her as the subject of a TV film project entitled 'Portrait of a Young Woman'. She is excited by Paul's uninhibited sexuality and fascinated by his subversive criticisms of society. 145
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compositions; the outcome is a dense filmic style which engages viewers intellectually,<br />
cognitively and affectively. The presence within the film <strong>of</strong> a parallel cinematic style,<br />
pursued by Tom, a secondary character, is an expose <strong>of</strong> Nouvelle Vague conventions and<br />
arguably designed to substantiate Bertolucci's decision to abandon the mode <strong>of</strong> film-making<br />
that had characterized his early work. The film's portrayal <strong>of</strong> the existential unease and angst<br />
in society is centred on the protagonist Paul, whose tormented journey towards self-<br />
awareness draws on elements from literary and philosophical sources. The decision to depict<br />
Paul's search for authenticity in a relationship based on uninhibited sexuality marked a real<br />
cinematic innovation at the time <strong>of</strong> the film's release.<br />
Plot summary<br />
Again, as in films such as The Spider's Strategem, the film's opening credits draw a cognitive<br />
engagement from viewers by foreshadowing its content; clues regarding this are conveyed via<br />
two paintings by Francis Bacon: the image <strong>of</strong> a man lying bleeding on a red armchair is<br />
replaced by that <strong>of</strong> a woman with a swollen face, sitting on a chair against a black backdrop<br />
and a red floor. Eventually both pictures are shown together, but <strong>of</strong>f-centre, hinting at the<br />
excruciating liaison that is to follow. The film depicts the development <strong>of</strong> a love triangle as<br />
two strangers, Paul and Jeanne, meet while viewing a Parisian apartment. In their subsequent<br />
secret relationship, based on uninhibited sexual exploration, they follow a rule established by<br />
Paul - who is contemptuous <strong>of</strong> social institutions and mores - to remain in the dark about<br />
each other, even withholding their names. To portray their lives outside the apartment, the<br />
film's narrative follows two parallel tracks that never merge. Paul is an unemployed<br />
American drifter, married to the French proprietor <strong>of</strong> a hotel <strong>of</strong> ill repute, who has just<br />
committed suicide. Jeanne is younger and is engaged to Tom, a tedious young director who is<br />
using her as the subject <strong>of</strong> a TV film project entitled 'Portrait <strong>of</strong> a Young Woman'. She is<br />
excited by Paul's uninhibited sexuality and fascinated by his subversive criticisms <strong>of</strong> society.<br />
145
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