Bunuel_Luis_My_Last_Breath

From Spain to Mexico to France (I 960-1 977,) 243Marchal and Catherine Deneuve, whom he addresses as his daughterwhile she lies in a coffin in a private chapel after a Mass celebratedunder a splendid copy of one of Griinewald's Christs. The suppressionof the Mass completely changes the character of this scene.Of all the senseless questions asked about this movie, one of themost frequent concerns the little box that an Oriental client bringswith him to the brothel. He opens it and shows it to the girls, butwe never see what's inside. The prostitutes back away with cries ofhorror, except for Severine, who's rather intrigued. I can't count thenumber of times people (particularly women) have asked me whatwas in the box, but since I myself have no idea, I usually reply,"Whatever you want there to be."Belle de jour was shot at the St.-Maurice Studios (another placethat no longer exists) while my son Juan-Luis worked on the neighboringset as Louis Malle's assistant on Le Voleur. It was my biggestcommercial success, which I attribute more to the marvelous whoresthan to my direction.From Diary on, my life was inextricably bound up with my films.I no longer had any serious problems or dilemmas to contend with,and my life followed a very simple pattern: I lived chiefly in Mexico,spent several months each year writing screenplays or filming in Spainand France, where working conditions were far superior to those inMexico City. Faithful to my old habits, I stayed in my usual hotelsand went to my usual cafes (or, rather, those that hadn't yet disappeared).With time, I finally discovered that nothing about moviemaking is more important than the scenario. But, unfortunately,I've never been a writer, and except for four films I've needed acollaborator to help me put the words on paper. My writers havebeen far more than mere secretaries, however; they've had the rightinfact, the obligation-to discuss and criticize my ideas and offersome of their own, even if the final decision remained mine. Duringmy lifetime, I've worked with twenty-eight different writers, includingJulio Alejandro, a playwright with a fine ear for dialogue,and Luis Alcoriza, a sensitive and energetic man who's written and