That Obscure Object of Desire

The female characters are very attractive.

Mathieu (Fernando Rey), an aging and lustful man, has fallen head over heels for 18-year-old Conchita and is determined to bang her. She repeatedly responds to his advances, only to back out at the last moment and ultimately exploit him to an increasing extent. Certainly, "This Obscure Object of Desire" is a little uncomfortable with modern eyes, but the movie is also very "European," so you shouldn't take it all too seriously. The structure of the narrative is definitely successful, and decisions such as casting the character of Conchita with two very different actresses (Carole Bouquet and Ángela Molina) also provide variety. Furthermore, there's always something to discover in the background, so it's worth staying alert. And the surprising and surrealistic ending does the rest to make for a thoroughly entertaining movie.

Luis Buñuel’s final film feels pleasantly familiar, concerning itself with many of his core themes including the horny rich old man chasing after his young muse - in this case a flamenco dancer named Conchita - in a genius move played by two different actresses, sometimes “changing faces” even in the middle of a scene. Their relationship is portrayed as an endless cycle alternating between mutual affection and rejection, once again underscoring Buñuel’s understanding of life and all of human desire as a cosmic joke poking fun at people endlessly chasing seemingly elusive goals that - if they are, against all odds, achieved - turn out to lead into just another nightmare of unfulfilled desires.

What a man wants.
What a woman expects.
The two looks with which he sees her.
The duality with which she treats him.
The real and the surreal.
And a desire carried to sack.

Definitely a classic that shows the dark side of relationships and human desire.

Typical film of Buñuel's concerns.

The original title of the film is Cet Obscur Objet du Désir.