The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
1972 · Movie · PG · 101 min · ★ 7.5 · 96% critics
A group of well-to-do friends keeps trying to sit down for a proper dinner, only to be derailed again and again by strange interruptions. As their social rituals unravel, the story drifts between reality and dreamlike episodes, poking fun at privilege, hypocrisy, and the rules people live by.
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Details
- Original title
- Le Charme discret de la bourgeoisie
- Years
- 1972
- Release date
- 1972-09-15
- Language
- French
- Rated
- PG
- Runtime
- 101 min
- Max quality
- SD
- Critic score
- 96/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.5/10 (918 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you like surreal, cynical comedy that plays like a string of odd vignettes rather than a straightforward story, similar to The Exterminating Angel; Not for you if you need clear logic and a traditional plot.
Pros: sharply funny surreal satire; memorable bizarre set pieces; endlessly interpretable | Cons: very little plot; repetitive interruptions; can feel confusing
Themes
- diplomat
- dreams
- nightmare
- upper class
- date
- drug trafficking
- guest
- bishop
- restaurant
- surreal
- bourgeoisie
- satire
- +10 more
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best International Feature Film · 1973
- Academy Award — Best International Feature Film · 1973 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Writing, Original Screenplay · 1973 · nominated
- International Submission to the Academy Awards · 1973 · nominated
Cast & crew
Fernando Rey
as Don Rafael
Delphine Seyrig
as Simone Thévenot
Paul Frankeur
as François Thévenot
Stéphane Audran
as Alice Sénéchal
Bulle Ogier
as Florence
Jean-Pierre Cassel
as Henri Sénéchal
Julien Bertheau
as Monsignor Dufour
Claude Piéplu
as Colonel
Michel Piccoli
as Interior Minister
François Maistre
as Inspector Delecluze
Directed by Luis Buñuel