Belle de jour

Belle de jour is a captivating, French cinematic jewel from 1967 that beautifully conjugates the salient themes of fantasy, reality, and sexual liberation. Starring the luminary Catherine Deneuve, rubber-faced Michel Piccoli, brooding Jean Sorel, and utterly charming Genevieve Page, directed by the master of surreal cinema, Luis Buñuel, this is a film that challenges the viewer's understanding of human desires and frailties.

The film presents Catherine Deneuve as Severine Serizy, an entrancing embodiment of a self-contained wife and a reluctant adultress residing in the heart of bourgeois Paris. With her life unfolding like a mirage of lacquered superficiality, Severine is a manifestation of the paradox of sophisticated women who juggle their dual impulses of inhibition and liberation. Jean Sorel plays her debonair husband, Pierre Serizy, a dutiful doctor oblivious of his wife's secret life.

Michel Piccoli's character, Henri Husson, not only adds an essential flavour to this cinematic recipe but is also a pivotal character who discovers Severine’s secret life. His transformation from being an acquaintance to a tormentor is subtly depicted. Together with Deneuve and Sorel, they personify a triangle of hollow opulence, skewed passion, and hidden desire, all cleverly knitted into an intricate plot.

The narrative of Belle de jour is further enriched with supporting roles like madam Anais, played with gusto by Genevieve Page, who operates a chic brothel in the city. Her character acts as the catalyst, pushing Severine into the realm of her darkest desires.

Deneuve's portrayal of Severine is the main attraction of the movie. It’s a character study, and she imbues the role with extreme grace masked in an inscrutable calmness. She oscillates between being an icy, placid housewife and a near-nymphomaniac sex worker, embodying both the angelic and demonic spectrum of femininity. Her impassive facial expressions, subtly betraying traces of vulnerability, mirror the conflicts erupting within her psyche.

Luis Buñuel, known for his elevation of the avant-garde, weaves a realistic montage of Severine's laced fantasies and her mundane daily life. This counterpoint of the real versus unreal in Belle de jour and the constant shift between the two leaves the audience intrinsically hooked. He wonderfully articulate the dichotomies of love and lust, and pleasure and revulsion with an acutely insightful understanding of human nature.

One cannot ignore the lustrous cinematography of Sacha Vierny. His vision, when amalgamated with the distinct style of Bunuel, weaves a tantalizing visual opulence that effortlessly blends with the narrative dynamics of the film. The interior scenes featuring lavishly decorated salons, suffused with an ethereal glow, present a world which is simultaneously inviting and intimidating.

The aesthetics of the film are further enhanced by Yves Saint Laurent's exquisite costumes, which elegantly encapsulate and reinforce the lead character's oscillating identities. Of particular note is a black dress with a white bow, repeatedly worn by Severine, that mystically bridges the territories of innocence and sin.

Perhaps the most enthralling feature of Belle De Jour is its ability to blend explicit depictions of sexuality with a classy yet unapologetic display of complex emotions. Despite the controversial subjects it deals with, Buñuel handles the film with incredible sensitivity and nuanced storytelling.

The film’s title, "Belle de jour," which translates to "daytime beauty," is a monumental metaphor that encapsulates the central theme of Severine's character. It is both a nod to her employment during the day and a sharp contrast to her evening role as the dutiful wife who can't consummate her marriage.

Belle de jour breaks taboos, dispels battled stereotypes, and challenges the audience’s perception of sexuality and identity through its remarkably nuanced storytelling. Although set in the mid-20th century, the themes resonate universally in all timestamps of history, making it a timeless, arresting piece of cinematic artistry.