History Film / ThatObscureObjectOfDesire

* EliteManCourtesanRomance: This trope is present despite Conchita never being engaged as a hooker onscreen. She in any case dances completely naked in front of a bunch of Japansese tourists.

The movie is a BlackComedy {{Drama}} about the MayDecemberRomance of a well-to-do older man, Mathieu (Buñuel regular Fernando Rey), and the young and beautiful Conchita. She claims to be 18, though she is obviously not, but the strangest thing about her is that her appearance interchanges into that of two women (by virtue of her being played by two actresses, Carole Bouquet and Ángela Molina). In any case, the romance is otherwise utterly weird, as Conchita in both incarnations never gives in to the advances of Mathieu; at times she flees from him but on other occasions she appears ready to let him have his way with her... but in the last moment she never does. He becomes obsessed with Conchita but she always eludes him.

%%* DeadpanSnarker: Conchita I, but not Conchita II.

%%* OnlyOneName: For everyone in this movie.

%%* {{Romance}}: Between Mathieu and Conchita. What a twisted one!

The movie is a BlackComedy {{Drama}} about the MayDecemberRomance of a well-to-do older man, Mathieu, and the young and beautiful Conchita. She claims to be 18, though she is obviously not, but the strangest thing about her is that her appearance interchanges into that of two women (by virtue of her being played by two actresses). In any case, the romance is otherwise utterly weird, as Conchita in both incarnations never gives in to the advances of Mathieu; at times she flees from him but on other occasions she appears ready to let him have his way with her... but in the last moment she never does. He becomes obsessed with Conchita but she always eludes him.

* DeadpanSnarker: Conchita I, but not Conchita II.

* MindScrew: One Conchita leaves the room and several second later the other comes back.

* OnlyOneName: For everyone in this movie.

* {{Romance}}: Between Mathieu and Conchita. What a twisted one!

The movie is a BlackComedy {{Drama}} about the MayDecemberRomance of a well-to-do older man, Mathieu, and the young and beautiful Conchita. She claims to be 18, though obviously not, but the strangest thing about her appearance is that it interchanges into that of two women (by virtue of her being played by two actresses). In any case, the romance is otherwise utterly weird, as Conchita in both incarnations never gives in to the advances of Mathieu; at times she flees from him but on other occasions she appears ready to let him have his way with her... but in the last moment she never does. He becomes obsessed with Conchita but she always eludes him.

* DeathGlare: Mathieu gives the one to Conchita when she comes to his house after she had humiliated him the night before. Soon he beats her up.

* EliteManCourtesanRomance: This trope is present despite Conchita never being engaged as a hooker onscreen. She in any case dances completely naked in front of a bunch of Japanses tourists.

* BrickJoke: In the beginning Mathieu pours the bucketful of water on the head of Conchita. In the end she pours a bucketful of water on him in retaliation.

* BettyAndVeronica: Of the MadonnaWhoreComplex style, Betty and Veronica are one character and two different actresses, Creator/CaroleBouquet and Ángela Molina; the French, icy Creator/CaroleBouquet is the blonde one, Betty (she is credited as Conchita I), and the Spanish, sultry Ángela Molina is the brunette one, Veronica (she is credited as Conchita II).
%%* BlackComedy: Of the blackest kind possible.

* CorruptBureaucrat: A high-ranking official, the friend of Mathieu, who on his request expels the poor Conchita out of France to her native Spain on the ground of the irregularities with her papers. Of course Mathieu soon regrets it as he for some time loses Conchita.

* DistinguishedGentlemansPipe: For the dwarf who is somewhat of a psychoanalist.

* HowWeGotHere: The film starts with Mathieu boarding the train then pouring the bucket of water out of the train window on Conchita who moves along the platorm ready to board the same train too. He then relates his shocked fellow travellers what made him do this to a girl.

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Conchita gives once the destroying speech to Mathieu, comparing him unfavourably to the younger man.

* DidTheyOrDidntThey: No question in this film. Mathieu and Conchita did not.

%%* SpiritualSuccessor: To both ''Film/{{Viridiana}}'' and ''Film/{{Tristana}}''.

* BettyAndVeronica: Of the MadonnaWhoreComplex style, Betty and Veronica are one character and two different actresses, Carole Bouquet and Ángela Molina; the French, icy Carole Bouquet is the blonde one, Betty (she is credited as Conchita I), and the Spanish, sultry Ángela Molina is the brunette one, Veronica (she is credited as Conchita II).

* DullSurprise: That's how Conchita I played by Carole Bouquet often reacts to things.

* BettyAndVeronica: Of the MadonnaWhoreComplex style. Betty and Veronica are one character and two different actresses. Carole Bouquet and Ángela Molina.
** The French, icy Carole Bouquet is the blonde one, Betty. She is credited as Conchita I.
** The Spanish, sultry Ángela Molina is the brunette one, Veronica. She is credited as Conchita II.
* BlackComedy: Of the blackest kind possible.

* BrickJoke: In the beginning Mathieu pours the bucketful of water on the head of Conchita.
** In the end she pours a bucketful of water on him in retaliation.
* ChastityCouple: Mathieu would not be like that with Conchita but she forces him to.

* DeadpanSnarker: Conchita I. But not Conchita II.

* DidTheyOrDidntThey: No question in this film. They did not, meaning don Mathieu and Conchita.

* EliteManCourtesanRomance: This trope is present despite Conchita never being engaged as a hooker onscreen. She in any case dances completely naked in front of the bunch of Japanses tourists.
* ForTheEvulz: That's why the terrorist groups appear to wage their campaign of terror.
** Also that's probably why Conchita always rejects Mathieu though she still might have other reasons. Like age difference.

* TheHeroDies: [[spoiler: both don Mathieu and Conchita do in the very end.]]

* InsaneTrollLogic: Conchita applies it many times to avoid having sex with Mathieu.
** For example she says once as he is trying to have sex with her that in fact it is '''she''' who loves him, that's why she does not want sex as her feelings are pure. While Mathieu is only interested in sex with her but does not know true love. Considering that Conchita should be 30-40 years younger than Mathieu...

* LittlePeopleAreSurreal: Not the strongest case of this trope however it is played with to an extent. Bunuel the classic of surrealism places among the passengers in the same compartment with Mathieu a dwarf to make things look a bit more off.

* ParentalAbandonment: Conchita does not have a father. She might consider don Mathieu somewhat of a father figure.
** Her mother is not exactly helpful to her as well.

* TheReasonYouSuck: Conchita gives once the destroying speech to don Mathieu, comparing him unfavourably to the younger man.
* {{Romance}}: Between don Mathieu and Conchita. What a twisted one!

* ShoutOut: Dwarf with pipe might be an allusion to Freud.
** Mathieu's manservant quotes to him Creator/FriedrichNietzsche: "When you go to woman, take the whip along" referring to the way he should treat Conchita.

* SpiritualSuccessor: To both Film/{{Viridiana}} and Film/{{Tristana}}

* UnstoppableRage: For Mathieu when he notices that a few [[JapaneseTourist Japanese tourists]] are watching Conchita II dance naked.

* WouldHitAGirl: Poor don Mathieu does it afer numerous humiliations. Who would condemn him? No-one in the universe of this film.

''Cet obscur objet du désir'' (in English, ''That Obscure Object of Desire'') is Creator/LuisBunuel's final film, released in 1977. Buñuel was in his prime in the '70s (referring both to the decade and his age) and this film confirms that once more.

The movie is a BlackComedy {{Drama}} about the MayDecemberRomance of a well-to-do older man, Mathieu, and the young and beautiful Conchita. She claims to be 18, though obviously not, but the strangest thing about her appearance is that she is, which some might for some time overlook, two women. In any case the romance is otherwise utterly weird as Conchita in both incarnations never gives in to the advances of Mathieu; at times she flees from him but on other occasions she appears ready to let him have his way with her... but in the last moment she never does. He becomes obsessed with Conchita but she always eludes him.

The film was extremely successful with the critics both for its gimmick (two actresses playing one character) and for being a good film anyway.

!! Tropes in ''That Obscure Object of Desire''

* BettyAndVeronica: This trope is played UpToEleven here. Betty and Veronica are one character and two different actresses. Carole Bouquet and Ángela Molina.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mpw_54739.jpg]]

''Cet obscur objet du désir'' (in English, ''That Obscure Object of Desire'') is Creator/LuisBunuel's final film, released in 1977. Buñuel was in his prime in the 70's (referring both to the decade and his age) and this film confirms that once more.

* DidTheyOrDidntThey: No question in this film. They did not, meaning don Lope and Conchita.

* {{Romance}}: Between don Lope and Conchita. What a twisted one!

* WouldHitAGirl: Poor don Lope does it afer numerous humiliations. Who would condemn him? No-one in the universe of this film.

[[quoteright:269:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/obscureobjectdesireposter.jpg]]

The film became extremely successful with the critics both for its gimmick (two actresses playing one character) and for the other aspects as well.

Cet obscur objet du désir (translated title That Obscure Object of Desire) is the final film by Creator/LuisBunuel which appeared in 1977. Bunuel was in his prime in 70's (referring both to the decade and his age) and this film confirms that once more (alas, for the last time).

The movie is a black-comedy-cum-drama dedicated to the MayDecemberRomance between a well-established older man Mathieu and the young and beautiful Concita. One might for some time overlook that Concita is two women (some viewers strangely do). In any case the romance is utterly weird as Concita in both incarations never gives in to advances of Mathieu At times she flees him but on other occasions she appears ready to let him have his way with her... but in the last moment she never does. Don Lope becomes obcessed with Concita but she always eludes him.

!! Tropes

** The French, icy Carole Bouquet is the blonde one, Betty. She is credited as Concita I.
** The Spanish, sultry Ángela Molina is the brunette one, Veronica. She is credited as Concita II.

* BlueAndOrangeMorality: For Concita as opposed to Mathieu's obsolete bourgeois morality which might be immoral in places but is still pretty straight. Concita is all over the place with her morality.
* BrickJoke: In the beginning Mathieu pours the bucketful of water on the head of Concita.

* ChastityCouple: Mathieu would not be like that with Concita but she forces him to.
** Same for Concita and the young man with whom she was humiliating Mathieu.
* CorruptBureaucrat: A high-ranking official, the friend of Mathieu, who on his request expels the poor Concita out of France to her native Spain on the ground of the irregularities with her papers. Of course Mathieu soon regrets it as he for some time loses Concita.
* DeadpanSnarker: Concita I. But not Concita II.
* DeathGlare: Mathieu gives the one to Concita when she comes to his house after she had humiliated him the night before. Soon he beats her up.
* DidTheyOrDidntThey: No question in this film. They did not, meaning don Lope and Concita.

* DullSurprise: That's how Concita I played by Carole Bouquet often reacts to things.
* EliteManCourtesanRomance: This trope is present despite Concita never being engaged as a hooker onscreen. She in any case dances completely naked in front of the bunch of Japanses tourists.

** Also that's probably why Concita always rejects Mathieu though she still might have other reasons. Like age difference.
* GratuitousSpanish: Concita once recites the original text of the Spanish ditty to Mathieu which he does not understand at all only to promptly translate it.
* TheHeroDies: [[spoiler: both don Mathieu and Concita do in the very end.]]
* HowWeGotHere: The film starts with Mathieu boarding the train then pouring the bucket of water out of the train window on Concita who moves along the platorm ready to board the same train too. He then relates his shocked fellow travellers what made him do this to a girl.
* InsaneTrollLogic: Concita applies it many times to avoid having sex with Mathieu.
** For example she says once as he is trying to have sex with her that in fact it is '''she''' who loves him, that's why she does not want sex as her feelings are pure. While Mathieu is only interested in sex with her but does not know true love. Considering that Concita should be 30-40 years younger than Mathieu...
* JapaneseTourist: A bunch of them are watching Concita dancing naked.
* LatinLover: The guy with whom Concita seems to cheat on Mathieu.

* MindScrew: One Concita leaves the room and several second later the other comes back.
* OneManArmy: Played mostly for the black comedy. The aged Mathieu suddenly becomes the one when he sees that in a private room Concita II dances totally naked in front of a bunch of the archetypical [[JapaneseTourist Japanese tourists]]. He goes berserk and pushes a dozen of them away at once. They all obey him and indeed leave the room.

* ParentalAbandonment: Concita does not have a father. She might consider don Mathieu somewhat of a father figure.

* PayEvilUntoEvil: Mathieu pours the bucket of water out of the train window on the head of Concita. Later she comes with the bucket of water to his compartment and pours it over his head.
* TheReasonYouSuck: Concita gives once the destroying speech to don Mathieu, comparing him unfavourably to the younger man.
* {{Romance}}: Between don Lope and Concita. What a twisted one!

* ServileSnarker: The manservant of Mathieu is quite often that. His irony appears to be aimed at both Mathieu an Concita.

** Mathieu's manservant quotes to him Creator/FriedrichNietzsche: "When you go to woman, take the whip along" referring to the way he should treat Concita.

* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: Poor Mathieu always loses because with his old chivalry he is actually hopilessly idealistic as compared to Concita.
* SpicyLatina: Concita II played by Molina.
* StraightGay: The friend of Concita with whom she appears to cheat Mathieu might or might not be that.
* TechnicalVirgin: Mathieu once offers Concita remain the one implying that there are other ways to cater to man's needs. Concita is indignant.
* UnstoppableRage: For Mathieu when he notices that a few [[JapaneseTourist Japanese tourists]] are watching Concita II dance naked.