Maria Schneider was only 19 when she came to the set of the new film by Bernardo Bertolucci. She was young, beautiful, she needed money and could not afford to reject any role. Anyway, who would reject the role in Bertolucci in her place, alongside Marlon Brando himself! “Last Tango in Paris”, however, has survived the entire railways of her life. It was only after years that attention was paid to what she said shortly after the premiere of production.
“Scene with butter” in “Last Tango in Paris”
Maria Schneider and Marlon Brando played the roles of Jeanne and Paul – a pair of lovers who share not only years, but also life experiences. Paul is involved in an affair after his wife’s death, Jeanne, he has a relationship with which he cannot free himself. One of the scenes that Bertolucci wrote for the couple together with Brando was violent bringing to intercourse. As for what exactly happened on the set, each party has different memories.
Maria Schneider said she was raped – not literally, because, although this was the initially plan of Bertolucci, she and Marlon Brando did not have sex in front of the cameras. However, the stage was full of violence, which, according to the actress, was not in the script. The famous butter, thanks to which anal rape was easier, was also not in the script. No blows and tears either. And yet all this happened. When, shortly after the premiere, Schneider wanted to say loudly what happened to her, she was told to enjoy that she had the opportunity to start her great career.
I should have called my agent or lawyer to come to the set. After all, you can’t force someone to do not be in the script! But then I didn’t know it. Marlon said to me: “Maria, don’t worry about it, it’s just a movie.” But in this scene, although what Marlon did was not really, I cried with real tears. I felt humiliated and, in truth, almost as if I was raped, both by Marlon and Bertolucci. Marlon didn’t even apologize to me later. Fortunately, it was only one shot – the actress recalled after many years.
Schneider paid for her role with a nervous breakdown. She sank into a spiral of addiction and problems. She was still playing, but she paid the price for “Last Tango in Paris” even after years.
Marlon Brando was aware that what happened on the set was not normal. Like the director higher than the emotions of the actors on the set, he put the good of art and film. He planned a scene with Bertolucci, together he came up with him that butter would add an additional dimension of violence, which Paul is committed to Jeanne. Schneider later said that the actor also felt manipulated by the director. “If Marlon Brando said so, imagine what I felt!” – she explained in 2007. She did not hide the injuries to the actor himself – she kept in touch with him in later years. However, Maria Schneider cut off from the director shortly after the premiere of “Tango”. Brando also did not speak to him for many years after Bertolucci replied to criticism that “he knew what to write for” because “he was older than the director.”
Bertolucci does not regret it, but I’m sorry
Meanwhile, Bernardo Bertolucci wanted the actress’s reaction, which he was to capture on the tape on the set would not be just a reaction. He wanted the truth, true fear, real scream and tears. He got it all. He claimed that Schneider and Brando had the whole scene described in the script and everyone knew what they had agreed. Years later, he admitted that maybe Schneider did not quite know about violence and what he was writing to, but thanks to that she did not play on the set, but reacted. The butter went to the plans of the director and the star at the last moment:
I was a bit terrible to Maria because I didn’t tell her what would happen. But I wanted her real reaction as a girl, not an actress! I wanted her to feel her rage and humiliation. For those who do not know – sex is (almost) always simulated. If you think it’s different, you probably also think that when John Wayne shoots on the set, someone really dies! – He said when years later began to be said loudly that there was a rape on the set.
I’m sorry, but I absolutely don’t regret it! – he said in another interview, after the death of the actress.
The production cost Bertolucci, a pupil of Pasolini, four months in suspended and five years imprisonment. The film in Italy was ordered to delete – A few days after the premiere, the Italian Supreme Court ordered to destroy all copies due to obscene, pornographic scenes. In Spain “Last Tango in Paris” was not shown at all. The Spaniards went to shows especially to France, where the audience interested in the film in queues. Also today, more than 50 years after the premiere, “The Last Tango in Paris” arouses great emotions and controversy. Film shows are often accompanied by protests, but also meetings and discussions about abuse in the world of film and the boundaries between art and life.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
