William Friedkin’s favourite movie of all time
Generations of film fans have been traumatised by William Friedkin. That might be a dubious honour, but the director certainly earned the accolade thanks to his mix of stark reality and extraordinary events. From the supernatural horror of The Exorcist to the scuzzy thrills of The French Connection, Friedkin always managed to make some of the most unbelievable stories true to life.
When Friedkin passed away at the age of 87, he left behind a legacy of gritty realism and unsettling images. It might be strange, then, that Friedkin’s own personal favourite director was a master of the absurd. The director was a major fan of Luis Buñuel, the masterful Spanish-Mexican filmmaker, and had particular praise for his 1967 film Belle de Jour.
“A thriller wrapped inside an enigma, this is my desert island disc, the one I’ve watched more than any other on this list,” Friedkin told The Criterion Channel. “The psychology of the characters is revealed slowly and ambiguously. Each time I see the wheelchair (the husband’s fantasy) and hear the sound of the horse-and-carriage bells (the wife’s), and the way the two achieve harmony in the final scene, I’m reminded of Luis Buñuel’s ability to fuse reality and illusion in his characters and for the viewer.“
Belle de Jour very well might be Buñuel’s most grounded, and commercially successful release. Following a housewife’s descent into the world of prostitution and BDSM, Bella de Jour nevertheless translates common feelings of alienation and taboo behaviours onto the silver screen. For Friedkin, it was an essential text.
“He performs this magic in plain view, like the best magicians,” Friedkin claimed. “This is the film that illustrates that Catherine Deneuve is not only one of the world’s most beautiful women but a fine actress.”
“Belle de Jour is truly subversive in its satiric depiction of middle-class society, the church, and our social mores,” he concluded. “If a ratings board ever understood this film, it would receive an NC-17, though there is no sex and little violence.”
Check out the trailer for Belle du Jour down below.
