The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
1972, PG, 100 min.
Directed by Luis Buñuel, Narrated by , Voices by , Starring Fernando Rey, Delphine Seyrig, Stephane Audran, Bulle Ogier, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Michel Piccoli.

This Oscar winner for Best Foreign Film is also one of the most accessible works of this surrealist master, Luis Buñuel. A comic gem, Discreet Charm tells the story of a group of wealthy friends who repeatedly gather together for a meal, only to have their dining plans interrupted by some surreal event or another. It’s strange, wacky, funny, and tragic – and, on an incidental personal note, Discreet Charm is the movie that made me realize I was in love with movies.

This article appears in September 29 • 2000.

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Marjorie Baumgarten is a film critic and contributing writer at The Austin Chronicle, where she has worked in many capacities since the paper's founding in 1981. She served as the Chronicle's Film Reviews editor for 25 years.