MADness—the Blog

Maria Schneider died on Thursday after a battle with cancer, at 58.  The French actress was best known for the role of Jeanne, opposite Marlon Brando, in the 1972 film Last Tango in Paris.  She was 19 at the time.

Bernardo Bertolucci would like to extend a belated apology:

Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci said Thursday he wished he could have apologised to the late Maria Schneider for putting her through graphic sex scenes in his classic 1972 film “Last Tango in Paris”.

“Her death has come too early, before I could give her a tender embrace and tell her that I was as tied to her as I was at the start and apologise to her at least once,” Bertolucci was quoted by the ANSA news agency as saying.

“The strong and creative relationship that we had during the filming of ‘Last Tango’ became poisoned with the passing of time,” he said.

“Maria accused me of having robbed her of her youth and only today am I wondering whether there wasn’t some truth to that,” he added.

David Thomson ponders if the film ruined her life:

It’s hard now to think the essential purpose of Last Tango in Paris wasn’t to take advantage of Maria Schneider to get our dollars. I don’t mean to say the film lacks anguish, or that Brando isn’t riveting in it. But I’m not sure it was worth doing if it ruined a life. You can argue that actresses know what to expect. Haven’t they heard about show business? Maybe. But some actresses are desperate to believe in what they are doing. Just like actors. Just like us. Let’s tip our hats to Maria Schneider.