i watch this film with my parent and and end up have an interesting discussion with my mother on it . i would see le charme discret de la bourgeoisie beforehand and which be probably helpful . the translation of the title read and that obscure object of desire which be a relevant a title a could be . it a surrealist film and which be only directly reveal not in the strange dream sequence charm employ and but rather in a very simple technical element represent the use of two actress for a single female lead . the two actress be interchange with seem complete subjectivity . the only easy thread to denote be perhaps that one actress play the more french side whereas the other play the more spanish side a though the character be mean to be spanish and she grow up partially in paris . i have read some theorize that the one of the side be emotive and and the other distract which be also plausible . however most of what i want to discuss go to the core of the meaning of a surreal film . my mom and it must be say and do not care much for the surrealist . i must admit and i never be crazy about salvador dali . the problem i think both of u have have to vary degree be our own base level of empiricism that surreality ignores . obviously and one woman can not be two woman in any literal sense . but i think this be where the value of surreality can be appreciate . surrealism have an ultimate primacy of be able to discriminate completely against insignificant time ( a i post on before ) and even the ability to flaunt insignificant time a significant time . the film itself i feel must be read a symbolic . neither character be particularly sympathetic in the sense that neither be particularly human . the male archetype be present a mathieu represent old and rich and and want sex . the female archetype be present a conchita ( which be short for the spanish name conception ) represent young and beautiful and virginal and but sexually aware . my mom project literal psychology on both character a be the oppose part of a sadomasochistic relationship and with conchita a the sadist . i do not think it that simple . conchita continually assert a nearly narcissistic if not wholly so appreciation of her self and independence . whenever she feel mathieu could own her she spit him with her assertion she be physically capable of provide for herself . mathieu and in turn and desire conchita greatly but do not seem to love her . he make no overture of marriage and and in fact seem very resistant to the idea . conchita be threaten by her love of mathieu and and the loss of independence it would engender and and mathieu be obsess with his physical desire for conchita . throughout the film bunuel seem to throw in irrelevant information about terrorism and which be only make more silly and surreal by it treatment ( one of the group be call revolutionary army of the baby jesus and with a pantheon of other silly acronym under it ) and his seemingly repeat this device from charm . the film and i believe and depict what obsessive desire about self do to blind u to the obvious reality around u . in this case conchita narcissism and mattieu lust make the fact that their world be fall apart seem totally unimportant . bunuel use this right up till the final scene . before i talk about the final scene and however and i want to establish another subtle surrealist thread through the film . mathieu carry around a bag through several of the scene . it be very out of place because it be a cheap rucksack ( mathieu be rich ) and be never give an obvious purpose . it be just a seemingly random rucksack . we find out at the end that this rucksack be fill with lace and lace nightgown represent some of which be rip and bloody . mathieu and conchita drop this rucksack off at a shop and and mathieu gesture in amazement how an middle age woman stitch up a hole in a beautiful blood stain lace garment shut and a if it would never be rip . the implication be not difficult to read and especially when we see conchita reaction and which be one of utter disgust . mathieu be carry around his past sexual experience and and try to show conchita that to be deflower ( conchita virginity be a topic of much conversation ) do not mean one delicate feminine beauty be ruin forever . conchita react to this comment by run away from mathieu . he catch up to her and here be where bunuel reminds of the outside word represent they be both blow up in a terrorist bombing . their explosion be the finale . bunuel use surrealism to give a prescriptive ethical message represent if you be concern only about your need and you will be destroy by the outside world and which do not concern itself with you . my mom do not like the idea that this be about gender type because she say it doesn not really apply to any men or woman she know . i feel this be a bit denying and but i can admit it not a literally applied dynamic . it be merely a symbolic message represent if we take these gender role to their extreme we would treat each other horribly and and have no consideration for the great good . i admit this be a somewhat simple and even didactic message . but i disagree that it doesn not have mean for reality because it do not represent reality .