Bernardo Bertolucci's steamy seventies drama, Last Tango In Paris, stars Marlon Brando as an American businessman who enters into a sordid affair with a young French woman (played by Maria Schneider) on the proviso that their relationship be centered only on sex. The most infamous scene, in which Brando uses a knob of butter as a lubricant, has since come under scrutiny, raising questions of illegality and unethical working conditions, and what is certain is that the animalistic approach of using butter, matched with Brando's bristling masculinity makes this scene particular uncomfortable to watch. Schneider - a young, up-and-coming actress at the time - felt violated by both the director and her co-star, stating that:
"Marlon said to me: 'Maria, don't worry, it's just a movie,' but during the scene, even though what Marlon was doing wasn't real, I was crying real tears. I felt humiliated and to be honest, I felt a little raped, both by Marlon and by Bertolucci. After the scene, Marlon didn't console me or apologise. Thankfully, there was just one take."
