Rating: 
Summary: Rent something else
Review: Your being persuaded by the praise written above largely depends on your already knowing and admiring Bunuel and Deneuve. For those of you who do not, you may well find, as I did, that this film is trite, predictable, and poorly paced.
Rating: 
Summary: The answer lies within
Review: This film appeals to me on a very deep level because of one thing in particular: The director knew the secret of the universe and the answer to all questions and that answer is in the movie. The answer is, of course, that there is no answer. Our fetishes (Bunuel himself had a slight foot fetish) simply exist for themselves, there is no reason that they are there, just like everything else. People may try to reason out their existence, but in the end it all boils down to the fact that we don't know. Bunuel, who was an old surrealist and anarchist by the time he made this film, shows us he knew what he was doing in the film. The film is never serious. Bunuel does away with the audiences preconcieved notions about reality and mixes dream and reality in a joyous melange of images and ideas. One central theme in "Belle de Jour" was how the middle class must hide its true nature beneath "proper" social form and structure. This theme has been a favorite of Bunuel his entire life. It rings true even now. I enjoy the fact that Bunuel knew that all people were hypocrites, himself included, but how that gave him inspiration to make films about the inexplicability of life. "Belle de Jour" certainly ranks among Bunuel's best.
Rating:
Summary: Dated, boring and noninspiring
Review: Although this movie is an all-time favorite, I'd attribute it to the beauty of Catherine Deneuve alone. The whole plot is unreal or at least it's not done very convincingly. If the movie is still being watched for promised and advertised erotism, I wonder if it satisfies the viewers. The sex scenes are pathetic and definitely dated, not that it's because of the lack of crude scenes but actors look very awkward and lost, and the whole impression is of an embarrassment. Perhaps such scenes titilated the audiences 30 years ago. It's disappointing in many ways and it is quite boring indeed. There are better films by Bunuel and I fail to understand why this one is called masterpiece. See for yourself, though...
Rating: 
Summary: Caution - the subtitles are screwed up
Review: The reason I'm giving it only 4 stars is that this (excellent) film was not properly transferred - whoever prepared the English subtitles messed them up by incorrectly italicizing some of them thus designating certain sequences as "dreams" (see Amy's review below, for example). Apparently, someone at the video transfer house actually sat down and spent considerable amount of time deciding (incorrectly most of the time) what is real and what is not real in the film, and italicizing the titles accordingly. This becomes especially nonsensical when one considers that Bunuel has stated many times that he didn't always know himself how to separate the scenes. To him the ending, for example, is real. But some know-it-all slapped italics on the dialogue there because he knew better that the director. Let's hope the DVD version will fix this and present the entire dialogue straight - just like in the original (what a novel concept!)
Rating:
Summary: See it with Gloria Steinem
Review: This psychodrama seems a little dated viewed today, and would be an ordinary film except for the fact that it stars the legendary French beauty Catherine Deneuve and is directed by the incomparable Spaniard Luis Buñuel, although this is not his best work. The quasi-Freudian exploration of the character of a woman who can only be sexually aroused and satisfied by being treated as trash doesn't exactly play in today's world, nor would it appear on Ms. Magazine's most admired list.Deneuve demands the screen and is fascinating to watch, and Buñuel's direction, while not flashy or completely intelligible, is intriguing and focused. Buñuel has done some great work including two I recall, "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie" (1972) and "That Obscure Object of Desire" (1977). His early work goes back to the silent film era. My favorite Deneuve film is "Mississippi Mermaid" (1969) followed closely by "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" (1964). Deneuve is your high class, slightly cool beauty, somewhat in the manner of Grace Kelly. She looks like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth and so directors have always tried to sully her up. Buñuel smears her both literally and figuratively here as a day-tripping prostitute addicted to debasement. I don't buy the psychology, but this sort of thing used to play well. I recall an Italian movie from the same period in which the hero couldn't perform with his sweet and beautiful wife, but had to go slumming to get it on. I think it was called "Bell Antonio" or something like that.
Rating:
Summary: Scary and thought-provoking
Review: This film is disturbing, dark, surrealistic but interesting. The basic plot is that a beautiful young woman, married to a handsome young doctor, has it all. Too much. She leads a double life and becomes a prostitute by day, yet can never have all of her desires satisfied. A bit violent and masochistic, you never fully understand the character, but that's because she never really understands herself either. A little confusing (who else here hates dream sequences and oops-it-was-a-dream type endings?), but still fascinating and different.
Rating:
Summary: Another Surrealistic Masterpiece by Luis Bunuel!
Review: This cerebral and surrealistic movie is a fascinating look at the unsatisfied desires of upper-class women, and what they are willing to do to satisfy themselves. As with almost all of Bunuel's films he tries to show how shallow, lifeless and boring the rich are, and how they demoralize themselves. Fascinating throughout but also disturbing and depressing, the fantasy sequences are well done and provocative. Catherine Deneuve is astonishing, she is anything a man could hope for, she's "Belle De Jour". Good for sophisticated viewers, fans of Bunuel and the surreal. From a scale of 1-10 I give this movie an 8!
Rating:
Summary: An Erotic Masterpiece.
Review: In an era when eroticism and romance in movies means sweaty, naked flesh involved in athletic sex, here comes one of the masters of cinema, Luis Bunuel, to show us what an erotic film really is. With "Belle De Jour," Bunuel makes a sexy film without any real sex, only the dark hint of it. We are spellbound by the suspense of the story involving Severine and the way she fools her husband, who does not know she has become a prostitute. Bunuel makes good use of the good looks of his main actress, who shines with brilliance and radiance. And what style Bunuel brings to his film! I am an admirer of his work like "Un Chien Andalou," and "Belle De Jour" surely ranks as one of his greatest films.
Rating: 
Summary: Sordid, pretentious, and shallow
Review: Although this film has been called a "masterpiece," I found it merely offensive and drepressing, with its misogyny and violence against women (especially in the fantasy sequences). The dialogue is surprisingly shallow and unreal, such as in the conversations between the thugs. The whole film is depressing and falls flat without being in any way enlightening or entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: Understated review of one quest for satisfaction, beautiful
Review: Belle De Jour has Denuieve depicted as a beautiful young married woman who lacks some fundamental knowledge and hasn't had much excitement. Lots of flashbacks can be a bit confusing. She has a loving husband but is cold. After learning and experiencing a new way of life, her eyes are open and the couple reaches fulfillment. Very understated and artically mastered. Today's version would focus on full nudity and more explicit simulation. CD is beautiful and sensitive. The film keeps moving. Quality movie buffs and those seeking better understanding of peoples' motives, as well as a few surprises will enjoy this movie. I rate it 4 1/2* but go up because it goes beyond 4*. Only one or two flashbacks may detract. Lots of symbolism that is almost understandable by a layperson.
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