That Obscure Object of Desire

The film opens with Mathieu traveling from Seville to Paris, attempting to distance himself from Conchita. A bruised Conchita pursues him aboard the moving train, and he dramatically douses her with a bucket of water. The scene sets up their volatile dynamic and the flashback to come.

Fellow compartment passengers witness the dramatic act and question Mathieu about his motive. He begins to recount the history of his tumultuous relationship with Conchita. He frames their romance against the backdrop of terrorist bombings and shootings, foreshadowing the political backdrop of the story.

Conchita insists she is 18 and vows to remain a virgin until marriage, adding an air of mystique and provocation. She teases Mathieu with sexual promises but never allows true satisfaction. The tension between desire and restraint becomes a recurring pattern.

In one scene she wears a tightly laced canvas corset, which Mathieu cannot untie, making intercourse impossible. The moment underscores how control and restraint define their relationship. It fuels Mathieu's frustration and obsession.

Mathieu discovers Conchita hiding a young man in her room, revealing double lives and further complicating trust between them. The secret provokes anger, suspicion, and a cycle of jealousy. The memory underscores the instability of their bond.

Conchita's unpredictable antics cause repeated breakups and reunions between them. Mathieu remains drawn to her despite constant disappointment and confusion. The relationship functions as a volatile tension set amid a wider political violence.

Conchita appears dancing nude for tourists in a Seville nightclub, provoking Mathieu's fury. He ultimately forgives her and buys her a house, attempting to stabilize the relationship through possession and shelter. The sequence blends passion with a troubling, transactional dynamic.

After moving into the house, Conchita refuses to let Mathieu in at the gate, declaring hatred and warning that physical contact sickens her. The moment crystallizes the emotional trap of their bond, where proximity triggers conflict. It foreshadows the couple's precarious future.

Conchita appears to begin sexual intercourse with a young man in plain view of Mathieu, who turns away rather than watch. The scene intensifies Mathieu's sense of humiliation and loss of control. It marks a turning point in the private-public tension of their relationship.

That same night, Mathieu is held up at gunpoint as his car is hijacked, adding danger and instability to the volatile romance. The outside world of violence mirrors their inside turmoil. The incident increases the sense that nothing is safe from disruption.

Conchita attempts to reconcile, claiming the sex was fake and that her 'lover' is a homosexual friend. Mathieu responds with anger and violence, beating her and leaving her bruised and bandaged. The scene collapses the line between forgiveness and harm.

The passengers seem satisfied with Conchita's explanation, and she dumps a bucket of water on Mathieu again. The couple reconciles once more and disembarks in Madrid, walking arm in arm through the city. The ending suggests a fragile peace amid ongoing tension.

In a Paris mall later, loudspeakers announce alliances among extremist groups and counter-movements, hinting at a world on the brink. The couple continues their walk, seemingly indifferent to the political storm.

They pass a seamstress repairing a bloody nightgown, and their argument escalates as a bomb explodes. The explosion appears to kill them, tying their doomed romance to a world of violence. The final moment is a bleak commentary on cycles of desire and destruction.