{ "id": "epmjdmp039", "slug": "tango-1993-film", "title": "Tango (1993 film)", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.black-comedy-and-satire-films", "label": "Black comedy and satire films", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.black-comedy-and-satire-films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.black-comedy-and-satire-films.yr-1939-1997", "label": "Released 1939 to 1997", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.black-comedy-and-satire-films.yr-1939-1997" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.black-comedy-and-satire-films", "label": "Western Europe · 1946 to 2000: Black comedy and satire films", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.black-comedy-and-satire-films", "path": [ { "id": "geo.weu", "label": "Western Europe", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946", "label": "Western Europe · 1946 to 2000", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.culture" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.black-comedy-and-satire-films", "label": "Black comedy and satire films", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.black-comedy-and-satire-films" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Tango (1993) is a French black comedy directed by Patrice Leconte, written with Patrick Dewolf, starring Philippe Noiret, Richard Bohringer, and Thierry Lhermitte; a judge blackmails an acquitted wife-killer into murdering his nephew's estranged wife.", "snippet": "Tango (1993) is a French black comedy directed by Patrice Leconte, written with Patrick Dewolf, starring Philippe Noiret, Richard Bohringer, and Thierry Lhermitte; a judge blackmails an acquitted wife-killer into murdering his nephew's estranged wife.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.black-comedy-and-satire-films.yr-1939-1997", "markdown": "# Tango (1993 film)\n\n**Tango** is a 1993 French black comedy directed by Patrice Leconte about three men, two of them related, who set out on a road trip with the aim of murdering one of their estranged wives. It was produced in 1992 and released in France on February 3, 1993.[1](https://international.pathefilms.com/en/movies/tango/)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Director and writers | Patrice Leconte; screenplay by Leconte and Patrick Dewolf[1](https://international.pathefilms.com/en/movies/tango/) |\n| French release | February 3, 1993; production year 1992[1](https://international.pathefilms.com/en/movies/tango/) |\n| Genre and length | Comedy, about 90 minutes (listed as 1h 30m, 1h 28min, and 90' by different sources)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tango_1993) • [3](https://www.justwatch.com/fr/film/tango-1993) • [4](https://www.commissionefilmcei.it/film/tango/) |\n| Principal cast | Philippe Noiret (the judge, L'Elégant), Richard Bohringer (Vincent Baraduc), Thierry Lhermitte (Paul), Miou-Miou (Marie)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tango_1993) • [4](https://www.commissionefilmcei.it/film/tango/) |\n| Supporting cast | Carole Bouquet, Jean Rochefort, Judith Godrèche, Michèle Laroque[1](https://international.pathefilms.com/en/movies/tango/) • [3](https://www.justwatch.com/fr/film/tango-1993) |\n| Production companies | Cinea, Hachette Première; copyright 1993 Pathé Films, H & Cie, TF1 Films Production, Zoulou Films[1](https://international.pathefilms.com/en/movies/tango/) • [4](https://www.commissionefilmcei.it/film/tango/) |\n| Reception | IMDb rating 6.2 from about 1,500 votes; Tomatometer 69% from a single counted review[3](https://www.justwatch.com/fr/film/tango-1993) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tango_1993) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot\n\nVincent Baraduc (Richard Bohringer), a stunt pilot, discovers that his wife is unfaithful and kills both her and her lover; a jury acquits him, though the presiding judge, L'Elégant (Philippe Noiret), is fairly certain of his guilt.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tango_1993) Years later the judge, a confirmed bachelor, blackmails Vincent into helping his nephew Paul (Thierry Lhermitte), whose wife Marie (Miou-Miou) has left him. The judge and Paul demand that Vincent kill Marie, and the three men take to the road to find her, passing the time by discussing their relationships with women.[1](https://international.pathefilms.com/en/movies/tango/)\n\n[The Italian](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-italian) film evaluation board's synopsis adds a prologue: Paul, married for ten years to the submissive Marie, is caught by her while courting another woman in a restaurant; in a fury of jealousy she is found at home with the taxi driver who brought her there, after which she leaves her husband and disappears.[4](https://www.commissionefilmcei.it/film/tango/)\n\n## Production and crew\n\nThe film was photographed by Eduardo Serra in scope and color, with music by Angelique Nachon and Jean-Claude Nachon and editing by Genevieve Winding.[4](https://www.commissionefilmcei.it/film/tango/) Production companies included Cinea and Hachette Première, and the copyright notice of 1993 names Pathé Films, H & Cie, TF1 Films Production, and Zoulou Films.[1](https://international.pathefilms.com/en/movies/tango/) In Italy it was distributed by Columbia Tristar Film Italia.[4](https://www.commissionefilmcei.it/film/tango/)\n\n## Reception\n\nThe Italian Commissione Nazionale Valutazione Film judged the film inaccettabile, amorale (unacceptable, immoral), describing its treatment of marriage and relations between the sexes as moving between the paradoxical and the sarcastic, with extremely explicit language and an underlying bitter nihilism; the same evaluation conceded that the film shows notable qualities in its editing and acting.[4](https://www.commissionefilmcei.it/film/tango/)\n\nCritic Adam Mars-Jones of the Independent (UK) wrote that \"the trouble with Tango is not that it is shocking but that it is shockingly derivative.\"[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tango_1993) An All Movie Guide summary quoted by Entertainment.ie framed the film's premise as the idea that unattached men long to live with women, and once they do, they long to live without them, calling it an all-star comedy that wrings gentle humor from murderous misogyny.[5](https://entertainment.ie/movies/where-to-watch/tango-139884/) Audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes have singled out Philippe Noiret's performance for praise.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tango_1993)\n\n## Availability\n\nAs of recent checks, the film can be rented or purchased digitally in France on services including Canal VOD, Amazon Video, Pathé Home, and the Apple TV Store.[3](https://www.justwatch.com/fr/film/tango-1993) It is not available for streaming in the Netherlands or Belgium, where it can be bought on DVD or Blu-ray.[6](https://www.filmvandaag.nl/film/18858-tango/online-kijken)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Tango, Movie Info, Pathé Films International Sales](https://international.pathefilms.com/en/movies/tango/)\n2. [Tango (1993), Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tango_1993)\n3. [Tango (1993), JustWatch France](https://www.justwatch.com/fr/film/tango-1993)\n4. [TANGO, Commissione Nazionale Valutazione Film](https://www.commissionefilmcei.it/film/tango/)\n5. [Tango, Where to Watch and Stream, Entertainment.ie](https://entertainment.ie/movies/where-to-watch/tango-139884/)\n6. [Tango (1993) online kijken, FilmVandaag.nl](https://www.filmvandaag.nl/film/18858-tango/online-kijken)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Black comedy and satire films › Released 1939 to 1997*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/tango-1993-film", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/tango-1993-film.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Tango (1993 film)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/tango-1993-film. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Tango (1993 film)](https://www.edgepedia.org/tango-1993-film)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/tango-1993-film](https://www.edgepedia.org/tango-1993-film). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Tango (1993 film)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/tango-1993-film. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Tango is a French black comedy directed by Patrice Leconte, written with Patrick Dewolf, starring Philippe Noiret, Richard Bohringer, and Thierry Lhermitte; a judge blackmails an acquitted wife-killer into murdering his nephew's estranged wife." }