rating:
(out of
4 stars)Mexico, Spain; 1961
Directed by Luis Bu§nuel; produced by Gustavo Alatriste; story & screenplay by Luis Buñuel
Starring Silvia Pinal, Francisco Rabal, Fernando Rey, Jose Calvo, Maragrita Lozano, José-Manuel Martín
Below you will find a temporary review for this film. The real (better, more complete) review will be online very soon.
Spanish director Luis Buñuel released his first real Spanish feature film
'Viridiana' in 1961 and immediately it showed us why he did not want to make
Spanish films. Dictator Franco and his regime approved the film at first
only to condemn and therefore ban it right after its release. Although it
won the Palm d'Or in Cannes and was very popular in other countries,
Franco's regime made sure Spain did not see this film. In fact, Spain didn't
even hear about its winning in Cannes. The reason given was blasphemy. There
is a scene (and many others) that could be seen as blasphemous, it deals
with "The Last Supper", but it is the greatest image in this film.
Viridiana (Silvia Pinal) is a nun who, against her will, visits her uncle
Don Jaime (Fernando Rey). Viridiana wants to do good, she wants to make the
world a better place, but the more she tries the more she sees it is close
to useless. Her uncle almost rapes her, she helps some beggars but all they
do in return is provide this film with the great image I mentioned. Slowly
Viridiana learns her lesson about the real world, instead of the religious
world she has lived in.
At times the film seems an attack on the Catholic Church; whether you agree
or not it raises some interesting questions. Those things, some wonderful
scenes and of course the way Buñuel presents all this are great things in
this film. But all the scenes that are obvious metaphors make the film a
little dull from time to time. I can't imagine a lot of people liking this
film today. A lot of Buñuel films have a similar problem. Yes, they are
great for people who know something about film-making, they are great for
people who like to think about what they see, but most people want to sit
down and enjoy. Even his most accessible, which is probably 'Belle de Jour',
has this problem from time to time.
Still, 'Viridiana' is a good film, great for some. I would recommend it for
that single image I have mentioned two times now, but it has some other
virtues, even if you consider yourself to be a member of the modern
audience.