Movies in 2026 142

 

Viridiana (Luis Bunuel, 1961)

As I work my way through the Luis Bunuel collection - or at least the Bunuel films available on the Criterion Channel - I recently re-watched his 1961 film Viridiana. This is a film that routinely makes Best Of lists, not only of best Bunuel films but more generally of all films, but it's also one that I've never warmed to. It has fine performances (including Silvia Pinal in the title role) and some classic Bunuel moments, but it's also a film that seems almost determined to crowd the screen with as many unlikeable characters as possible. Viridiana is set to take her vows as a nun, but she's ordered by the mother superior to go home to visit her allegedly dying uncle. She gives in, even though she feels nothing towards him and wants to stay in the nunnery. Her uncle Jaime is utterly depraved, and his son Jorge, who eventually arrives with his girlfriend, is just about as bad.  Viridiana decides not to return to the nunnery, but instead brings in as many local beggars as possible in an attempt to do a good deed. While Viridiana and Jorge are away from the house the beggars break into the main house, embark on a drunken orgy, and then almost kill Jorge and rape Viridiana when they return. At the end of the film it is made to appear that Viridiana has given up on her loftier ambitions, and seems to have agreed to a threesome with Jorge and the servant Ramona (how the censors let that one get through is beyond me, which is especially amazing considering that it was the revised ending after the censors balked at the original ending). It's as if the message is that life is simply horrible and irredeemable and it's not worth the effort of trying to fix it. I appreciate the criticism of societal hypocrisy, including another classic Bunuel shot at the church, but, like I said, I've simply never warmed to it. Maybe it's because in the end I do think it's worth the effort to try and make the world a better place, or my lack of sophistication caused by growing up in Indiana leaves me too much of a dope to appreciate the film. No matter what, you should definitely check it out, and feel free to reach out to me and explain my ignorance. It is recognized as a classic film, and, if for no other reason, it's worth a viewing.