Viridiana (1961)

User Rating:

8.2/10   

Director:

Luis Buñuel

Writers:

Julio Alejandro (writer)
Luis Buñuel (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

19 March 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Viridiana, a young nun about to take her final vows, pays a visit to her widowed uncle at the request of her Mother Superior. |

Plot Keywords:

Nun | Mother Superior | Vow | Cattle | Drugged Coffee

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Silvia Pinal	...	Viridiana
Francisco Rabal	...	Jorge
Fernando Rey	...	Don Jaime
José Calvo	...	Beggar (as Jose Calvo)
Margarita Lozano	...	Ramona
José Manuel Martín	...	Beggar
Victoria Zinny	...	Lucia
Luis Heredia	...	Beggar
Joaquín Roa	...	Beggar
Lola Gaos	...	Beggar
María Isbert	...	Beggar (as Maruja Isbert)
Teresa Rabal	...	Rita (as Teresita Rabal)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alicia Jorge Barriga	...	Beggar (uncredited)
Claudio Brook	...	(uncredited)
Juan García Tiendra	...	Beggar (uncredited)
Palmira Guerra	...	Beggar (uncredited)
Joaquin Mayol	...	Beggar (uncredited)
Sergio Mendizábal	...	Beggar (uncredited)
Narciso Ojeda	...	(uncredited)
Milagros Tomás	...	Beggar (uncredited)

Directed by
Luis Buñuel

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Julio Alejandro		writer (as Julio Alejandro de Castro)
Luis Buñuel		screenplay
Luis Buñuel		story
Benito Pérez Galdós		novel "Halma" (uncredited)

Produced by
Gustavo Alatriste	....	producer
Ricardo Muñoz Suay	....	executive producer
Pere Portabella	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Gustavo Pittaluga

Cinematography by
José F. Aguayo		(as Jose F. Aguayo)

Film Editing by
Pedro del Rey

Production Design by
Francisco Canet

Production Management
Gustavo Quintana	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Juan Luis Buñuel	....	assistant director (as J.L. Buñuel)
José Puyol	....	assistant director (as J. Puyol)

Sound Department
Aurelio García Tijeras	....	sound engineer (as A. Tijeras García)

Production Companies

• Unión Industrial Cinematográfica (UNINCI)
• Gustavo Alatriste
• Films 59

Distributors

• Kingsley-International Pictures (1962) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Criterion Collection, The (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Dynit (2009) (Italy) (DVD)
• José Esteban Alenda Distribución (Spain)
• Madman Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2006) (New Zealand) (DVD)
• Wilder (Brazil) (VHS)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

Spain | Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | France:Unrated | Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Spain

Company:

Unión Industrial Cinematográfica (UNINCI)

Trivia:

Initially banned in Spain and completely denounced by the Vatican.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Decade Under the Influence (2003)

Soundtrack:

Hallejujah Chorus

Misery, poverty, (bad) religion... Buñuel's tribute to Franco's work.

"Viridiana" and "Tierra Sin Pan" (a documentary) are two of the most cutting portraits of Spanish misery and poverty in the 20 that passed after 1936's Civil War. Buñuel had no mercy and put everybody in their place.

The pious Viridiana (Silvia Pinal, wonderful!) who leaves the convent to come to live with his uncle in the country. His uncle (Fernando Rey, magnificent!), a man defeated by life who lives in the past and, finally, suicides. His cousin (Paco Rabal, the man!), which come to the country house looking for his inheritance. The tramps that Viridiana takes in... Some of the best characters in the history of cinema, and some of the best sequences ever filmed (that one with the tramps celebrating such a crazy party).

A fierce look against Spanish society, against religion and against the human condition itself. I'd pay for watching the face of dictator Franco's censors when they watched "Viridiana". They could have Buñuel shot for that. Luckily, he went to Mexico.

Well, this is a movie to talk about for hours and hours... Anyway, you just watch it and prepare to feel what cinema's about.

*My rate: 10/10