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 | Uncle | Murder | Suicide | Jumping Rope

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

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

Distributors

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

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

Mexico | Spain

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:

Films 59

Trivia:

Conchita Buñuel said the costumes in the film were authentic. "We scoured the outlying districts of Madrid for them, particularly under bridges, giving poor people new clothes in exchange for their rags, which were then disinfected but not washed."

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Drowning by Numbers (1988)

we haven't gotten very far at all

This film portrays the abysmal differences between people with different educations and senses of morality. At the same time, it is a commentary on the hopelessness of a society where no one understands why the status quo should be tampered with. No summary could really do this film justice since the visual impressions and symbols are just as important as the express message portrayed by the events.

But here goes: A novice is forced by circumstances to leave her convent and visit her uncle, falling under the influence of her world wise cousin. She tries to maintain her ideals by doing good works but is taken advantage of and despised by the very people she means to help.

Viridiana was the first film Buñuel filmed from exile and (so the story goes) the church was in an uproar and adamant that it be censored. Perhaps this is because none of the characters seem to give a fig about the teachings of the church except for the novice. Perhaps it is because one of the messages that seems clear is that the church is ineffectual in its efforts to improve the human condition. However, the depth of the story speaks more to the social condition in general -similar in all of Europe at the time- and the church was merely a part of that.

It is possible that a superficial viewing might interpret the characters to represent specific political factions from the era when the film was made but I believe that is an error. Even Franco, if we are to believe what we are told today, didn't personally see anything wrong with the film when he saw it and his order that all copies be destroyed was given in the interest of appeasing the church. People who appreciate quality film will be grateful that at least one copy survived the mass destruction by being sent to France.