Viridiana is a novice at a Spanish convent. She finds comfort in the solitude of convent life. Before she takes her final vows and becomes cloistered within the convent walls as a nun, her Mother Superior directs her to visit her Uncle Jaime at his farm, one last time before he dies. Despite Uncle Jaime having paid for her education, Viridiana is reluctant to visit him, both because she’s uncomfortable outside the convent, and because she’s only met him once in her life and doesn’t feel close to him.
The visit leads to actions and decisions with disastrous, tragic consequences and/or results. One decision is that Viridiana changes her mind about returning the convent, feeling that she can no longer do so. She redirects her work in the name of God to the down-and-outs in the nearby village, One of Uncle Jaime’s actions leads to the return of his estranged adult son Jorge, whose presence at the farm may be in stark contrast to Viridiana’s wants, again all in the name of God.
Viridiana (pronounced is a 1961 Spanish – Mexican film directed by Luis Buñuel and produced by Gustavo Alatriste. The film stars are Silvia Pinal, Francisco Rabal, Fernando Rey, José Calvo, Margarita Lozano, José Manuel Martín, Victoria Zinny, Luis Heredia, Joaquín Roa, Lola Gaos, María Isbert and Teresa Rabal. It is loosely based on the 1895 novel Halma by Benito Pérez Galdós. Viridiana was the co-winner of the Palme d’Or at the 1961 Cannes Film Festival.
About the Story
A novice named Viridiana (Silvia Pinal) is about to take her vows when her only living relative, her uncle Don Jaime (Fernando Rey), invites her to visit him. She has met him only once, and is reluctant to comply. Her mother superior pressures her to accept. Don Jaime is a recluse living on a neglected farm with a few servants: Ramona (Margarita Lozano), her daughter Rita, and Moncho. When Don Jaime sees his niece, he is struck by her strong resemblance to his deceased wife.
On her last night Viridiana, grateful for her uncle’s longtime financial support, reluctantly complies with his odd request for her to don his wife’s wedding gown. When Ramona informs her that Don Jaime wants to marry her, she’s aghast, and her uncle seems to drop the idea. Ramona secretly drugs Viridiana’s drink and Don Jaime carries the unconscious girl to her room intending to rape her, but at the last minute he stops. However, the next morning he lies and tells her that he “took her virginity”, so she cannot return to her convent. When she insists that she must go back, he confesses that he lied, leaving her uncertain about what had happened.
At the bus stop, the authorities prevent her from leaving. Her uncle has hanged himself, leaving his property to her and his illegitimate son Jorge (Francisco Rabal). Deeply disturbed, Viridiana decides not to return to the convent. Instead, she collects some beggars and installs them in an outbuilding. She devotes herself to feeding and morally educating them. Disgusted, Moncho departs. Jorge moves into the house with his girlfriend Lucia and starts to renovate the rundown place. Lucia, sensing that he lusts after Viridiana like his father did, leaves. Jorge then makes a pass at the willing Ramona.
When Viridiana and Jorge leave for a few days to take care of some business, the paupers break into the house. At first, they just want to look around, but faced with such bounty, they degenerate into a drunken, riotous bunch and party to the strains of Handel’s Messiah. The beggars pose around the table for a photo in which they resemble the figures in Da Vinci’s Last Supper.
The rightful owners return earlier than expected and find the house in shambles. The miscreants excuse themselves one by one and leave. Jorge confronts one of them, who pulls a knife. Another beggar strikes his head with a bottle, knocking him out. Viridiana enters the room and hastens to help Jorge who is lying on the floor. The first man grabs her. As Viridiana resists sexual assault, Jorge regains consciousness. He has been tied up, but manages to bribe one beggar to kill the would-be rapist. The police finally arrive.
Viridiana (1961)
Directed by: Luis Buñuel
Starring: Silvia Pinal, Francisco Rabal, Fernando Rey, José Calvo, Margarita Lozano, José Manuel Martín, Victoria Zinny, Luis Heredia, Joaquín Roa, Lola Gaos, María Isbert, Teresa Rabal
Screenplay by: Julio Alejandro, Luis Buñuel
Production Design by: Gustavo Quintana
Cinematography by: José F. Aguayo
Film Editing by: Pedro del Rey
Set Decoration by: Francisco Canet
Music by: Gustavo Pittaluga
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Films Sans Frontières
Release Date: May 1961 (Cannes Film Festival)
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