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In this Luis Bunuel classic Sylvia Pinal plays the heroine, a postulant nun summoned by her uncle Fernando Rey to his estate just before she is to take her final vows. Viridiana does not want to go as evn though she knows that the uncle financed her education he has had basically nothing to do with her. She reluctantly agrees to visit after being ordered to by her Mother Superior. Rey is dying and spends most of his time playing or listening to Bach. He is enamored of the beautiful young Viridiana who resembles his wife, who died on their wedding night. Viridian resists his advances but on the night before she is to return to the convent she agrees to dress in the late wife's wedding dress. With the help of a complicent servant Rey asks her to marry him, to which she horrifyingly refuses. Rey and the servant drug her and take her to Rey's bed. He fondles her but then leaves.The next morning he tells her that he has violated her and she believes him. Then he recants but she tells him it doesn't matter and she leaves. Rey then hangs himself and Viridiana returns to run the estate and take in beggars and the poor. Then arrives Rey's bastard son, who has inherited the place. They set up a dual culture, he modernizing, she trying to run a sort of reform commune.
When they leave for a legal meeting the vagrants break min and set up a feast, which turns into a drunken orgy.All through there are many religious allusions, including a famous one where the drunken party is for a moment turned into da Vinci's Last Supper. At end, after having been raped by a one of the bums, Viridiana ends up playing cards with the son and the servant but we know it's more than cards. No more Bach and Handel, just modern rock and roll and a threesome.
Banned in Spain and condemed by the Vatican, the film has a strange power, even though it is really straight narrative, except for the religious allusions. There are multiple meanings here, too many to go into on this forum. But highly recommended for the emotions it evokes, emotions difficult to articulate. Rey, BTW, appears in a number of Bunuel fims, incuding my favorite, "That Obscure Object of Desire". Viridiana: 1961, black and white widescreen.
Follow Ups:
a
I think that's the role most Americans would know him by.
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Arguably, of course...
nt
...and keep in mind how darkly sarcastic Buñuel´s sense of humour used to be, to get the full picture of their relationship, and of why Buñuel insisted in developing that image of Fernando Rey...Regards
BF
Remember this wonderful book " My Last Sight " we spoke of long time ago?
As for his work under Franco, if I have seen some of the films, I can not remember any.
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While I know your aversion of him, I am not THAT disgusted about him.
A twit with big ego. He is also so feminine I can't visualise him in a male lover role.
He depicting a moment and a place you have missed not being in ...France.
It was early 60´s and continued until the student " revolution " into the seventies.
He is a product of the cinematography of this time, in this context, you can " see " him.
But your aversion to him...
I kind of feel what you are saying, I understand all that, but being part of history, even being completely true to a part of history, doesn't make one significant or pleasant or interesting.In addition, French cinema of that time produced some truly great actors. In his case his physical size is commensurate with his presence, I think.
After reading this post of yours I had to force myself and tried to get back then.
So with a small effort I could.
He was just a player at FT wish, having the same love live as he had. AND many could identify themselves in him.
Just the life between the Pill and AIDS and a touch of grass.
The lightness of being....
the French heart because of his brilliantly sensitive turn in "400 Blows."
In Truffaut's later trilogy, he played an extremely sensitive (not quite Woody Allen-ish), well educated, and yes, self-absorbed character. He did so very well.
That is true. And yet he still makes movies, but has no real importance today cinama world.
At least in mine.
As for the great French actors that was the time before and just after the last war.
Heck, he wasn't even supposed to be Jean Gabin or dozens of others...But we are beating a dead horse. Screw that guy... maybe if he was a tad over 6' things would have been different?
an outdoor table in a Paris cafe. He had two babes draped over him: so much for your sexual theory. He gesticulated exactly as he does on film: for a moment, I thought I was watching someone do an impersonation. Really.
Rey is that most elusive of actors: he realistically projects intelligence, refinement, education... in short, class. Mastroianni is another. Gassman, too.
Americans? Gregory Peck is probably our best example, with Jimmy Stewart in there, too.
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