I didn' t like the film. But, I am strongly convinced that I must have missed something! Can somebody expalin to me the film within a few words? I mean, I read at the summary that this film is extremely provocative and was censored by the Vatican and all the governments of the countries were it was shown back in 1961! I didn' t find anything provocative at all!!!!!!!!
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I can't claim to be an expert on this (i was a little confused myself) but i found a few things controversial enough to irk people.
First and foremost the incestual nature of the uncle, drugging his "nun to be" niece and coming close to taking advantage of her. I was unclear if Viridiana and her uncle's son were truly related but theres also some bits of incest there as well.
More to the point of angering the church, Viridiana is seen as a holy almost churchlike figure taking in the poor and unwanted homeless and vagrants. If you look at Viridiana as the church like I did, then you can see how the paritioners would be the homeless. Now you would expect the paritioners of the church to be thankful, and worshipping of their savior. Instead they take advantage of her posessions as well as attempt to take advantage of her body. I saw it moreso an attack on those practicing the religion as on the church itself (of course these two are tied together).
Not only that but the movie creates the famous "Last Supper" painting with homeless and immoral vagrants. In addition the man in Jesus' spot is the blind man (not an accident I'm sure).
There are other parts that I'm sure have some provocative meaning although I don't really get it. The scene where Viridiana is leading the homeless in prayer being intercut with scenes of wood being chopped or stones being smashed I'm sure has some meaning although I'm not quite sure what. (prayer being compared to destruction?)
These are just my (probably wrong) thoughts on what I watched. I've seen a few Bunuel movies and while they're always engaging and crafted greatly, I'm usually confused when all is said and done.
You're good kid. But as long as I'm around you'll always be second best.
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The prayer/construction juxtaposion represents the struggle between tradition and progress. Viridiana sits about praying for improvement, while her more realistic relative takes action and hires workers to do what God does not.
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Viridiana is not related to her uncle or his son. She looks like the uncle's wife who died on her wedding night, and hence is related to the wife.
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I'm sure there are Catholics who do give unselfishly, but, as an organization, the Church has a lot to answer for.Indeed. I wonder what Bunuel would have to say about the recent scandals associated with the Catholic church? I can't imagine he'd be all that surprised. Too bad he's gone. But oh well; Spain still has Almodovar, Saura, and Villaronga.