I came across this film a few weeks ago and set it aside for a later date out of random interest in watching yet another older, black-and-white film. I have not been watching many films lately, in fact I took a bit of a break from the usual style of films that I typically watch. I felt I needed a little break from them, as too much of one thing can quickly become a bit tiresome. Today, though, I felt a bit lazy, more settled in and wanting something short but slower and not so full of colour. Viridiana is a film like many other that sit open in my browser for weeks since I forget and add more without simply adding them to a Letterboxd watch list. Something I think I shall finally do after writing this review.
Viridiana is a Spanish film from the 60s, and I think the oldest film from Spain that I have ever seen. Not for any particular reason whatsoever, just that somehow I have neglected the Spanish side of filmmaking like I often do other nations, only to realise and slowly discover their marvelous creations over the many decades of film. As a first, this has been a wonderful, and very strange experience. Viridiana was a film I did not bother to look into prior to watching, and thus its narrative and themes came about rather suddenly, and led to some appreciation from me after its relatively short runtime had hit its mark.
This film is not just a surprise for its themes, but for its history having been censored in multiple countries around its release for how it presents various aspects of religion, thus marking itself in the period of time in which Spain was still under heavy influence of the Vatican, as well as still under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco. I even read that the government had attempted to have its film rolls burned, but failed to remove it from history due to copies being sent elsewhere. It is films such as these that fascinate me the most, to reject the societal norms and stick it to the government. Causing no harm, but merely pointing out something obvious to both government and citizens.
Viridiana
There is an ugly truth within humanity that is forever buried under the ignorance of us all. A refusal to accept our most primitive and immoral thoughts and actions. We like to believe that each of us are strong in morals, a useful member of society that contributes with both sophistication and acceptance. We like to believe that each of us are model beings that shape and form society in the best way imaginable, that there are only a select few of us that account for the negative. Viridiana is a film that refuses to accept such an idea, taking an interesting look into how the good are manipulated and how the bad are often incapable of changing. We see a conflicting case against humanity that shows the good and bad in people from various backgrounds. How the wealthy live in luxury while the poor suffer, but the rich are still full of temptation and evil, as are the poor and ill-fated. That selfishness remains present in us all.
Our main protagonist being a woman devoting her life to religion and going about life by trying to help people. Coming across inherited land that she chooses to turn into a safe environment for those less fortunate. Though as the film progresses we see that there's plenty of conflict growing within these people, as their desperation leads to cruelty, and the kindness of another is never truly appreciated, but taken advantage of. This idea going fundamentally against the film's time in which religion was very much strong, and the government promoting propaganda over how the model citizen should think and act. Viridiana merely being a reflection of us all and displaying the ugliness that surrounds.
Viridiana is far from an ugly film, however. Both in its narrative and visuals. It is throwing a magnifying glass over society and its people, revealing our true thoughts and nature as we fall into temptation, greed, selfishness, and questions the effectiveness of morals. It plays a significant amount of time looking into each of these varying characters and making the audience feel for them too. We also fall victim to the bullied, the blind, and the fragile elderly man. It shows our ignorance in which emotions take reign over ther realisation of human condition. We believe that those less fortunate than us are good and deserve better, and Viridiana reminds us of how damaging such thinking can be to some.
In an era strong in religion and propaganda, it is easy to see how this film would be perceived. How it reflects upon those with various deformities and unfortunate living conditions. We see how such people even fight against each other failing to have any realisation that they are two of the same. It rejects the idea of group thinking and empathy. We see a narrative that manipulates you into seeing them as victims, when actually it is our good samaritan that is the victim. It holds the question: is charity deserved? Is this ugliness present within us all? Are we all roaming around the streets together believing we are sophisticated beings when in reality we are depraved, selfish, and careless of another?
Cinematography and Context
For a film from the 1960s, this film had some really beautiful cinematography that went the extra mile to emphasise certain elements of suspense. I noticed the camera would zoom in on character's faces to display their facial expressions when needed. Adding to the dramatic effect of events and the true feelings of those in the room. In emphasis on its themes, Viridiana displays the group of the ill-fated as they altogether take advantage of the kindness provided, as they dine in luxury in the home, stealing and having no respect for the belongings of others. There is a brief moment in which all of these individuals joke that they must take a photograph together, ultimately reflecting the pose of The Last Supper.
The directing style often uses these perspectives of an observer, as if to promote this feeling that we too are breaking some social norm and breaking moral grounds by peeping on others when we should not. That behind every door there is some aspect of curiosity and temptation that is secretly acted out due to fear of embarrassment. This is even evident very early on as we get this perspective of a male that tries on a woman's shoe. Clearly something incredibly sensitive for its time and environment politically. Though again: reflective of the many minds that are subject to curiosity when given the space and time to be alone.
Though as the film progresses we see less individual emotion, and more attention towards the greater crowd. Society itself. The many rather than the few. And we see up-close perspectives of their ugliness through features, oddities in appearances, as well as general deformities that we would often be judgemental about again behind closed doors. It is a really interesting film for this, for this perspective of how we all see each other but refuse to acknowledge. It really displays the innocence found within people, but displays the total opposite as well. How we may appear helpless and fragile, but can also be monsters, even so to those who to attempt to help us and improve our lives.
I have been quite surprised by Viridiana. It was definitely not what I had expected, and I am glad I did not bother to look up much information on the film before watching it. I feel sometimes I do this a little too much and the surprise of what the director intends on sharing is often somewhat lost. I certainly was not expecting such depth and a reflection on society and humanity itself. Especially for a film that came from such an intensive political and religious environment where controvery surrounding the discussion of such themes would be censored; though they certainly tried to ensure nobody saw this film around release. It goes to show how important filmmaking can be, and how it has been, in periods of time where we feel oppressed and incapable of sharing our true feelings.
Filmmaking can be a method of revealing such feelings, keeping them etched in time, subject to being spread around the masses; particularly more so in today's digital era where anything can be uploaded to the Internet, to which it can never be truly erased. They may attempt to burn your film reels, but they can't burn uploaded data. Perhaps now we have things a bit easier when it comes to censorship. In the case of Luis Buñuel and his cast of filmmakers and actors, they had some genuine strength to stand up against everything that aimed to keep them down. And half a century later, we're still appreciating these attempts.
