Viridiana (1961)

Director:

Luis Buñuel

Writers:

Luis Buñuel (story) and
Julio Alejandro (story) ...
(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 | Vow | Novice | Mother Superior | Guilt

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Silvia Pinal	...	Viridiana
Francisco Rabal	...	Jorge
Fernando Rey	...	Don Jaime
José Calvo	...	Don Amalio (as Jose Calvo)
Margarita Lozano	...	Ramona
José Manuel Martín	...	El Cojo
Victoria Zinny	...	Lucia
Luis Heredia	...	Manuel 'El Poca'
Joaquín Roa	...	Señor Zequiel
Lola Gaos	...	Enedina
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	...	José 'El Leproso' (uncredited)
Palmira Guerra	...	Beggar (uncredited)
Joaquin Mayol	...	Beggar (uncredited)
Sergio Mendizábal	...	El Pelón (uncredited)
Narciso Ojeda	...	(uncredited)
Milagros Tomás	...	Beggar (uncredited)

Directed by
Luis Buñuel

Writing credits
Luis Buñuel		(story) and
Julio Alejandro		(story)
Luis Buñuel		(dialogue) and
Julio Alejandro		(dialogue)
Benito Pérez Galdós		novel "Halma" (uncredited)

Produced by
Gustavo Alatriste	....	producer
Ricardo Muñoz Suay	....	executive producer
Pere Portabella	....	executive producer (as Pedro Portabella)

Original Music by
Gustavo Pittaluga

Cinematography by
José F. Aguayo		(as Jose F. Aguayo)

Film Editing by
Pedro del Rey

Set Decoration 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. García Tijeras)

Music Department
Gustavo Pittaluga	....	music selection (as Gustavo Pitaluga)

Production Companies

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

Distributors

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

Other Companies

• Estudios CEA C. Lineal  studio

Also Known As:

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

Spain | Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Klangfilm-Magnetocord)

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | Australia:M | France:Unrated | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Spain

Company:

Unión Industrial Cinematográfica (UNINCI)

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 Les pel·lícules del meu pare (2007)

Soundtrack:

Hallejujah Chorus

One of Bunuel's masterpieces.

Beautiful and devout Viridiana (Silvia Pinal in an impressive performance) is about to take her final vows as a nun, and enter a convent. At the urging of her Mother Superior she takes a short break to visit her estranged Uncle and benefactor Don Jaime (Bunuel regular, the always wonderful Fernando Rey). Reluctantly she does so thinking it will be the last time she sees him before devoting her life to God. Don Jaime, a complex man, has other plans for Viridiana - he wants to take her as his wife. What follows is unpredictable, fascinating and an almost perfect piece of film making. Highly controversial in its day, and accused of blasphemy, it may not be as shocking to our cynical, secular eyes, but it still packs a punch, and is highly recommended. One of Luis Bunuel's greatest achievements.