Viva Maria! (1965)

Director:

Louis Malle

Writers:

Louis Malle (scenario and dialogue) and
Jean-Claude Carrière (scenario and dialogue)

Release Date:

18 December 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Romance | Western

Tagline:

Viva Fun! Viva Can-Can! Viva Adventure! Viva Strip Tease! Viva Love! Viva Boom-Boom!

Plot:

Somewhere in Middle America, 1907: Maria II, the daugther of an Irish terrorist, meets after the dead of her father Maria I...

Plot Keywords:

Circus | Church | Revolution | Rebellion | Striptease

Awards:

Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Brigitte Bardot	...	Maria I
Jeanne Moreau	...	Maria II
Paulette Dubost	...	Mme Diogène
Claudio Brook	...	The Great Rodolfo
Carlos López Moctezuma	...	Rodríguez (as Carlos Lopez Moctezuma)
Poldo Bendandi	...	Werther
Gregor von Rezzori	...	Diogène (as Gregor Von Rezzori)
Francisco Reiguera	...	Father Superior
Jonathan Eden	...	Juanito Diogène
Roberto Pedret	...	Pablo
José Ángel Espinosa 'Ferrusquilla'	...	The Dictator of San Miguel (as José Ángel Espinoza)
George Hamilton	...	Flores
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
José Baviera	...	Don Alvaro (uncredited)
Ramón Bugarini	...	(uncredited)
José Luis Campa	...	Scout soldier (uncredited)
Roberto Campa	...	Scout soldier (uncredited)
José Esqueda	...	Scout soldier (uncredited)
Eduardo Murillo	...	Scout soldier (uncredited)
Carlos Riquelme	...	Town Major (in railroad station) (uncredited)
Luis Rizo	...	Strongman (uncredited)
Adriana Roel	...	Janine (uncredited)
Fernando Wagner	...	Father of Maria I (uncredited)

Directed by
Louis Malle

Writing credits
Louis Malle		(scenario and dialogue) and
Jean-Claude Carrière		(scenario and dialogue) (as Jean-Claude Carriere)

Produced by
Óscar Dancigers	....	producer (as Oscar Dancigers)

Original Music by
Georges Delerue

Cinematography by
Henri Decaë		(director of photography) (as Henri Decae)

Film Editing by
Suzanne Baron
Kenout Peltier

Production Design by
Bernard Evein

Costume Design by
Ghislain Uhry

Makeup Department
Jean-Pierre Berroyer	....	hair stylist (as J.P. Berroyer)
Odette Berroyer	....	makeup artist (as O. Berroyer)
Simone Knapp	....	makeup artist (as S. Knapp)

Production Management
Pascual Aragonés	....	production director (as Pascual Aragones)
Alain Quefféléan	....	production director (as Alain Queffelean)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Juan Luis Buñuel	....	assistant director (as Juan-Luis Buñuel)
Manuel Muñoz	....	assistant director (as Mañuel Muñoz)
Volker Schlöndorff	....	assistant director (as Volker Schloendorff)

Art Department
Rafael Suárez	....	set dresser (as Rafael Suarez)

Sound Department
José B. Carles	....	sound (as Jose Carles)

Special Effects by
Lee Zavitz	....	special effects (as Lee Zavits)

Camera and Electrical Department
Alain Douarinou	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Georgette Somohano	....	costumer (as G.Somoano)

Editorial Department
Claude Le Gallou	....	assistant editor (as C. Le Gallou)
Claudine Merlin	....	assistant editor (as C. Merlin)

Other crew
Jacqueline Decaë	....	script girl (as Jacqueline Decae)
Georges Gillet	....	administrator
Ghislain Uhry	....	color advisor
'Chema' Hernandez	....	livestock coordinator: Mexico (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Nouvelles Éditions de Films (NEF) (co-production)
• Les Productions Artistes Associés (co-production)
• Vides Cinematografica (co-production) (as Vides-Film) (Rome)

Distributors

• United Artists (1965) (France) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1965) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• United Artists of Japan (1966) (Japan) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1966) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Kinokuniya (2006) (Japan) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1973) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (dubbed version)

Other Companies

• Pierre Cardin  costumes
• Panavision France  filmed in (as Panavision)
• Estrella  staff
• S.I.M.O.  auditorium (as SIMO)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

Argentina:122 min | France:120 min | USA:119 min

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

English | Spanish | French | German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:A (1966) | West Germany:16 (nf) | Australia:M | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico

Company:

Nouvelles Éditions de Films (NEF)

Trivia:

The gun that shoots around a corner that "The Great Rodolfo" develops as part of this story is found in a similar weapon called the periscope rifle in 1915 which allowed for the actuation of the trigger from beneath the line of sight of the firearm. Simmilarly, the Krummlauf was a bent barrel attachment was created in WWII for shooting around corners from a safe position. And CornerShot, designed in the early 2000s, allows its operator to both see and attack an armed target, without exposing the operator to counterattack.

Goofs:

Continuity: The two Marias' underpants during the strip scene.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Geburtstagskinder der Nouvelle Vague (2007) (TV)

Bardot - Armed and dangerous

If I was asked what genre this film should be put in, I'd really struggle. I guess it's a Vaudeville black farce comedy musical which occasionally breaks into a spaghetti Western. The daft thing is that it kind of works. Bardot must surely be one of the most gorgeous women ever to grace the silver screen, you simply cannot take your eyes off her. Skimpy clothing, wild strawberry hair and a machine gun in her hand, you need a cold shower after watching this! I'm not sure that I believed her as being of Irish descent but was willing to forgive her anything. There are moments of sublime comedy and I don't think I'll ever trust a homing pigeon again. Not to be taken too seriously but great, great fun.