Tristana (1970)

When the young woman Tristana's mother dies, she is entrusted to the guardianship of the well-respected though old Don Lope. Don Lope is well-liked and well-known because of his honorable ... See full summary »

Director:

Luis Buñuel

Writers:

Julio Alejandro, Luis Buñuel (screen story),

Stars:

Catherine Deneuve, Fernando Rey, Franco Nero

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 9 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Catherine Deneuve	...	Tristana
Fernando Rey	...	Don Lope
Franco Nero	...	Horacio
Lola Gaos	...	Saturna
Antonio Casas	...	Don Cosme
Jesús Fernández	...	Saturno
Vicente Soler	...	Don Ambrosio
José Calvo	...	Bellringer
Fernando Cebrián	...	Dr. Miquis
Antonio Ferrandis
José María Caffarel
Cándida Losada	...	Citizen
Joaquín Pamplona
Mary Paz Pondal	...	Muchacha
Juanjo Menéndez	...	Don Cándido (as Juan José Menéndez)

Storyline

When the young woman Tristana's mother dies, she is entrusted to the guardianship of the well-respected though old Don Lope. Don Lope is well-liked and well-known because of his honorable nature, despite his socialistic views about business and religion. But Don Lope's one weakness is women, and he falls for the innocent girl in his charge, seduces her, makes her his lover, though all the while explaining to her that she is as free as he. But when she acts on this freedom, Don Lope must deal with the consequences of his world-view.

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Plot Keywords:

surrealism | based on novel | character name in title

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Taglines:

Somewhere between the innocent girl and the not so innocent mistress is the bizarre, sensuous story of Tristana

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and some disturbing images

Details

Country:

Spain Italy France

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

29 April 1970 (France)

Also Known As:

Bunuel '70

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Spain

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$4,153 (USA) (21 November 2012)

Gross:

$12,686 (USA) (21 November 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Época Films, Talía Films, Selenia Cinematografica

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Luis Buñuel:  [amputee] 

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Quotes

Don Lope: [Consoling Tristana after she's had a bad dream] It's good to have dreams, even if they're frightening... The dead don't dream.

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Connections

Referenced in Bunuel and King Solomon's Table (2001)

User Reviews

Yet another Buñuel masterpiece.

Luis Buñuel had a mastery of screen technique attained by very few directors. Confronted by the script of Tristana, what contemporary director would know where to start?

Buñuel's attention to detail is extraordinary. Every scene is packed with visual interest. In some strange way, the decor forms an essential part of the structure; it is a facet of Buñuel's unique vision. Moreover, he not only knows exactly when to end a sequence, but how to end it. For instance, when Don Lope (Rey) puts down the dog and walks away, the camera follows not him but the dog: an endearing and brilliant touch, and there are many more. Compelling throughout, even spellbinding.

If this film were a framed picture hanging in a gallery, thousands would come to see it and Buñuel would be acclaimed as a great artist. He was a great artist, in fact, but the cinema is an ephemeral form and people forget. We need to buy the videos and watch these fine movies from time to time, just to remind ourselves that a film can be a significant art form and not merely a commercial product cynically synthesised to extract the largest amount of money from the greatest number of people.