Simon of the Desert (1965)

Simon, a deeply religious man living in the 4th century, wants to be nearer to God so he climbs a column. The Devil wants him to come down to Earth and is trying to seduce him.

Director:

Luis Buñuel

Writers:

Luis Buñuel (based on a story by), Luis Buñuel (screenplay and dialogue)

Stars:

Claudio Brook, Silvia Pinal, Enrique Álvarez Félix

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview:
Claudio Brook	...	Simón
Enrique Álvarez Félix	...	Hermano Matías / Young monk
Hortensia Santoveña	...	Madre de Simón / The mother
Francisco Reiguera	...	Monje viejo / Old monk
Luis Aceves Castañeda	...	Hermano Trifón / Monk
Enrique García Álvarez	...	Hermano Zenón / Old monk
Antonio Bravo	...	Monje / Monk
Enrique del Castillo	...	El mutilado / The Mutilated One
Eduardo MacGregor	...	Hermano Daniel / Monk
Silvia Pinal	...	El diablo / The Devil

Storyline

The ascetic Simón believes he is a sinner and decides to self-inflict a sacrifice, living like a hermit on the top of a pedestal in the middle of the desert to be closer to God and resist the temptations of the world. His followers are peasants and travelers that believe that Simón is a saint capable of performing miracles and they crowd to hear his speeches. However, Satan tries to tempt him with the pleasures of the world.

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Plot Keywords:

temptation | dark humor | bare breasts | female nudity | black comedy | 

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Genres:

Short | Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Mexico

Language:

Spanish Latin

Release Date:

9 February 1970 (Mexico)

Also Known As:

Simon of the Desert

Filming Locations:

Samalayuca, Chihuahua, Mexico

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,843

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Producción Cinematográfica (STPC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

43 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA High Fidelity)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is the final film of Luis Buñuel's Mexican period. He made twenty films from Mexico in total.

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Goofs

When the coffin is floating through the desert toward Simon's pillar, the wire pulling the coffin can be seen several times.

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Quotes

Brother Matías: God be with you, brother. Where's the milk for the monastery?
Dwarf Goatherd: Some whore breathed on it and curdled it.

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Connections

Referenced in Inland Empire (2006)

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Soundtracks

Himnos de los Peregrinos
Written by Raúl Lavista

User Reviews

Cinema's tallest soapbox

The funding for this gleefully blasphemous feature was pulled before the film was completed, resulting in an abrupt and not quite satisfying ending. Still, what's left is a little slice of heaven (pun intended) with some of its directors most direct and powerful attacks on the clergy he made a career of hating. Bunuel here presents us with an ascetic so self-involved that he declines to embrace his own mother; he restores the hands to a peasant who immediately uses them to strike his own child; he prides himself on eating only lettuce, mentioning it often and to anyone who will listen. "Simon" is a good-looking film, too, with a visual landscape that echoes its protagonist's austerity and startling surreal touches -- such as a coffin that slides through the desert scrub to the base of the column atop which Simon spends his years -- that recall the glory days of "L'Age d'Or." It might have been a masterpiece had Bunuel been allowed the full scope of his vision; it's a major film as is. 8/10