The Milky Way (1969)

Two drifters go on a pilgrimage from France to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Along the way, they hitchhike, beg for food, and face the Christian dogmas and heresies from different Ages.

Director:

Luis Buñuel (as Luis Bunuel)

Writers:

Luis Buñuel (as Luis Bunuel), Jean-Claude Carrière

Stars:

Paul Frankeur, Laurent Terzieff, Alain Cuny

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Frankeur	...	Pierre
Laurent Terzieff	...	Jean
Alain Cuny	...	L'homme à la cape
Edith Scob	...	La Vierge Marie
Bernard Verley	...	Jésus
François Maistre	...	Le curé fou
Claude Cerval	...	Le brigadier
Muni	...	La mère supérieure
Julien Bertheau	...	Richard 'maître d'hôtel'
Ellen Bahl	...	Madame Garnier
Michel Piccoli	...	Le marquis de Sade
Agnès Capri	...	La directrice de l'institution Lamartine
Michel Etcheverry	...	L'inquisiteur
Pierre Clémenti	...	L'ange de la mort
Georges Marchal	...	Le jésuite

Storyline

Two drifters go on a pilgrimage from France to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Along the way, they hitchhike, beg for food, and face the Christian dogmas and heresies from different Ages.

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Plot Keywords:

reference to the virgin mary | nun | philosophy | absurd | pope | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

M/PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

In an interview to magazine "Telerama", Jean Sorel said that although he did not get along well with director Luis Bunuel during the filming of "Belle de Jour" in 1967 , he offered to him the role of Jesus in "la voie lactée" .But Jean Sorel turned it down because, at this time, he had an assignment for a movie in Italy.

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Goofs

During the scene with the "free love" Catholics in the forest, the wide angle shots are taken during the day, while the close-ups and medium shots are clearly not during the day.

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Quotes

Rodolphe, un étudiant protestant: Faith doesn't come to us through reason but through the heart

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Connections

References Weekend (1967)

User Reviews

Buñuel takes a few high caliber shots at religion and chastity

Le fantôme de la liberté (Buñuel, 1974) seems to take off right from this film as if it were a sequel, visually and conceptually. This film however is much more determined to denounce the contradictions and hypocrisy of different religions, while Fantôme has even more artistic freedom. Also this is much more coherent and if there is any danger of getting heavy-handed, Buñuel knows how to joke himself a way out using illusionism or a mild shock-treatment. It is simultaneously very rational and miraculous. The anti-clericism and subversive desires frequently come to the surreal surface. I can't help but see this as an inspiration for Monty Python's 'Life of Brian' (1979), because that film also remotely feels like an off the wall road movie in which anything can happen.

The subject matter was sort of tough for an atheist (heretic?) like me, but the humour with which Buñuel lets the characters throw the crucial differences between religions at each other is hilarious. E.g. in the middle of a duel between a Catholic and a Jesuit: 'Prior will is mere impulse. My thoughts and my will are not in my own power ... ma liberte est un fantôme.' 'What does freedom mean anyway? How can I be free if what I do is determined in advance?' etc. And why would all the personnel of a restaurant be caught up in an eloquent discussion about the existence of God while they are at work? See for yourself. Cinematographer Christian Matras (also Le Grande Illusion, 1937) continues to improve Buñuel's visual style using zoom-pan-zoom shots for instance, but keeps it sober.

9/10

Details

Country:

France Italy West Germany

Language:

French Italian Latin Spanish

Release Date:

28 February 1969 (Italy)

Also Known As:

The Milky Way

Filming Locations:

Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Galicia, Spain

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,893

Company Credits

Production Co:

Greenwich Film Productions, Fraia Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1