I, the Worst of All (1990) User Reviews

Feminism and the Church

[lastliberal · 8/10 · 1 July 2008]

Who would have guessed that there is a genre out there called nunsploitation. I am not sure what it means, but this film appears to be included.

It is the story of a Mexican nun that was decidedly feminist. You can look up Juana Inés de la Cruz on Wikipedia and it will give you more. Apparently this film is historically accurate according to those I have consulted.

The main thrust of this film is the intense hatred (Can one say fear?) of women by the Church through the ages, which continues to this day. It examines the Inquisition, by which the Church sought to stifle creativity and thinking.

One would do well to know the status of women in the Church at the time to properly understand and enjoy this film. The role of women can be defined: "it is right for (women) to pride themselves on being silent, both those for whom it is convenient to cover up their lack of knowledge, and those who might shamelessly reveal what they know, because in all of them it is not only an agreeable condition, but a proper virtue, to speak little and be silent." Unlike Saint Teresa, Sr Juana is castigated not canonized for the audacity to speak her mind, to seek knowledge, and to think.

If you seek the "lesbian passion behind convent walls" that is on the DVD cover, you will be sorely disappointed. While a lesbian relationship might be strongly suggested between Sr Juana and her noble protectress, it is never overtly expressed with the exception of a kiss that would be considered an "air kiss" compared to the one Phoebe gave Rachel on "Friends." The film was extremely interesting and Assumpta Serna was outstanding as Sr Juana.

Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz

[jotix100 · 7/10 · 4 May 2006]

Juana Ines de la Cruz was a woman ahead of her times. She had everything going against her; she was a woman, she had intelligence, and she intimidated the people around her. Everything conspired to make her a target for the higher ups in the Catholic Church in Mexico. The Archbishop wanted to silence her at all costs.

These were the times when the so called Holy Inquisition was an instrument of the Church to get rid of anyone considered heretic, or who would question the dogma. It was a convenient way to get rid of the enemies, as the Catholic Church had such power that no one dared to challenge it.

Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz wrote some of the best poetry known in the Spanish literature. Her work has survived because of the strength and beauty of her work. Sor Juana was befriended by the Spanish Viceroy and his wife. The virreina, in particular, saw in Juana a kindred spirit. Their relationship had shades of lesbianism, although only a chaste kiss is exchanged between them. When the Medinacellis are recalled home, Sor Juana is left at the mercy of the evil Archbishop who is bent in destroying her. Sor Juana Ines succumbs to the pest that took thousands in her country without being recognized in life for all she gave the world.

Maria Luisa Bemberg, a feminist film maker, puts her stamp in this story by bringing together the influential virreina and Sor Juana, a combination of two strong women who lived during a period of uncertainty in Spain and her colonies in the new world.

Asumpta Serna has some good moments as Juana Ines de la Cruz. Dominique Sanda is also effective playing opposite Ms. Serna as the virreina. Hector Alterio, Lautaro Murua, and the rest of the cast do a good job supporting the principal players. Cecilia Roth's dubbed the voice for Ms. Sanda.

Felix Monti's dark cinematography serves the film well. The film was photographed in a studio, and at times, it looks as though it is a theater set. Ms. Bemberg directed with a sure hand and got a lot out of her cast and crew.

An exceptionally fascinating film that has been deceivingly packaged

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 30 September 2006]

When I picked up this DVD, I thought this was a movie whose main theme was Lesbianism--at least that's what many would assume about it judging by the DVD cover. And while this might have made a very interesting subject for a film, this was not at all what the film was about in the least!! Apart from a rather innocent kiss between Sister Juana and her lady friend, there is NOTHING about this film that could be construed as a gay or even straight picture. The women MIGHT have been in love with each other, but they never acted upon this and this really wasn't the main message of the film.

Instead, its a story about a real-life nun, poet and scholar and the difficulties encountered by being all these during the days of the Spanish Inquisition. Juana is a brilliant and very accomplished woman who was not allowed to enter the university because women simply weren't allowed to do this. A woman either needed to marry and make babies or become a nun--and she chose to become a nun because she believed she could pursue her studies of space, the word, philosophy, and especially poetry this way. And for a while, this was the case--until an overzealous new Mexican Archbishop saw her curiosity about the world as a sign of wickedness! Instead of Lesbianism, the film is actually about wasted talent and misogyny--a super-talented lady who was despised for being different! This movie would be excellent fair for teens and young adults--especially young women daring to walk their own path. As a father of two very accomplished girls, I would hope that this real-life story would inspire them.

As far as the technical merits of the movie go, it is very well acted, written and produced. It was a bit slow-going at times, but considering it was reality, this can't be helped. And despite this, the film could have been scored a 9 by me--it was very, very close.

A Great Historical Movie - Addresses the Lesbian Continuum

[phalsall · 26 November 2001]

The movie is well made, although not much money seems to have been spent on sets! It sticks fairly closely to the basic historical data, but a quick read up on Sor Juana in the Encyclopedia Brittanica might help many viewers.

Now to the rating issue. There is no good reason why this movie should be restricted to those over 18 by Amazon and other online merchants. There is no overt nudity or genital sex. There is a fairly chaste kiss between women. I suppose the violent scenes of nuns whipping themsleves in a penitential exercise might be offensive to some, but self-flagellation was indeed a part of Catholic monastic life until well into the 20th century, and the scene is not presented in any prurient way. If this amounts to a need to ban the movie for young people, then the Bible also would need to be banned. It has far more sex, nudity, and violence.

The writers who object to the "Lesbian passion" line on the box do have a point. Anyone buying this for erotic arousal would be profoundly mislead.

There is, however, a real lesbian aspect to this film. Sor Juana is clearly a "woman identified woman." She achieves her greatest triumphs while in the nurturing and all-female world of the Convent; her relationship with the Vicereine is the most heated in the film; and the destruction of her writing comes from the intrusion of the exclusively male world of the church hierarchy and the inquistion. Most importantly, her writing reflects an explicit feminist critique of women's oppression.

Just as one does not need to have genital sex in order to be a "heterosexual," neither does one need genital sex in order to be part of the lesbian continuum. Sor Juana is indeed part of the that continuum.

Juana is a great role model

[pod_the_god · 7/10 · 19 March 2006]

Sor Juana battles through the film, a true story, to win the right to study. An interesting film, particularly from the feminist perspective. It is in ways uplifting to be reminded of women like Sor Juana, who stood up for women's rights to intelligence and who braved the wrath of the church. The ending, in particular, carries a great deal of poignancy. It is, in fact, fabricated by director Maria Luisa Bemberg, who, a Catholic feminist herself, wanted to portray the patriarchal Catholic church in a certain (negative) way. Sor Juana renounces her writing in the film, an ending which subverts history, however, there are many aspects of mise-en-scene that undermine the obvious reading that Juana is defeated. For example, she signs with her own blood (Bemberg was aware of the connotations of female blood for the Catholics) and there is a note at the end pointing out that Sor Juana is considered one of the greatest poets of her age, which shows that despite her apparent defeat, she still managed to be more famous than her oppressors to this day. There is no evidence that Juana ever renounced her writing, according to history she appeared to simply stopped writing. However, her self-humiliation at the end makes the film far more poignant, and her status as a brilliant scholar and poet all the more deserved and righteous, given the suffering she underwent.

Velasquez brought to Life.

[Prof_Lostiswitz · 10/10 · 5 January 2004]

The best reason to see this movie is on account of the gorgeous camerawork; every frame is like stepping inside an art gallery. Velasquez in particular comes to mind, especially his Bodegones (kitchen pictures), which emphasized the inner dignity of maids and dishwashers. (A Spanish movie with a similar feel is Los Santos Inocentes).

The pacing is extremely slow, as befits a story which is about the inner faith and turmoil of a 17th century poet-nun (Sor Juana). She always considered the external events of her life as secondary to the inner spiritual matters of faith and poetry, and this film attempts to portray that. You should not watch this unless you are comfortable with introspective meditation.

Director Bemberg has a lot to say about the destruction of women's creative abilities through history (and should we be so arrogant as to suppose it never happens now?). <SPOILER> Sor Juana at the end of the film resembles the victim of torture or lobotomy, although we may suppose that the church used more subtle means to destroy her personality. (We aren't told what these are, but we see how she is then "terminated" by being sent to work in a plague hospital, where she succumbs).

Sor Juana's relationships with those around her are shown with delicacy and depth; the acting is flawless. This film almost resembles silent cinema in the way it portrays glance-against-glance with few words being spoken. However, we sometimes get to hear Sor Juana"s poetry recited, usually in voice-over. Again, viewers uncomfortable with the contemplative approach are warned to stay away.

YLPDT has probably suffered from the worst publicity-advertising of any movie ever, ensuring that it will be seen by those who don't like it and ignored by those who would have enjoyed it. If it is ever re-issued on VHS/DVD, let us hope the manufacturers show a bit more taste.

Interesting portrait of an important poet and feminist

[runamokprods · 7/10 · 16 January 2012]

The true story of Sister Juana Inez de la Cruz, a nun in 17th century Mexico, born a peasant, who later became known as one of the great poets of the Spanish language.

But in her own time she was crushed by a Catholic church frightened of women pursuing intellectual or artistic truths

The film is beautifully shot, well acted, and always interesting. It's an important story of an early feminist.

But I had a few problems. First, the highly theatrical sets and lighting, while a style I often respond to, didn't really seem to be serving a purpose here since the story is acted and written in a fairly naturalistic, straightforward way. I found myself pulled out of the film again and again to say 'neat lighting' or 'cool set'.

Perhaps more importantly, the climatic twist of the film, Sister Juana's finally having her spirit and soul crushed by the church, happens way too rapidly, and mostly off-camera. This is a woman who would seem ready to be put to death by the Inquisition for being herself, and suddenly, without our seeing how it happened she is mopping the floor, and staring off into space.

Last, the film sets up its antagonists, and their positions of power so clearly, that there is only one possible path for the story to travel. We know Juana will eventually become a victim, so the film becomes just waiting for that painful decline.

None-the-less, a worthwhile film about an important artist and early voice for women's rights who is sadly under-known by much of the world.

Very historical perspective...

[cinemamuse · 9/10 · 26 September 2005]

This is one of the few times in cinematic history where so much of the Spanisn Inquisition was explained for the full detail of what it entailed. I learned more about the politics of that time through this film than in my history classes. The connection Spain had with the 'new world' was stronger than any Britain had with her 'new world'.

If you have a passion for history, a passion for what shaped the way the Catholic church now runs its show (in perspective with its history), then this movie is a must see.

The acting, the writing, the production is second to none.

I first saw this film in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1992 at the Edinburgh Film Festival... I've since looked for it elsewhere unsuccessfully...

Feminist Film, Poetry on the Silver Screen

[mcarman-83803 · 7/10 · 5 November 2017]

Overall I was pleased with the film Yo, la peor de todas for its in depth and thought provoking exploration of the person and legend of Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz. From her lesbian desires, to her monumental intellect, to her tussles with Church authorities regarding matters of faith, theology, and feminism, the film entertains and enlightens the viewer. Unfortunately, this wonderful set up is slightly marred by the acting of certain cast members within the movie. While normally such a detail would not bother me, in this particular movie with both its important themes and its depiction of one of the most influential poets and feminists in history, I found myself disappointed at the fact the Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz was not receiving the complete focus and fleshing-out that such an influential and important person deserves.

One scene in particular which made me realise the genius of this movie came late in the film when Sor Juana is visiting her sick, dying mother. Sor Juana sits on the edge of her mother's death bed, cooling her off with a wet rag, wiping the sweat from her brow. While I can't remember the exact words exchanged between the two, the conversation is a discussion of the events that lead Sor Juana to living in a convent, locked away from the intellectual world of which she so desperately wished to be a part. Her mother tries and tries to understand her daughter's strange obsession with knowledge, but can't seem to comprehend. However, rather than rebuke her child or berate her, she accepts Sor Juana for the woman she is. For me this was a powerful expression of one of the basic ideas underlying feminist philosophy. People and therefore women vary in their ideas, orientations, philosophies, etc.; however, these differences should not stop women from coming together and fighting for the overall goal of feminism, bettering the world-wide female experience.

Historical drama...lesbian passion, not so much

[hoxjennifer · 8/10 · 15 November 2015]

Don't be fooled by the misleading tagline. This is a historical drama. Nothing more. I suspect the tagline was written to try and get more men into the movie, but besides a peck, love letters and shy glances, there isn't much lesbian action in this movie. It is not for people with some sort of lesbo-nun fetish.

That being said, the film should be appreciated as a historical drama. Assumpta Serna does a wonderful job of playing the beautiful, "passionate, ironical" and intelligent Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz. As far as I can tell based on my preliminary research, the film is historically accurate, with a few artistic liberties. The film is a film of dialogue - besides some brief scenes of flogging, and sickness in the convent, this is a film mostly about intelligent dialogue, as it should be due to its subject matter. The themes of feminism and the church are well explored and is a good look into the lives of women during the Inquisition of Colonial times.

n/a

[efrainarteaga · 7/10 · 5 November 2017]

I, the Worst of All is about a women in the 17th Century named Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz who is forced to go into a covenant because the only other option was to marry but she didn't want to marry. She is in love with literature, poetry and writing but she is punished for her poetry that express radical idea that go against the Catholic Church. Another layer of the plot is that Sor may be a lesbian. She has an interest in this women throughout the movie but she knows nothing can ever happen because of the norm of that period and the taboo against lesbianism, especially within the Catholic Church. In a time when women weren't even seen as equals, there was no way that society would allow a women to be in a relationship with another women. It was not even sure if the women Sor had an attraction to shared that same level of attraction toward Sor. The aesthetic of the movie directly correlates with the oppression shown in the movie. The color scheme is dark with dull colors and very little pleasing visuals. One fault that I, the Worst of All had was that it was very slow to deliver its plot. It was so slow i watched it at 1.5x speed and even then I was still bored with the movie. Overall I enjoyed the movie, I'm glad, as a catholic, that the Catholic Church is no longer like this. The movie did a very good job at portraying a conflicting lifestyle going against the norm of that century and especially as a nun in a Catholic covenant. The cinematography was very pleasing because it went along with the oppressive theme of the movie. Even thought it was slow, I recommend this movie to anyone.

Slow but brilliant

[nataliercurtiss · 8/10 · 27 October 2017]

Yo, la peor de todas is a long, slow movie set inside of a convent. It is almost entirely shot in dull colors and small spaces. In fact, there is very little visual interest throughout, with the exception of the costumes of the Spanish visitors. However, this does not detract from the plot or the emotion and the intensity of the situation. Sor Juana is kind of an enigma. To someone who is unfamiliar with Mexican history or the time period in which the movie takes place, it unclear why she is in the convent in the first place. This is later revealed, of course, in her conversation with her mother, in which she states that it was her only option other than getting married. We then know that she chose not to marry a man, at a great expense. What we don't know is whether she would prefer to be with a woman. The scenes of her and the Virreina are emotionally intense; the is an implication of great intimacy, and the poetry that Sor Juana writes to her appears to be of a romantic nature. However, the director in this case was careful to avoid explicitly representing Sor Juana's romantic attraction to the Virreina. While we do see the Virreina's feelings for Sor Juana when she kisses her, there is no reciprocation. However, this too is ambiguous. It could be that Juana does not feel the same way, or it could be that she has sufficient respect for her position as a nun that she chooses not to engage physically in the relationship. Either way, the audience sees intense (platonic bordering on romantic) emotional intimacy between women, which is a common (even essential) aspect of womanhood that is sadly underrepresented in movies and TV. Broad City is another good example of a show that portrays this intensity of friendship, but it is one of few. While Yo, la peor de todas is slow to the point of being boring, it is definitely worth watching.

Behind Convent Walls.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 7/10 · 7 February 2022]

After watching The Headless Woman (2008-also reviewed) I decided to look for info on writer/auteur director Lucrecia Martel. Finding a list of film makers that Martel has said inspired her, there was one name which stood out straight away, due to having not heard of this film maker before!

Despite the major impact she had on the cinema from Argentina, I was disappointed to find no discs of Maria Luisa Bemberg works, with the only sign of them on home media, being the odd long out of print video. Not giving up,I decided to dig deeper, and tracked down one of Bemberg's movies on DVD in South Korea with English subtitles, leading to me finally discovering the worst of it all.

View on the film:

Finding the only answers to her prays she receives being men demanding she conforms,Assumpta Serna gives an excellent, saintly performance as Cruz, whose flourishing passion for poetry and love for Virreina is tied by Serna with a subtle, delicate touch, which uncoils to the torment Cruz suffers from the Spanish Inquisition.

One of the very first women film makers from Argentina to get attention from international awards, (with her 1984 title Camila being nominated for Best Foreign Film at the Oscar's) writer/directing auteur María Luisa Bemberg & The Secret in Their Eyes (2009-also reviewed) cinematographer Felix Monti stylishly cross the horror of Nunsploitation with the precise elegance of the Costume Drama.

Bemberg casts long shadows and expressionism-style large crosses hanging from the walls,which look down in panning shots at Cruz trying to break out of the oppression with her poetry, (women fighting against the boundaries and limits imposed on them by men in society, being a major recurring theme in her work) while grotesque sounds and close-ups signal the oncoming wave of The Plague, as Cruz experiences the worst of it all.

Interesting Historical Drama

[GeneralB · 2 November 1999]

This film is an interesting historical piece set in the late 17th century. It is in Spanish and is based on a book by noted Mexican author Octavio Paz, which was itself based on a true story. The story is about Sor Juana, a nun and poet in Spanish Mexico who challenges the theology of the archbishop. In doing so, it also explores the tension between the church and the crown, in this case between the archbishop and the viceroy, who supports Sor Juana. The camera work and use of color, light, and shadow throughout the film sets the mood quite well. While it occasionally seems a little drawn out, in general it is an interesting, effective and entertaining work.

The oppression of women in the Catholic church

[della-60189 · 7/10 · 5 November 2017]

It is important to first understand the specific historical context of a movie while analyzing the profound ideas illustrated by it. This movie represents a specific image of the oppression against women in the Catholic church in the 17th century. Specifically, in Mexico, the presence of the Catholic church in Mexico is illustrated through Sor Juana de la Cruz, a young nun within the convent who uses poetry to express he radical ideas about life. This expression of ideas becomes appealing to the virreina, so much so that the two share a very special bond, which leads to more criticism and ultimately larger oppression for Sor Juana at the hands of the men of the Catholic church. Throughout the movie, we see the ridiculing and judgment of the men in the church not only at the disposal of Sor Juana, but it is also present in the lives of the other nuns who appear to accept the oppression as the norm. It is the desire for furthering knowledge and a new understanding of life by Sor Juana that threatens the men of the church and causes them to act out in multiple different ways toward Sor Juana. The soft references to a lesbian relationship between Sor Juana and the virreina also serve as recognition of even more control of women by the Church. For me, it was difficult to watch and understand the oppression of Sor Juana by the Church because the church that I know and am a part of today is not like the Church represented in the movie. I understand that it is the historical context that causes this disconnect. Also, it is important to understand, that the ideas that Sor Juana wrote about in the 17th century are ideas that are still present today, which makes her an even more relevant figure in today's culture.

A pretty wonderful and very dark film

[rdoyle29 · 8/10 · 22 December 2022]

Assumpta Serna is somewhat of a celebrity nun in 17th century Mexico ... she writes plays and poetry and studies science. She's made an enemy of the new Archbishop (Lautaro Murúa), who's idea of Catholicism is more in line with the Spanish Inquisition currently flourishing back in Spain. He tries to bring Serna back in line with his way of thinking, but she is protected by the King's representative Héctor Alterio and his scholarly wife Dominique Sanda. Serna's extremely close and intimate relationship with Sanda does her in.

A really striking and thoughtful Argentinian film about the real Juana Inés de la Cruz who was a talented artist and a thinker far ahead of her time. It's a very talky film, but there's a lot of thoughtful discussion of the nature of religion and women's roles as thinkers.

It's also a very dark film with a sadly realistic ending.

Nice Introduction to the life of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz

[anapineapple · 8/10 · 5 November 2017]

I, the Worst of All is now one of my favorite movies. I had always admired Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz. She is on the 200 Mexican peso bill. I used to go around Mexico with the bill in hand always staring at her on the bill. She seemed so mysterious on the bill. She was like a Mexican Mona Lisa to me. I actually thought that there was no good movie or television show about her, (Not that I actively looked for one). There is now a show on Netflix now. It is pretty good.

This movie is just an introduction to her, it is not a full biography of her life, but a mere slice of it. It actually does no full justice to her. We do see only a sliver of her personality and some interpretations of her. In her time, she was a deviant yearning to learn more than what a normal woman of her time would learn. She wanted to read more and have more books and the only way to achieve that was to be a nun. She gave up basically her life to learn. It is quite admirable.

Overall, I enjoyed seeing this person on the silver screen. I learned just a bit about her, although the movie is based on the book, Sor Juana: Or, the Traps of Faith, by Octavio Paz. In general, I would recommend this movie to people wanting to know more about Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, people who want to know more about gender inequalities, and feminism. One can really see the injustices toward her just because she was a woman. She is actually very witty about it in the movie. There are several scenes that she basically just screams girl power.

Of course this movie does not cover her beginnings, which would have been nice to see, but we do get to see a mature side of her. A side of her that is aware of her surroundings and is quick thinking to not only respect herself in times of humiliation, but to also win over her audience.