Review of Viridiana (1962) by Jonathan G — 07 Nov 2008

Yes, it's anti-clerical in that conventional style perfected by continental European directors, and the message is at times reductively cynical and even misogynistic, but there's a lot of fun along the way, the visuals are wonderful, and the characters are at once quirky and cogent.

I believed in the beggars: the banquet scene is a terrific bit of naturalism, the dialogue makes sense, and the symbolism is more nuanced and humorous than some reviewers have suggested - for example, the Don's nephew liberates one dog from servitude only to see another similarly bonded hove instantly into sight.

The overall tone is frankly misanthropic, and the cast does Bunuel's direction justice.