Whatever its merits I would hesitate to recommend this to anyone coming to Luis Bunuel's films for the first time.
Despite his customary craftmanship and technical expertise together with an excellent cast this is too literate, verbose and intellectual to be of universal appeal.
As a result no doubt of his Jesuit upbringing Bunuel seldom missed the chance to take a pot shot at Catholicism but here he fires with both barrels! Many of the arguments put forward will be too obscure for non-Catholics and some scenes too offensive for the devout.
As a director Bunuel realised the importance of good actors and once again he has enlisted the services of Paul Frankeur, Julien Bertheau, Michel Piccoli, Georges Marchal and the wondrous Delphine Seyrig. Who better to play the role of the Virgin Mary than Edith Scob! It is Marchal who has one of the best scenes as a Jesuit fighting a duel with a Jansenist in which no blood is shed and which marks the beginning of a beautiful friendship. The Jansenist declares that "Freedom is a Phantom" which supplied the title for Bunuel's even more bizarre but fascinating opus of 1974.
Bunuel's professional relationship with writer Jean-Claude Carriere is surely one of the most fruitful in the history of film and the director was fortunate enough to have as producer the astute and far-sighted Serge Silberman who first brought them together. Superlative editor Louise Hautecoeur assists Bunuel once more and I believe this is the only time, surprisingly, that he worked with master cinematographer Christian Matras.
Although not one of his best this is of course a must for true Bunuel devotees. This film reminds us that although one should neither judge the priesthood by the priest nor the faith by the faithful, that is easier said than done!
Best to leave the final words to Bunuel himself: " I am an atheist, thank God."
As a result no doubt of his Jesuit upbringing Bunuel seldom missed the chance to take a pot shot at Catholicism but here he fires with both barrels! Many of the arguments put forward will be too obscure for non-Catholics and some scenes too offensive for the devout.
As a director Bunuel realised the importance of good actors and once again he has enlisted the services of Paul Frankeur, Julien Bertheau, Michel Piccoli, Georges Marchal and the wondrous Delphine Seyrig. Who better to play the role of the Virgin Mary than Edith Scob! It is Marchal who has one of the best scenes as a Jesuit fighting a duel with a Jansenist in which no blood is shed and which marks the beginning of a beautiful friendship. The Jansenist declares that "Freedom is a Phantom" which supplied the title for Bunuel's even more bizarre but fascinating opus of 1974.
Bunuel's professional relationship with writer Jean-Claude Carriere is surely one of the most fruitful in the history of film and the director was fortunate enough to have as producer the astute and far-sighted Serge Silberman who first brought them together. Superlative editor Louise Hautecoeur assists Bunuel once more and I believe this is the only time, surprisingly, that he worked with master cinematographer Christian Matras.
Although not one of his best this is of course a must for true Bunuel devotees. This film reminds us that although one should neither judge the priesthood by the priest nor the faith by the faithful, that is easier said than done!
Best to leave the final words to Bunuel himself: " I am an atheist, thank God."