The idea behind the story was so good and there where some amazing scenes in the film but I felt that it dragged on too much and totally blew it in the end. Does anyone believe that it would be so easy for him to free him self of these desires? I thought it was a very cheep way out.
- No animal was hurt during the making of this burger -
[deleted]
This film was a masterpiece until the end. I felt the ending was a cop-out to satisfy the conservative Mexican audience of the 1950's. Buñuel is my favorite filmmaker, and considering his body of work, the ending felt out of place. I would have ended it where Archie finally succeeds in killing a woman.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MZQV3SrRlE
And what would be the point from a narrative point of view to have him succeed?
shareIt would ruin the whole purpose of the film, which is to differenciate criminal action from criminal fantasies. I found that the whole film was a statement on how to find balance between the mind and reality, which is no surprise coming from Bunuel.
Archibald is merely fascinated by death, like many, but he tries to suffocate his sense of guilt under the mask of a true criminal, when in reality he couldn't even squish a bug under his cane. It's all about learning to keep his dreams and fantasies as they are, not letting them fall into reality. More precisely, the film is about a man who learns what separates the two.
I personally think it's one of the most well-done and emblematic of all Bunuel's, which I'm not a fan of, to start with.
Later that day, after tea... I died, suddenly.
I may have given this film a rating of nine or even ten if the ending was different. The rest of the film was fantastic but the PAT ending completely spoiled the rest.
I'll give it 8.
"My rule of thumb is, what Siskel and Ebert like, I don't, and vice versa." David Lynch
To me it was a satisfying ending. Most Buñuel movies, with a couple of exceptions, always have low-key endings that more often than not, aren't what they appears to be if you dig a bit under the surface.
Besides it's typical from Buñuel to let the audience with more questions than answers.
IMO the ending is not closed. It's open to many interpretations. Buñuel knew, as psychologists knows, that people with any sort of mental disorder cannot change overnight. Just because you see Archibaldo de la Cruz throwing the music box into the lake and throwing his cane for good, that doesn't mean Archibaldo is "cured". Remember that whenever Archibaldo is "dreaming" about killing a woman, the tune from the music box was always present. At the end of the movie what do you hear? The tune of the music box! Coincidence? Mistake? We are talking about Buñuel, people. The man loved to toy with the audience, although always in a very cheerful way.
To me, the fact of listening that tune at the end of the movie means that Archibaldo wasn't really "cured" and that he will keep plotting wonderful ways to kill the women of his desires. And he will keep failing at that, because they (the women) will always die before he could fullfill his darkest desires, by accident or for whatever other reason.
BTW in a macabre twist of the destiny, the beautiful actress Miroslava (Lavinia), took her life just a couple of weeks after the movie was completed, and her body was cremated just like Archibaldo intended. Another example (one truly morbid) about life imitating art.
Ensayo de un crimen (The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz) IMO ranks very high in Buñuel's filmography.
9/10
I agree with most people here, I felt the same.
When I watched many years ago, I remenber thinking to myself on the last minutes.. "Please, let this movie have a good ending and it will be one my favorites from Bunuel.
Well, it didnt end well. Still, a must-see, no doubt about that!
------------
- He moves his lips when he reads. What does that tell you about him?
i liked the end,
this movie is great 10/10
Wow.
It isn't one of my favourites because it ends well. Almost like a good Hollywood movie of that area.
Or what is it that escaped me? On the outside at least, the spell is gone.