MovieChat Forums > Nazarín (1968) Discussion > Beatriz (spoiler)

Beatriz (spoiler)

posted 16 years ago by astat-2
4 replies | jump to latest

Why did she leave the Priest? I think the moment when she leaned her head on her husband's shoulder not even noticing the passing Priest was the most disappointing moment of this movie. So, it was not about faith or religion why she had been following Father Nazario, but it was all about lust and selfishness?

[–] joloplondon 16 years ago

The film is not about lust and selfishness. It is an attack on the concept of religion. It assumes the church is bad and shows a priest trying to live like Jesus - a so called good man. But Bunuel attacks the whole concept of trying to live like that - it lacks humanity. The priest does not do things for the love of his fellow humans but as a duty to God. He is followed by women who like him as a man (sexually) and a dwarf who although he is short -has a healthy sexual desire for the woman - so is a full man (twice the man the Priest is). He has a healthy sexual desire for the women. The woman leaves the Priest to go back to her brutal husband because even though he is brutal physically he shows her a healthy love while the priest offers piety (pie in the sky). The Priest at the end has finally realized that living a passionless good life is sick. As a side line it is clear that Jesus himself from certain documents had sexual relations with his women followers - Mary Magdalene which the church has tried to suppress. Not that Bunuel would have known this as the documents only appeared recently.

[–] mothchops 15 years ago

The woman leaves the Priest to go back to her brutal husband because even though he is brutal physically he shows her a healthy love while the priest offers piety (pie in the sky).

The woman (who believed herself "possessed" by demons and who has a history of hysteria and convulsions) is carried away by her abusive (healthy love my a s s) husband during a hysteric breakdown. That is hardly someone making a level headed decision to go back to their husband because the priest wasn't putting out. She never leaves the priest, but is forcibly taken away after being confronted with a dark side of herself after Nazarin's arrest. The world has effectively thwarted her attempt to start afresh. I saw it as a case of "crabs in the barrel".

Also there was never any question of the dwarf following the priest, the dwarf was following Andara and went as far as to say to her when she is arrested with Nazarin "see what happens when you don't obey me", I think the dwarf is more of a shadow aspect of Andara relating to her past profession as a street walker.

As a side line it is clear that Jesus himself from certain documents had sexual relations with his women followers - Mary Magdalene which the church has tried to suppress.

No it isn't clear. If you are going to make out that the above statement is an irrefutable fact at least cite some sources for this. I am sure these documents would warrant a topic in themselves but you are definitely over simplifying here.

I really didn't get the impression that Nazarin was an anti-Christian polemic or an attempt to elevate some of the baser aspects of human nature to appear virtuous, but I would concede that there is anti-religious sentiment in the film. I was grateful that Bunuel made a distinction between christian religion and Christianity and the friction therein.

[–] Trippetta10 13 years ago

For a Bunuel film, its outlook on human nature was relatively upbeat. There were small but genuine acts of charity.

[–] sage_wanker 11 years ago

//The Priest at the end has finally realized that living a passionless good life is sick. As a side line it is clear that Jesus himself from certain documents had sexual relations with his women followers - Mary Magdalene which the church has tried to suppress.//

There are no such reputable documents, that anyone serious considers relevant.

Your overall review is projecting an anti-Christian interpretation where there isn't one. There are several Bunuel films where this can be said to be the case. This isn't one. A distinction is made between admirable & undesirable Christians, which is a thoughtful one, & not a simplistic one, like yours.