this film has some exquisitely funny moments, even though very subtle. my highlight was the priest trying to kick in the door: "Goddamn!"
Where are you, Mount Everest? Give me some Everest.
This is a distinctive touch showing Bunuel's forte for irony regarding Catholic piety. I could not fathom the French aurally for the sous-titre (sub-title) "Goddamn!" despite retro-playing the scene where the ecclesiastic's frustration vents itself in curses when the door wouldn't yield to his kicks and blows. Just as the cries of the mob in Le Havre at the end were not decipherable unless one has a good ear for patois.
What was Jean-Claude Carriere (le prete) saying? There are so many equivalents of the English "Goddamn" that are not literally "damning God" such as merde...milles tonnerres....etc., etc. I guess I could try to find Carriere's original script for "Journal d'une ..." and sleuth it down.
I found the scene very dramatic. An old man was probably dead, and people were desperately trying to break into his bedroom. Please help me understand the humor in this... is it because a priest is "using god's name in vain" as in saying "goddamn" when he can't open the door?
Yes, that's what's funny. The priest cursing when he gets frustrated.
The moment I found funny and cute was when the old man has Celestine prancing around in those boots, and his reactions to it. Her face was so cute as she tried not to laugh. And Moreau was so sexy, I'm not even remotely a foot/shoe fetishist, yet her sexy walk in those heels actually was pretty hot, LOL.
Mme Monteil: Perhaps there are other ways... relations that more... less... certain caresses that...
Priest: Be more precise! There are caresses... and... caresses... [this line delivered with telling emphasis and gesture]
That scene is the most fun in the film, though the priest failing to kick the door down was another good bit.
"I beseech ye in the bowels of Christ, think that ye may be mistaken."
Couldn’t hear the exact words the priest used when cursing, but there was no God or damn. Whatever he did say, the scene continued hilariously with the body of the old pervert clutching his most treasured objects. Buñuel does not always show respect for Catholic priests, for corpses or for grieving relations! And his humour is frequently black.