We are taken to the Holy Thursday rite in which Roman Catholic priests wash the feet of a few young men to show humility. In the case of Father Velasco, a Mexican prelate, his interaction with the young men has more of a sexual feeling than anything else. Looking to the rite is Francisco, a rich man who watches the scene, but keeps glancing until he meets the beautiful Gloria in a pew with her mother. There is also a clear feeling of class values as the shoes of the people around the washing ritual have shining, if not new, shoes, in contrast with the humble young men's bare feet.
Francisco is a complex man suffering from paranoia. After he wins Gloria, who had been engaged to a wealthy man, he marries her. For all practical purposes, it's a marriage made in heaven. Things begin to deteriorate between the newlyweds as they take the train that will bring them to Guanajuato, for their honeymoon. Francisco begins accusing Gloria of flirting with some of the men she meets, something that is absurd.
The story follows Francisco's descent into a madness caused by his own inability to cope with the facts. His marriage is ruined because Gloria can't put up with his irrational accusations. In a change of pace, a miracle happens at the end in which we meet Francisco again in a strange land under a new persona. Finally, it seems, he has found peace within himself, not without destroying what he loved the most.
Luis Bunuel's Mexican years produced a string of movies that are now classics because of his vision. The director had a deep resentment of the Catholic Church, as he saw it. In his pictures Mr. Bunuel made clear, as he did here, to show how the institution was hypocritical in the way Father Velasco almost looks as though he is playing a sexual act with the young men he is supposed to be washing their feet. Yet, in the end, Mr. Bunuel switches gears in presenting a serene setting in which a repenting Francisco is seen.
There is one amazing sequence when Francisco takes Gloria to the bell tower of a church. The deafening sound of the bells drive Gloria to the point of insanity. She realizes Francisco is mad. One wonders if Alfred Hitchcock might have found inspiration for a variation of his own take for the famous scene in "Vertigo".
Arturo De Cordoba gave an impressive performance as Francisco, the man driven by his jealousy and madness because of his paranoia. Delia Garces, the exquisite Argentine actress is impressive as Gloria. The director got, in general good acting from his ensemble cast. Some of the Mexican films of that period dealt with sentimental melodramas, none of which is found here.
The film is worth a look because of the work of Mexico's best cameraman, Gabriel Figueroa. The city of Guanajuato, which is key to the story, is shown in all its splendor. This was a triumph for Mr. Bunuel, one of the most original directors from all times.
Francisco is a complex man suffering from paranoia. After he wins Gloria, who had been engaged to a wealthy man, he marries her. For all practical purposes, it's a marriage made in heaven. Things begin to deteriorate between the newlyweds as they take the train that will bring them to Guanajuato, for their honeymoon. Francisco begins accusing Gloria of flirting with some of the men she meets, something that is absurd.
The story follows Francisco's descent into a madness caused by his own inability to cope with the facts. His marriage is ruined because Gloria can't put up with his irrational accusations. In a change of pace, a miracle happens at the end in which we meet Francisco again in a strange land under a new persona. Finally, it seems, he has found peace within himself, not without destroying what he loved the most.
Luis Bunuel's Mexican years produced a string of movies that are now classics because of his vision. The director had a deep resentment of the Catholic Church, as he saw it. In his pictures Mr. Bunuel made clear, as he did here, to show how the institution was hypocritical in the way Father Velasco almost looks as though he is playing a sexual act with the young men he is supposed to be washing their feet. Yet, in the end, Mr. Bunuel switches gears in presenting a serene setting in which a repenting Francisco is seen.
There is one amazing sequence when Francisco takes Gloria to the bell tower of a church. The deafening sound of the bells drive Gloria to the point of insanity. She realizes Francisco is mad. One wonders if Alfred Hitchcock might have found inspiration for a variation of his own take for the famous scene in "Vertigo".
Arturo De Cordoba gave an impressive performance as Francisco, the man driven by his jealousy and madness because of his paranoia. Delia Garces, the exquisite Argentine actress is impressive as Gloria. The director got, in general good acting from his ensemble cast. Some of the Mexican films of that period dealt with sentimental melodramas, none of which is found here.
The film is worth a look because of the work of Mexico's best cameraman, Gabriel Figueroa. The city of Guanajuato, which is key to the story, is shown in all its splendor. This was a triumph for Mr. Bunuel, one of the most original directors from all times.