Simon Of The Desert (1965) ****

I don't tend to review short films, but with Simon Of The Desert (1965) being 45 minutes long and one of Luis Buñuel's key works I thought it deserved one.

SOTD was the last of three films that Buñuel made with Silvia Pinal, the first being Viridiana (1961) (my review here), the second being The Exterminating Angel (1962) (which I have yet to see). Brook plays the overly pious Simón—considered a saint (based on Simeon Stylites) by his devotees—who has lived atop a tall pillar, praying, in the desert for six years, six weeks, and six days. Pinal plays the devil (deliciously), who attempts to seduce him down to earth three times in three different forms. 

SOTD finds Buñuel in full-on surrealist, controversy-courting mode and tapping into (and satirizing) religious themes, which caused scandal (not the first or last time for the director) with the Vatican and the government. The performances, atmosphere, black & white cinematography, and anachronistic ending are all wonderful.

 

You can find my Luis Buñuel Films Ranked list here.