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Nazarín

Play trailer Poster for Nazarín Released Jun 20, 1968 1h 34m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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86% Tomatometer 14 Reviews 90% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
In a seedy, plague-ridden corner of turn-of-the-century Mexico, a pious priest, Nazarín (Francisco Rabal), takes in mentally ill Beatriz (Marga López) and her prostitute sister, Andara (Rita Macedo). At odds with the other members of his clergy, he decides to go on a religious journey with the two women, but manages to accidentally alienate or ruin almost everyone he meets. As Nazarín attempts to bring goodwill and faith to a decaying society, he's met with scorn, suspicion and persecution.

Critics Reviews

View All (14) Critics Reviews
Geoffrey Nowell-Smith Sight & Sound Bunuel's surrealism is really a kind of mysticism in reverse, He has had to wrestle, not with the devil, but with the angel in him, and in Nazarin traces of the struggle are still apparent. Feb 11, 2020 Full Review Renata Adler New York Times It is so grim that it lacks even the energy to present itself dramatically. May 9, 2005 Full Review Steven D. Greydanus Decent Films The most breathtaking cinematic cross-examination of faith I have ever seen… not content to ignore religion as a non-issue, or to take cheap shots at its practitioners. Rated: B- Jan 7, 2005 Full Review Isabel Quigly The Spectator The film is beautiful, with all Builuel's peculiar sensuality in the face of things, which he can make, like faces, extraordinary and eloquent, ceaselessly expregsive and pregnant with this or that. Jul 18, 2018 Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion A film of inner and outer wounds Jun 14, 2015 Full Review Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid A very straightforward film for Buuel. Feb 3, 2012 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (58) audience reviews
S R Saw this since it was on the Vatican 100 years list. It was a fascinating drama, showing the Mexican faith in dire poverty while following a devoted Priest. RUS. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/22/24 Full Review RobotBoy76 A What makes Bunuel so remarkable is on display in the reviews here. Each critic seems to have seen a completely different film. Brilliant/dull, complex/simplistic, undramatic/moving. One critic says it's the weakest of Bunuel's Mexican films, another calls it the strongest. In Mexico, Bunuel needed to succeed commercially, and that meant entertaining the average moviegoer. As a result, his use of irony is subtle and understated. Yet it is no less powerful for all that. I think critics today are so accustomed to having messages spelled out to them that many lack the ability to appreciate this sort of nuance. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/06/23 Full Review Fra B Buñuel is brazen and (only apparently) cold; the audience will fill what the movie doesn't tell with their personal experiences and thoughts. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/06/21 Full Review Audience Member To paraphrase the priest: the desire to do evil things comes from the imagination, as does the cure for evil, along with a healthy diet and exercise. A film about the failure of faith, cold harsh reality tearing apart a faithful union. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/12/23 Full Review Audience Member I just couldn't fully get into this Luis Bunuel classic from his Mexico phase. It follows a priest on the road who endures many hardships, but for reason I felt nothing for the priest as he could've easily avoided his troubles. I also found some of the acting weak, with a few over the top performances. It just didn't work for me, but very much a subjective thing so see and judge for yourself. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member 7.9 [Luis Buñuel] [Mx] Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Nazarín

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Nazarín

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Movie Info

Synopsis In a seedy, plague-ridden corner of turn-of-the-century Mexico, a pious priest, Nazarín (Francisco Rabal), takes in mentally ill Beatriz (Marga López) and her prostitute sister, Andara (Rita Macedo). At odds with the other members of his clergy, he decides to go on a religious journey with the two women, but manages to accidentally alienate or ruin almost everyone he meets. As Nazarín attempts to bring goodwill and faith to a decaying society, he's met with scorn, suspicion and persecution.
Director
Luis Buñuel
Producer
Manuel Barbachano Ponce
Screenwriter
Julio Alejandro, Luis Buñuel, Emilio Carballido, Benito Pérez Galdós
Production Co
Producciones Barbachano Ponce
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Spanish
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 20, 1968, Wide
Runtime
1h 34m
Sound Mix
Mono