El

One of the early Buñuelian excursions to the themes which have subsequently taken over his whole career, El provides a weird but fascinating mediation on the thread which binds religion, the bourgeoisie and sexuality together. It oscillates between comedy and tragedy, remaining thus faithful to the true style of Buñuel, and presents again an exceptional mixture of psychological and sociological insights.

The story tells of Francisco (Arturo de Cordova), an exemplary type of the bourgeois culture: handsome, wealthy, devout and a believer in romantic love. Despite these virtues, he is unmarried and still a virgin. Once while in church he finds himself attracted to Gloria (Delia Garcés), a beautiful young woman and manages to win her from her lover. Francisco, being a genuine product of his society - sexually and socially repressed - attempts one night to murder her, unsuccessfully though since he manages to escape. The way out for Francisco is that of austerity and solitude, found in monastic life.

Francisco's misogynist views, his spurious spirituality (the scene where he meets Gloria in the church) and puritanism as to material property and ethical integrity make him a victim of his own upbringing. El is a film which proceeds in a consistent and effective way to blur distinctions between truth/lie or logic/insanity; it might not be a masterpiece, but it prepares all the aspects which Buñuel attempted to resolve in Nazarin or in The Discreet Charm..., and it provides ample pleasures with its astute humour and criticism.

Review by Spiros Gangas
Taken from EUFS Programme 1993-94