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Viva Maria!
1965 Adventure / Comedy
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Credits
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Director: Louis Malle
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Script: Louis Malle, Jean-Claude Carrière
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Photo: Henri Decaë
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Music: Georges Delerue
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Cast: Brigitte Bardot (Maria I),
Jeanne Moreau (Maria II),
Paulette Dubost (Mme Diogène),
Claudio Brook (The Great Rodolfo),
Carlos López Moctezuma (Rodríguez),
Poldo Bendandi (Werther),
Gregor von Rezzori (Diogène),
Francisco Reiguera (Father Superior),
Jonathan Eden (Juanito Diogène),
Roberto Pedret (Pablo)
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Country: France
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Language: French
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Runtime: 120 min
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Summary
In 1907, Maria Fitzgerald O'Malley finds herself alone in South America. Her father,
an Irish political agitator, has just been killed in his latest terrorist strike against
the British Empire. Maria comes across a travelling troupe of entertainers who hire
her to replace the stage partner of an erotic dancer, also named Maria. The two
Marias enjoy great success in the republic of San Miguel, but their plans change suddenly
when they are arrested by the sadistic dictator Rodriguez. They escape with the
help of a band of revolutionaries, led by Florès. When the latter is killed,
the elder Maria swears to carry on his cause to liberate his people. The Marias’
great South American adventure has only just begun...
Review
Viva María! is a striking contrast –
both in scale and mood – to Louis Malle’s previous film, the spatially confined,
intensely melancholic Feu
Follet (1963). A riotous adventure comedy, with lavish period costumes
and an exotic location, Viva María! looks
much more like the work of one Malle’s contemporaries, Philippe de Broca, than anything
you would have expected of Louis Malle. The film stars Jeanne Moreau and Brigitte
Bardot who were, at that time, among the most prominent of European actresses, each at
the height of a hugely successful international film career. A publicity coup certainly
but Malle’s decision to bring together two such contrasting and prolific actresses
definitely pays off – Bardot’s unbridled, girlish spontaneity and obvious
erotic appeal working well alongside Moreau’s more introspective, darker kind of
seductive charm.
It is quite hard to place this film in Malle’s remarkably diverse canon of
cinematic works. Obviously intended for the mass market, it has few if any of the
artistic strengths of the director’s truly great films, and it certainly has far
less of the impact. Yet, as a piece of spirited entertainment it has much to commend
it. The South American revolution idea has been done to death over the years and
this film does little by way of originality to set it apart. The film’s main
redeeming features are some very funny visual jokes and the Marias’ naughty stage
act (which looks like an uncensored version of what you might find in Paris’ erotic
hotspot, the Moulin Rouge). Cinematography from Henri Decaë and music
from Georges Delerue add to the film’s pleasing aesthetics, although the idiotic
plot and silly dialogue do get a bit trying in places. Not a great film, but as
a piece of mad escapist fun intended to chase away the blues it works a treat.
© James Travers 2004
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