This truly is a masterpiece, lost in the wind of obscurity. As a big Luis Bunuel fan I've seen almost all of his films - that is, except the ones you just can't seem to find anywhere anymore. This is one of those, and I finally found it. What a great and powerful picture. This is Bunuel's second and last film in English; an American/Mexican production mostly known as "The Young One".
The entire film takes place on an almost deserted island; a place of solitude that represents the deep south of America. A game warden named 'Miller' lives on this island with the teenage daughter of his recently departed partner, a pretty girl named 'Evalyne'. Slowly 'Miller' is starting to notice that young 'Evalyn' is not a child anymore, at least in his mind. He finds himself very much attracted to her, and starts to 'act out' his forbidden but true desires. The plot thickens when a black man - on the run for being accused of raping an older white woman - enters the world of 'Miller' and 'Evalyn'. The old game warden turns out to be a racist, and wants to kill 'Traver', the black man. However, with young and innocent 'Evalyn' in the centre of the situation things make a different turn, and 'Traver' starts to work for 'Miller', even if he might still be a racist at heart. Then the plot thickens even more when a preacher and another racist are joining in. The preacher finds out there's sexual sin going on between 'Miller' and the young innocent, and he decides to baptize her and confront 'Miller' with his sins. Eventually he shows 'Miller' a way to redeem himself, by 'saving' the girl and the black man.
This film is as pure and human as they come. It takes us on a journey to a place where we are confronted with themes like sin; sexual sin, ethnic sin, and existential sin... religion, guilt, mercy, and redemption. In short, all the famous Bunuel obsessions. Yet, this is definitely not an average Bunuel piece. It's very realistic, pure and extremely human. No impressive surrealistic cinematic tricks here. A straight up story about the demons of everyday humanity in modern times. And, I might add... one year prior to Kubrick's "Lolita", which of course has obvious parallels.
A forgotten masterpiece that's finally found and available again. A cinefile's dream.
The entire film takes place on an almost deserted island; a place of solitude that represents the deep south of America. A game warden named 'Miller' lives on this island with the teenage daughter of his recently departed partner, a pretty girl named 'Evalyne'. Slowly 'Miller' is starting to notice that young 'Evalyn' is not a child anymore, at least in his mind. He finds himself very much attracted to her, and starts to 'act out' his forbidden but true desires. The plot thickens when a black man - on the run for being accused of raping an older white woman - enters the world of 'Miller' and 'Evalyn'. The old game warden turns out to be a racist, and wants to kill 'Traver', the black man. However, with young and innocent 'Evalyn' in the centre of the situation things make a different turn, and 'Traver' starts to work for 'Miller', even if he might still be a racist at heart. Then the plot thickens even more when a preacher and another racist are joining in. The preacher finds out there's sexual sin going on between 'Miller' and the young innocent, and he decides to baptize her and confront 'Miller' with his sins. Eventually he shows 'Miller' a way to redeem himself, by 'saving' the girl and the black man.
This film is as pure and human as they come. It takes us on a journey to a place where we are confronted with themes like sin; sexual sin, ethnic sin, and existential sin... religion, guilt, mercy, and redemption. In short, all the famous Bunuel obsessions. Yet, this is definitely not an average Bunuel piece. It's very realistic, pure and extremely human. No impressive surrealistic cinematic tricks here. A straight up story about the demons of everyday humanity in modern times. And, I might add... one year prior to Kubrick's "Lolita", which of course has obvious parallels.
A forgotten masterpiece that's finally found and available again. A cinefile's dream.