La Voie lactée (The Milky Way) (1969)
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93% of critics liked it
(14 reviews) -
85% of users liked it
(2,232 ratings)
While arch surrealist Luis Bunuel never made a secret of his skepticism about the existence of God, he was also raised as a strict Spanish Catholic and remained fascinated with the church's teaching throughout his life, and his obsessions with both faith and the contradictions of dogma provided… More While arch surrealist Luis Bunuel never made a secret of his skepticism about the existence of God, he was also raised as a strict Spanish Catholic and remained fascinated with the church's teaching throughout his life, and his obsessions with both faith and the contradictions of dogma provided the basis for this episodic satiric comedy. Jean (Laurent Terzieff) and Pierre (Paul Frankeur) are two threadbare vagabonds who are making their way from Paris to Spain on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, where the remains of Saint James are believed to be kept. While Jean and Pierre's journey begins in the 20th Century, as they travel they seemingly develop the ability to move through time and space as they pass through a variety of historical scenes taken from a broad range of theological texts -- and all involving heresy in one form or another. As they walk the long road to Santiago de Compostela (when they can't catch a ride), Jean and Pierre encounter Jesus (Bernard Verley), who decides not to shave his beard to keep his mother happy; a young boy with stigmata and unusual powers; the Marquis de Sade (Michel Piccoli), who patently struggles to teach atheism to a young girl he's captured; an eccentric priest who has an irreversible belief in transubstantiation until he changes his mind; two men who put their debate over Catholic dogma to the test in a duel with swords; and Satan (Pierre Clementi), who shows up just in time for a car wreck. La Voie Lactee (aka The Milky Way) was scripted by Bunuel and his frequent screenwriting collaborator Jean-Claude Carriere; each of the film's historic episodes was adapted faithfully from an actual biblical text or historical account. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Luis Buñuel
- Genres
- Drama, Art House & International, Comedy
PG,
- In Theaters
- Mar 15, 1969 Wide
- Studio
- Media Home Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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Vincent Canby, New York Times
Everything is photographed straightforwardly, in cheerful but not bilious color, and seen with documentary-like clarity.
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Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
A bit of a poor relation among the magnificent films of Buñuel's late period, but rarely shown and well worth seeing.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Has some laughs mostly at the expense of Catholic dogma.
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Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
You can feel the master laughing heartily at his own hijinks, and that takes away all pretension and makes the film interesting.
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Felix Gonzalez Jr., DVD Review
[F]or fans of absurdist or abstract filmmaking, the film can be a rewarding and even hilarious experience.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
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Cast
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Laurent Terzieff
as Jean
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Paul Frankeur
as Pierre
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Alain Cuny
as Man with Cape
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Delphine Seyrig
as Prostitute
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Edith Scob
as Virgin
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Bernard Verley
as Jesus
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Georges Marchal
as Jesuit
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Jean Piat
as The Jansenist
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Jean-Claude Carriere
as Priscillian
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Michel Piccoli
as Marquis
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Julien Bertheau
as Maitre d'Hotel
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Claudio Brook
as Bishop
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Christine Simon
as Therese
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Claude Cerval
as Brigadier
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Jean Clarieux
as Apostle Peter
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Pierre Clémenti
as The Devil
- Michel Creton
- Raoul Delfosse
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Georges Douking
as Shepherd
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Michel Etcheverry
as The Inquisitor
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Julien Guiomar
as Spanish priest
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Marius Laurey
as Blind Man
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Pierre Maguelon
as Civil Guard Corporal
- Rita Maiden
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Francois Maistre
as French Priest
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Muni
as Mother Superior
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Bernard Musson
as French Innkeeper
- Paul Pavel
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Daniel Pilon
as Francois
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Marcel Peres
as The Posadero
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Jacqueline Rouillard
as Restaurant Maid
- Douglas Read
- Jacques Rispal
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Christian Van Cau
as Apostle Andrew
- Stephane Bouy
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Claudine Berg
as Mother
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Gabriel Gobin
as Father
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Ellen Bahl
as Mme. Garnier
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Michel Dacquin
as M. Garnier
- Pascal Fardoulis
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Pierre Lary
as Young monk
