Can a surrealist comedy about Christian heresies be rigorously exact in its theology?
In short: Luis Buñuel’s 1969 film The Milky Way follows two vagabonds on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. As they traverse time and space, they encounter historical heresies, Jesus, and the Virgin Mary. It is a symbolic, nonlinear exploration of faith that claims its theological arguments are entirely historically accurate.
Directed by Luis Buñuel and written with Jean-Claude Carrière, The Milky Way serves as the first installment in a trilogy focused on the search for truth. The film utilizes the Camino de Santiago, a traditional pilgrimage route, as a backdrop for a picaresque journey. Throughout the narrative, the two protagonists, Pierre and Jean, encounter figures from various historical eras, effectively collapsing time to place modern characters alongside manifestations of Catholic dogma and heresy.
The film is structured around a series of bizarre, symbolic incidents that critique religion from a skeptical viewpoint while simultaneously exploring the nature of spiritual quests. Buñuel intentionally depicts Jesus as an ordinary man, showing him performing mundane tasks like preparing to shave, in a deliberate attempt to strip away traditional iconography. The dialogue frequently centers on complex theological disputes, such as the nature of the Eucharist, the divinity of Jesus, and the doctrines of predestination and irresistible grace. Specific heresies like Priscillianism and Jansenism are prominent, and the film even depicts the exhumation of an archbishop, based on the historical case of Archbishop Carranza of Toledo.
Despite its surrealist nature, the film concludes with a bold assertion: every detail regarding Catholic religion and its provoked heresies is rigorously exact. The script relies on direct citations from Scripture and historical theological works. While the film initially saw limited success upon its 1969 release, it has since gained significant critical acclaim, holding a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics have praised its documentary-like clarity and hypnotic, surreal quality, noting that it remains a singular achievement in Buñuel’s filmography.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: The Milky Way (1969 film)
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