Simón del desierto (1965) - film review

In the 5th Century, a devout ascetic named Simon stands on top of a tall pillar in a remote desert.  He occupies himself in prayer and in blessing those whom come from far around to see him.  One day, the Devil appears to him in the guise of a beautiful woman and starts to taunt him...

This film has its origins in the story of St Simon Stylites, who is reputed to have spent 37 years on a pillar preaching Christianity to pilgrims until his death in 459 AD.  Luis Buñuel uses the story as the basis for one his most amusing and cynical attacks on religion, in a film which is easily recognisable as a forerunner of the 1979 Monty Python film, The Life of Brian .

Although his is portrayed sympathetically, the Simon in this film is hardly a saint-like figure.  Like many people who commit themselves to a religion, he displays an almost contemptuous regard for others, wrapping himself up in his cloak of self-importance and deigning to bless those who have not attained his level of perfection.  Through his self-delusion and lack of humility, Simon merely distances himself from his fellow man and also from the God he strives to be near to.

As in many of his subsequent films, Buñuel’s satire on Christianity is fiendishly direct yet remarkably subtle and intelligent.  The director returns to the extreme surrealist symbolic approach of his earliest films, so that you are never quite sure what exactly he is saying, but the general sense of his meaning is, probably, quite clear.

This is an exceptional short film which exposes the pitfalls of religious belief with great lucidity and tact, without attacking any specific religion directly.  Some of the imagery and symbolism is perplexing, but it makes interesting viewing.

The best part of the film is the totally unexpected and mind-blowing shift of location near the end of the film.  We are prompted to ask the following question.  Which is the greater sin – deliberately setting yourself up as some kind of false god through a public display of self-righteous asceticism, or yielding innocently to the natural impulse for unbridled hedonism?   Perhaps both are equally damnable and will ultimately lead us all to the same place...

© James Travers 2001

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