Viva Maria! (1965)

Very best movie i ever watch

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

This film begins with a little girl and her father blowing up everything British. It seems they are Irish revolutionaries and again and again, you see them attacking things in the UK and then later in their colonies. In what had to be British Honduras (Belize), the girl is now older and is played by Brigitte Bardot--a very, very odd choice to play an Irish lady! She is forced to blow up a bridge with her father on it, so soon she embarks on a solo career.A bit later, Maria (Bardot) happens upon a French traveling show in Central America and another Maria (Jeanne Moreau) makes her part of her act. For now, the more lethal Maria stops killing people and spends her time singing and being wined and dined by various men. However, when the other Maria (Moreau) falls in love with a handsome revolutionary (George Hamilton), things change. Hamilton is soon killed by the cruel general and so Moreau vows to continue his revolution. It goes badly at first---until the mad bomber Maria joins the fight. Then the two ladies lead a successful revolution and become folk heroes.The film is a bizarre combination of action, adventure, music and comedy. Frankly, I didn't think all that much of the comedy and didn't laugh at their exploits. It was mildly interesting but that's all. In fact, it all seemed a tad lightweight and silly.This, to me, was a curious misfire from writer/director Louis Malle. The film is nothing like the more serious movies he was later known for and didn't particularly impress me. It is entertaining in a mindless sort of way and Bardot was a knockout to look at, but that's really about it.

This vastly enjoyable romp features Brigitte Bardot and Jeanne Moreau at their loveliest as two saloon entertainers who (inadvertently) not only find themselves in the middle of the Mexican Revolution, but also invent striptease in the process! VIVA MARIA! sees Louis Malle return to the "anything goes" territory of his earlier success, ZAZIE DANS LE METRO (1960); here he is aided immeasurably by an engaging cast (which also includes Luis Bunuel regular, Claudio Brook and an understandably daunted George Hamilton!) and an impeccable crew (co-screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere, cinematographer Henri Decae, composer Georges Delerue, assistant directors Juan Bunuel and Volker Schlondorff)! While the film is uneven in spots, the last half hour is a succession of hilarious sight gags which border at times, perhaps unsurprisingly given its credentials, on the surreal and the anti-clerical.

The main merit of the movie is the presence of Brigitte Bardot and Jeanne Moreau, at the top of their charm and beauty. The strip-tease scene is the only funny scene instead.Apart from that and from a good cinematography, the film is quite boring. Louis Malle is one of the leading French "Nouvelle vague" directors, but here he deals with a big budget adventure -he doesn't work in his natural context.The idea of two girls named Maria who carry on the Mexican revolution could be good, but gags and action scenes are not memorable. In many situations you can guess what is going to happen.Obviously it's a movie made for exploiting the commercial appeal of the two gorgeous actresses.Malle, Bardot and Moreau made much better things.

Viva la revolucion! Fun movie, from the start to the end. Reminded me of other movies like Top Secret in some ways.Some scenes are just hilarious: when the revolution starts, the pigeon's help, the torture chamber, the magician with the cigarettes, the curbed canon gun to shoot around the corner, and so, and so, and so... Great laughs, but also great songs in this one. Great way to start the movie with the song about the little Irish girl and her love for dynamite. Interesting striptease scenes for the time.So many movies about revolutionary action takes place in Mexico, seems like the perfect place to stage a revolution!Brigitte Bardot and Jeanne Moreau are beautiful and they deliver an excellent performance.Out of 100, I gave it 82. That's good for *** stars on a **** stars rating system.Seen at home, in Welland, on February 12th, 2001.