'Viridiana'

I don't really remember a film interesting me -- in terms of the plot -- as much as this one.

A nun, Viridiana, on the verge of taking her final vows, is invited to the estate of an uncle. She seems relaly reluctant on going, but is urged to do so nonetheless.

Once there, the uncle is struck by how much Viridiana looks like his deceased wife. He asks her to put on his wife's wedding dress and he proposes marriage. He then drugs her and attempts to rape her. Still, she doesn't really know if he went through with it.

Attempting to leave, she is caught at the train station by the authorities to tell her that the uncle hung himself and left Viridiana and a son the estate.

With the disgrace weighing her soul, she decides to forego the church and, instead, decides to make her uncle's estate a haven for the local beggars and ne'er do wells. She places her entire faith that people are inherently good and only in need of a little charity.

She puts the beggars to work, gives them a purpose. All is going well until Viridiana, the servants and other family leave the beggars to their own devices one night in which they turn into drunken gluttons, trash the house and then attempt to rape Viridiana upon her return.

The film was directed by Luis Bunuel, at the time an exile of his native Spain and having to do the film in Mexico. Considered sacreligious, the film wasn't released in Spain until 1977, after Franco's death and after everyone got the sticks out of their asses.

It confirms one thing for people: Not that homeless beggars are reprobates and ill-deserving of our time and charity; but that people are inherently bad, no matter their standing in this world.