GOYA’S GHOSTS

Spain, 2006, 114 minutes, Colour.
Javier Bardem, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgaard, Randy Quaid, Michael Lonsdale, Jose Luis Gomez, Mabel Rivera.
Directed by Milos Forman.

This reviewer, who liked Goya’s Ghosts very much indeed, received a shock to find that most other reviewers were very unfavourable in their response. That seems to be a warning in itself.

Everybody did agree that the film looks good. Everybody disagreed about the casting – which is a problem as there is an international cast where Goya is played by a Swedish actor. Most did not like the structure of the film, thinking that it lacked dramatic focus and dramatic momentum.

So, in defence of Goya’s Ghosts and in praise of it:

The casting is a little bizarre but Stellan Skarsgaard does make an interesting Goya. Spain is represented by Javier Bardem as Fra Lorenzo, a member of the Spanish Inquisition. America is represented by Natalie Portman who has the difficult task of playing the young Dona Inez in the first part of the film, of playing Dona Inez who is released, not in her right mind, after fifteen years in the Inquisition prison and then playing her vivacious daughter. French Michael Lonsdale is the head of the Inquisition.

It should be said that the director is double Oscar winner (Cuckoo’s Nest and Amadeus) Milos Forman. Forman brings the sense of the sumptuous that he showed with Amadeus and Valmont to this re-creation of Spain. Forman also wants us to see Spain through the eyes of the artist Francisco Goya, showing a collage of his sketches and paintings during opening and closing credits, portraying Goya in action with patrons, including the Queen, posing, indicating in some detail how Goya sketched, engraved and printed his drawings. The screenplay was written in collaboration with Jean-Claude? Carriere who wrote a number of classic films for Luis Bunuel, like The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and The Phantom of Liberte.

Which brings us to the structure and drama. Goya is not really the centre of the film. Spain is. When we appreciate this we realise that he is part of the drama but also the observer and we observe events and history with him. Fra Lorenzo is far more the centre of action, first as a zealous but flawed inquisitor and then as Bonapartist official in Napoleonic times. The film is structured accordingly. The first half seems something of a chamber piece, entry into an enclosed world of late 18th century Spanish society, monarchical, conservative, rigid, affluent, superficially religious and at times dominated by a ruthless inquisition which carries out arbitrary arrests, long false imprisonments with torture all in the name of truth and religion.

Then a caption announces that 15 years have passed. This second part of the film is much more open. The early 19th century. Napoleon’s troops invade, pillage and rape. The officials of the Inquisition are imprisoned and the alleged spirit of the French Revolution is to prevail. Once again Goya observes this as well as trying to do the best for Inez now released and wandering the streets to search for her child. The revolution is short-lived as Wellington and the British quickly reinstate the monarchy and the status quo. King and inquisition return – this time with executions.

There is a great deal more plot detail. Best to say that for those who enjoy history being re-enacted on screen, offering reflection on government, church and religion and the changing nature of society should find Goya’s Ghosts never less than interesting.

1.The impact of the film? As a portrait of Spain at the end of the 18th, beginning of the 19th centuries? A portrait of Spain through Goya’s perspective? A film like Goya’s paintings?

2.The high production values, direction, writing, cinematography, music?

3.The European sensibility: the 18th century, Spain, France, the church, the revolution, the inquisition?

4.The re-creation of the period, a closed 18th century, an open 19th century?

5.The two parts of the film, distinct, fifteen years apart, coming together at the end, all the characters in the square at the end?

6.The grim perspective of the film, the inquisition of the 18th century and its tyranny, conservative Spanish monarchy? The grimness of the 19th century, the Napoleonic wars, the slaughter? The reimposition of the inquisition and the Spanish monarchy?

7.Francisco Goya and his reputation, his powers of observation, his access to royalty, to ordinary people, considered like a contemporary journalist? The credits at beginning and end and the range of images? His paintings, the engravings, people posing? The achievement, the patrons, commissions, fees? His wanting to be apolitical? His involvement with people, concern? The harsher aspects of Spanish life as he grew older? His deafness and its effect? The film not mentioning his end – exile in Bordeaux?

8.The role of the inquisition, Father Gregorio, his character, quiet, harsh, self-confident, presiding? The introduction to Goya via the examination of his sketches, their being repelled, the discussion, Lorenzo and his caution? The meetings and discussions, the verdicts? The self-righteousness – and that the church was always right, in such details as the Question, torture? The issue of Ines, her being arrested, interrogated, tortured? Her father’s donation? Father Gregorio refusing to release her? The detailed scenes in the dungeons, Lorenzo’s visit? The transition to the French invasion, Father Gregorio presiding, the priest singing the Gospel, his being shot? The court and the condemnation of the clergy? Their being in prison? Lorenzo visiting Gregorio, getting the information about Alicia, sparing his life? So that Gregorio would preside over Lorenzo’s condemnation?

9.The members of the inquisition, their discussions, harsh stances, spying on people, the Familiares and their status, at taverns, giving information? Arrests, torture, the rack? The range of victims? Lorenzo, being part of the inquisition, his visit, his lust for Ines? His not being able to effect her release? The inquisition and their condemnation of Lorenzo for his confession, his fleeing? Imprisoned by the French, their release, taunting Lorenzo at the stake, the cries of repentance? The role of the church, judgment? Fanaticism, totalitarian? (And Forman’s comment about his growing up in a communist regime?)

10.The introduction to Lorenzo, his appearance, speech, dress, ardent, the reality of life, prostitutes, Goya’s sketches? His portrait being painted, not enough money to paint his hands, his reaction to the painting, his looking stern? His attraction towards the paintings of Ines? His friendship with Goya? His visits, the visit to Ines, the sexual encounter, his return and the second encounter? Goya persuading him to go to dinner with her parents? The discussions about torture, the torturing of Lorenzo, his signing the document that he was descended from monkeys? His not succeeding for Ines’ release, pleading to Father Gregorio? Fleeing to France?

11.Ines, young, being painted by Goya, the discussion about witches, her being painted as an angel in the church roofs? In the tavern, her brothers, kissing the dwarf, the arrest, the questions, her naivety, being tortured on the rack, kept in prison, Lorenzo’s visit, the sex? Condemned as a Judaiser? The fifteen years passing, coming out, her disfigured face, madness? Goya finding her? Her seeing Lorenzo? Her wanting her child, the search, Lorenzo putting her in the asylum, seeing the baby in the tavern, Lorenzo at the stake, calling out to him? Following him with the baby on the cart?

12.Goya and his work, as a personality, non-involvement, infatuation with Ines, friendship with Lorenzo, the painting of the queen and her displeasure at the painting, his audiences with the king? Listening to the king, the violin, the interruption about the execution of Louis XVI? The details given of the process of engraving and printing? The sketches, the portraits, the dinner and his helping the family, his reaction to the torture of Lorenzo, his being ousted, bewildered? The bells ringing and his deafness?

13.18th century Spain, the role of the church, the royal family, their wealth, merchant families, pomp, beautiful buildings, the inquisition, descended from Jews, spies alert?

14.The fifteen-year gap, the introduction of Napoleon, his speech, the revolutionary principles? His being emperor? Installing Joseph as King of Spain? The detail of the brutal French invasion, in the streets, raping and pillaging? Freeing the prisoners of the inquisition? The shooting of the singing priest? Imprisoning the inquisition members? The trials?

15.Lorenzo and his return, the influence of France, reading Voltaire and other philosophers, the new ideas? His being a Napoleonic official, his lavish office, the scenes with his wife and family, the friendship with Goya? Information about Ines, the meeting, his putting her in an institution? Going to Gregorio, getting the information about Alicia? The coach ride with Alicia, her rejecting him? The rounding up of the prostitutes and their being transported to America? His information about the British attack, the escape with his family, the shooting, his arrest, the trial, his dunce’s cap, being mocked, refusing to recant, the inquisition hounding him at his execution, for repentance? Ines calling out to him? The garrotting, his body being carried on the wagon, followed by Goya, with Ines?

16.Goya and his deafness, his situation, his assistant signing for him? Observation? His career, going to Lorenzo, discussions with him? Ines and his (*?) help, seeking out Alicia, seeing her in the park, talking to the madam? Going to Lorenzo, the consequences? The road block, his going to the tavern, seeing Alicia with the baby, her being taken? Ines and the baby, the trial? His following the cart?

17.The story of Alicia, her being boarded with the nuns, her escape, as a prostitute? In the gardens, her clients, with Lorenzo, her screaming, in the tavern, the baby and the round-up, her attracting the British officer, on the balcony – and the witness to Lorenzo’s death?

18.Ines’ family, genteel, the dinner, the torturing of Lorenzo, his signing the letter, their death with the French invasion? Ines finding them at the house?

19.A picture of the times – and perspectives on the 18th and 19th centuries?