vince’s ear

The Spanish Inquisition is at the height of its power and witch-hunt atrocities are rampant throughout the country. Charles IV, an Italian, is King of Spain. A revolution is unfolding in France which threatens to turn the social class system upside down and to change the face of government across Europe. Meanwhile a painter works for the crown, and tries his hardest to stay out of politics and tries, as we all do, to ignore the horrors of the world and to live in peace. What could the world look like to a simple court painter, in this time and place, who was slowly going deaf?

In the beginning of “Goya’s Ghosts,” Brother Lorenzo (Javier Bardem), a leading Inquisitor, is at the Holy Office defending some of the prints by Fransisco Goya (Stellen Skarsgård) which the priests are considering vulgar. These prints portrayed witches, goblins, monstrosities, and pagan rituals- possible condoning of heretical beliefs. “The art is not evil,” defends Lorenzo, “they only portray the real world.” A few gasps are heard by the others as the monk goes on to explain that one only need look around and see the world as it truly is: horrible and unholy. Lorenzo pleads for and receives more power to weed out the heretics of society and use any means necessary to prove their unholiness.

To Goya, a painter of royal portraits and high society, life was good as long as he was paid well. His quiet world, however, would be changed as one of his favorite models (Natalie Portman) finds herself in the sights of the Church for refusing pork at an inn. This, of course, means she is a heretic and should be made to confess. After torture she confesses, as anyone would after such pain as her wealthy father points out to Lorenzo after he is invited to dinner at the rich merchant’s mansion. The father even asks Lorenzo if he would confess to being a monkey and a heretic if Lorenzo would be subject to the Church’s holy questions. As Goya laughs at such a thing, the man inquisitive of Lorenzo shows no such sense of humor.

Thus begins the turning of table after unpredictable table in this story of a poor girl who posed for Goya and found herself in Christianity’s dungeons. Having a baby in the prison, she knows the father is a certain monk, who has begged for the Church’s release of the girl to no avail. Throughout the movie we see the invasion of Emperor Napoleon’s Egyptian marmalukes- paid mercenaries who take no mercy on the Spanish populace. At the time of the French invasion the artist is completely deaf. He watches the explosions of the cannons but hears nothing.

Goya later searches for the girl in an asylum where he witnesses horrors that will become noticeable in some of his later works. Remaining neutral and simply trying to make a living, the former court painter watches regimes rise and fall from Charles IV, to Joseph Bonaparte, then the British forces under Duke Wellington. We see inquisitors turned prisoners, then priests again; we see the rich end up in rags, and the rags end up in riches. Will the poor girl survive Catholicism? What will become of the disgraced monk who confessed to being a monkey and a heretic? Will the terrifying events of an aged lifetime cause a genius to go mad, and create brutally dark masterpieces such as Colossus?

I really liked this movie and thought it was very suspenseful, dark yet humorous, and overall well written and directed. Don’t expect a complete biography on Goya, but do expect plenty of shots of many of his masterpieces. I’m glad it wasn’t just a total look at his life, as sometimes there could use a bit more story than simple biographies. Rather this movie lets the whole landscape of Spain at the turn of the 19th century unfold with its political and religious climate.

Every actor did a perfect job for his/her role, even Randy Quaid who played Charles IV. A critic asked if someone could believe such a portrayal. I’m a bit puzzled. I’m sure it was a put down for Quaid, but even if this was true I think they were misinformed. Charles IV wanted to be perceived as a powerful monarch but in truth was not, only a figurehead hiding behind the queen. Look at the buffoons we vote into office today. Parallels are made elsewhere as Napoleon’s generals motivate the French invaders by promising to be met as liberators, when this couldn’t be further from the truth. Say what you like, but the truth is the same today as it was back then. With political candidates literally saying they don’t care what the people want, and promising a century of pointless wars, after entering the new millennium with a ridiculous war, I believe Goya hit the nail on the head when he portrayed humanity as the two men in quicksand beating each other (see below).

Coming from the director of Amadeus you can expect an excellent soundtrack with Spanish guitars in some scenes, and bagpipes of the advancing British troops in one shot, as well as music for an excellent montage of paintings in the end. Randy Quaid even gives a little violin solo! But it’s not that good- you’ll see what I mean.

In summary, don’t believe the critics (who does, anyway?) and watch this film. It’s good for history buffs as well as art buffs. Javier Bardem (No Country For Old Men) really steals the show as Lorenzo with a fantastic performance. It’s full of irony and just downright entertaining. We witness a world full of atrocities which are no different than the world we live in today. Goya’s ghosts are just as likely to be the same as yours or mine.

Goya’s Ghosts (2006) **** 1/2

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