A un Dios Desconocido (Spanish) [To An Unknown God]

This Spanish film from 1977 is about an agin man, coming to terms with his sexuality and the inevitable mortality. It's quite interesting to see how homosexuality was so openly shown in a film of those times. I wonder how it was received then. Although it doesn't have a coherent story to tell but it does show us the life and events and chapters of its main protagonist Jose.

Jose, now in his 50's live alone as a magician. The film starts in 30s in Granada when he is barely a teenager. He had a secret love Pedro, son of owners of the big house where his father used to work. Somehow he is not able to forget his memories even after all these years. He decides to visit his old village, relive some of those memories and also meet his idol a poet, who apparently was also Pedro's lover. Back in present life, Jose has Miguel, a budding politician as his lover, who finds it more convenient in Madrid's high society to marry than assert his homosexuality and meets Jose only as per his convenience. We also have a neighborhood lady, who has been friend with him forever and some weird sexual tension from her young adult son for Jose although thankfully no one ever acts on it. The ending is a bit weird for me, where tormented by his past and recent trip to his village, he desires nothing more than to face the rest of his life in loneliness, although his recent lover, Miguel has returned to his bed and wants to continue their affair. José realizes that he is really all alone in their world, alone with his God.

The lead actor of this film doesn't the most incredible job of portraying the loneliness and isolation of a character yearning to escape his limitations while equally determined to face the truth of his life, past and present and its eventual ending. He has fallen in love maybe a few times but can never seem to forget the first love Pedro when he was barely a teenager. It was interesting when he makes a statement that it was never clear on who was seducing whom at that point. He is a caring man which is very evident with all the people in his life, but love is something that has evaded him always. Also the times and society never allowed him to be completely himself and be open his sexuality. Eventually he has decided to face the inadvertent reality of loneliness and harsh reality of aging. This is one concept that many people maybe able to relate even today. Even thought the film may not be saying anything specific, but something about it stayed with me. The premise, the acting, the Spain of the 70s and just emotionally what the protagonist is going through and how he has surrendered to the prospect of a lifetime of loneliness when incomes to companionship, a trait that I can personally connect to very well. (6/10)