Enraged Clergy, Tortured Innocence, and a Prostitute’s Plight!- Goya’s Ghosts Movie Explained
Hi everyone, Musitrature Recaps here. Today, we’ll be discussing the movie “Goya’s Ghosts.” The film is set in Spain during the reign of Charles IV, and it revolves around the renowned artist Francisco Goya, who serves as the court painter. In Madrid, the clergy at the holiest Inquisition chamber are deeply displeased by engravings that portray them as bloodthirsty monsters, ridiculing their work and desecrating the church. Father Gregorio is particularly disturbed by these drawings and seeks to know the artist responsible for them. To his surprise, the engravings are the works of none other than Francisco Goya, known for his frescoes and icons adorning numerous churches in Spain.
Father Gregorio consults with Priest Lorenzo, who had previously commissioned work from Goya, confirming the artist’s exceptional skills as a portrait painter. Lorenzo suggests that the engravings actually reveal the true nature of the Holy Inquisition, though their execution record is claimed to be relatively modest.
Meanwhile, Goya is captivated by Inés, the charming daughter of the wealthy merchant Tomás Bilbatúa and his closest friend. Inés becomes Goya’s muse, with her face frequently appearing in his church paintings and frescoes. Later, Lorenzo visits Goya to sit for a portrait but is reluctant to show his hands, requesting to avoid the extra cost for their inclusion in the artwork.
At a certain point, the priest becomes intrigued by the picture of Inés and admires her beauty. Later, Francisco visits the Royal Court to work on a grand portrait of Queen Marie Luisa of Parma, the wife of Charles IV. The painting is vast and intricate, so the artist begins by sketching a horse. As the queen arrives, she assumes her position on a wooden stand, mimicking an animal. Meanwhile, King Charles goes hunting to shoot vultures.
Upon his return, Charles requests to see the painting, but Francisco refuses, stating that the work is not yet complete. Lorenzo convenes a meeting with the clergy of the Holy Inquisition to introduce new rules of scrutiny. They are now required to be extremely vigilant and cautious, as anyone can be accused of impiety. For instance, Lorenzo reveals that he holds a holy book, but inside, there is actually the text of Voltaire, the prince of black principles, known to defile the church and faith in God. From that day onwards, the representatives of the Holy Inquisition must carefully listen to every word. For instance, if someone mentions the concept of atoms, they are considered heretics who promote devilish ideas among God-fearing individuals. Using the word “temple” instead of “church” suggests hidden Jewish or Protestant beliefs. Even covering oneself with a palm while going to the toilet could raise suspicion of being a secret Jew with circumcision, requiring reporting to the holy chamber.
In the evening, young Inés goes to a bar with her brothers to unwind and have a good time. At one point, she openly declines pork and reacts with disgust at the sight of meat. The servants of the Holy Inquisition immediately take notice of this and recognize her name. The next morning, Tomás receives a letter summoning his daughter for an interrogation in the Holy chamber. The concerned wealthy merchant suspects that the Inquisition is hiding something. He implores Inés to be honest with him, but the girl is puzzled as to why they want to talk to her. A few hours later, Inés accompanies her father to the holy chamber. However, Tomás is not permitted to enter, so he is left waiting anxiously behind a closed door.
Representatives of the Holy Inquisition arrive for the interrogation and question Inés about what she ate the previous night. They demand her to confess that she refused pork and swear on a crucifix to tell the truth. The priest insists on proving her honesty and subjects Inés to torture on the rack, causing excruciating pain as she is lifted by her arms. Under such torment, the young girl is accused of secretly adhering to Judaism and eventually, unable to bear the agony, she confirms the accusation, hoping for release. However, Inés is not set free, prompting Tomás to seek help from his friend Francisco.
The artist initially hesitates to get involved with the Holy Inquisition but eventually agrees to help the unfortunate girl. He is currently working on a portrait of the influential priest Inquisitor Lorenzo and sees him as the key person who could assist in this situation. Francisco creates another engraving and presents it to Father Lorenzo along with the finished portrait. He also mentions that Tomás has already paid for the frame and promises generous donations to restore the monastery of Street Tomás in exchange for his daughter’s pardon. Lorenzo visits the basement where the prisoners are held, finds Inés naked, and offers her warmth by giving her his coat to comfort her. During a prayer invitation, Inés’ clothes fall off, and Lorenzo’s animal instincts are triggered. He forces himself on Inés, becoming her first man.
In the evening, Tomás arranges a dinner party and invites Francisco and Lorenzo to join. The whole family gathers except for Inés, who remains chained in the basement of the Holy Inquisition. Tomás promises generous donations and displays all the gold he’s willing to offer to the church representatives. However, despite the gold, the trial is not canceled because Inés, under torture, confessed to being a Jew. Tomás considers this confession foolish, believing that people confess to anything under torture just to avoid pain. But Lorenzo argues and presents evidence that Inés has a distant Jewish ancestor. Tomás decides to test Lorenzo’s claim and forces Francisco to leave so he won’t interfere. He tries to get Lorenzo to sign a false confession claiming he’s a freak born of monkeys, but the priest refuses. Tomás tortures Lorenzo until he finally signs the false confession, realizing it’s no different from Inés’ confession.
Lorenzo promises to help Tomás and offers generous donations. He takes the gold to Father Gregorio and requests Inés’ release, emphasizing her father’s willingness to pay. However, Gregorio is determined not to pardon Inés, as she confessed to being a Jew. Despite the generous offer, Gregorio won’t show any mercy. Lorenzo visits Inés again, and they make love once more, but time passes, and Inés remains imprisoned.
Tomás becomes outraged and releases Lorenzo’s signed confession, but the priest manages to escape. The priests take Lorenzo’s portrait from Francisco and burn it.
A little later, Francisco presents a portrait of the queen to the king. The frame and everything else is beautiful, but the queen’s face appears terrible in the painting. The artist, however, meets with Charles IV and the queen, and they say nothing about the portrait and leave. Later, Charles has a meeting with Francisco and plays the violin terribly, demanding the artist to appreciate his talent. Fearful of execution, Francisco lies to the king and falsely acknowledges him as a talented musician.
Shortly after, a courier enters the room, reporting that the King of France has been guillotined, and Napoleon has come to power. Fifteen years later, the French army plans to invade a neighboring state to liberate the people suffering under the rule of a depraved, absurd, and greedy monarch.
The next morning, an officer urges the military not to fear anything and confidently heads to Madrid, as the Spanish people hate their king and queen. He promises that ordinary people will welcome them with flowers and kisses because they have long yearned to be free and break their shackles. However, when the Napoleonic Army invades Spain, the people do not greet them with flowers. Instead, the French soldiers rob, kill men, abuse women, and create anarchy in the streets of Madrid.
The distorted concepts of freedom, equality, and fraternity, as well as the ideology of the French Revolution, do not resonate with the civilians of Spain, leading many of them to become victims of the Napoleonic Army. Napoleon’s brother, Joseph, whom the French leader appointed as the governor of Spain, arrives in Madrid. He abolishes the Inquisition and takes control, forcing Father Gregorio to obey by killing another church representative who was reading a holy book. The priests become prisoners, and the victims of the Inquisition finally gain freedom.
Exhausted and mutilated, Inés, who spent 15 years in the basement on a chain, is finally free. She returns home and discovers that her family has been killed by the invading soldiers.
In the evening, Inés seeks out the artist, Francisco, the only person she remembers and knows. Francisco, who is deaf, gives her a piece of paper and a pen. When he learns that Inés has given birth to a daughter, he decides to find the girl. The priests are arrested and sentenced to death, leaving no one to help Francisco locate Inés’s daughter. However, he notices Lorenzo arriving in Spain with Napoleon’s brother, now an influential official and follower of Voltaire, and confronts him about the child. Lorenzo refuses to believe it, so Francisco brings a woman who was mutilated by torture into the room, and she admits to being with Lorenzo. Not wanting to admit his involvement, Lorenzo sends the woman to a lunatic asylum and sets out to find his illegitimate daughter.
Francisco goes to the dungeon to inquire about the child’s whereabouts from Father Gregorio and learns that she was named Alicia. He later finds Alicia, who is working as a girl of easy virtue in a park and recognizes her as Inés’s daughter due to their striking resemblance. Francisco tells Lorenzo about Alicia and asks for Inés’s release, but his request is ignored. Lorenzo tries to convince Alicia to go to America with money but doesn’t disclose that he is her father. Alicia, frightened by the pressure, runs away. Francisco persistently asks for Inés’s release, but Lorenzo refuses again.
Francisco finds Inés in an insane asylum, where she dreams of her child. He buys her freedom from the asylum owner and goes to a tavern to meet Alicia. He finds her there and tries to tell her about her mother, but their conversation is interrupted by Lorenzo, who raids the tavern and arrests the girls of easy virtue for deportation to America. When Inés arrives at the tavern, she only finds a little girl under the table, whom she recognizes as her daughter. Francisco confronts Lorenzo and accuses him of his actions, but their dialogue is abruptly halted when Francisco experiences pain in his ears.
A courier arrives with news that British troops led by Wellington have entered Spain from the Portuguese side. Napoleon’s brother has already left Madrid. The locals warmly welcome the British, and the partisans switch sides, supporting them to restore the power of the church and the King. Meanwhile, Inés brings the baby to the man’s house to show him their daughter. The British intercept the motorcade and free the girls. Guerillas capture Lorenzo and bring him back to the city, but his family manages to escape.
The Inquisition members earlier sentenced to execution are released and return to their positions. Father Gregorio, despite Lorenzo’s diabolical deeds and desecration of the church, does not seek revenge and is willing to forgive him if he repents and returns to the church’s fold. However, Lorenzo refuses to apologize for his actions.
The next morning, the Holy Inquisition arranges a public execution for Lorenzo. People gather in Central Square to witness the spectacle. Lorenzo is taken on a donkey, wearing a jester’s cap, and is then fastened to the execution implement. The priests ask him to repent one last time, but he rejects his faith and throws the cross away. Crazy Inés, with her child in her arms, screams and shows the girl. Lorenzo notices her smile and realizes she is not herself. He also spots Alicia, who has become close to the English officers, and Francisco making a sketch from nature.
The king comes out and allows the punishment to proceed. Lorenzo is executed, and afterward, people celebrate, dance, and slowly disperse. The body is placed on a cart and taken away, with children running after it, singing a cheerful song. Inés follows, holding her baby and Lorenzo’s hand, with the artist, who is not ready to leave his muse Inés. Despite her craziness, she doesn’t understand that the baby she holds is not her daughter. The movie ends here.
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