The Garden of Delights


El jardín de las delicias, also known as The Garden of Delights in English language cinema, is a 1970 Spanish drama film co-written and directed by Carlos Saura.
The film was censured by contemporary Spanish Censorship because of its Franco bourgeois satire and Spanish Civil War references.

Plot summary

Antonio Cano, 45 years old, is an important businessman who was severely injured in a car accident. Because of this, he is temporarily paralyzed and suffers memory loss. His family, friends and business associates all try to recreate scenes from his life in order to revive his memory which, little by little, does begin to return. Each day Antonio is placed in his beautiful garden where he relives many memories, both real and imagined.
The name is a reference to the Hieronymus Bosch painting The Garden of Earthly Delights.

Cultural Significance

All of the striking scene changes and radical imagery are metaphors for the suppression and suffering of Spanish people under in Francoist Spain, who could only speak out about their plight by means of allegorical films/stories such as El jardín de las delicias.

Cast