Viridiana is preparing to start her life as a nun when she is sent, somewhat unwillingly, to visit her aging uncle, Don Jaime. He supports her; but the two have met only once. Jaime thinks Viridiana resembles his dead wife. Viridiana has secretly despised this man all her life and finds her worst fears proven when Jaime grows determined to seduce his pure niece. Viridiana becomes undone as her uncle upends the plans she had made to join the convent.

Viridiana is quintessential Bunuel: a masterpiece against the grain, designed to shock and awe.

'Viridiana' stands as a masterpiece featuring exceptional performances, particularly Silvia Pinal's nuanced lead work, alongside Buñuel's brilliant directorial vision. The film's corrosive social commentary attacking Catholic hypocrisy, bourgeois morals, and Franco's regime proves deeply thought-provoking with beautifully atmospheric cinematography. However, opinions sharply divide on engagement—some find it disturbingly compelling while others consider it boring and unwatchable. The writing similarly polarizes, with some praising its poetic sequences while others find it convoluted and uninspired.