Miracles of Thursday 1957
Directed by
Luis García Berlanga
Made by
Ariel
Miracles of Thursday Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Miracles of Thursday (1957). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
In a small Spanish town, a plan takes shape among a group of locals who decide to imitate the famous miracles at Fatima, Lourdes, and other revered sites. Their goal is simple yet ambitious: to revive a tired local economy by creating a convincing miracle around their spa. To pull this off, five influential residents—the mayor, the teacher, the doctor, the landowner, and the owner of the spa—agree to stage a saintly apparition and persuade visitors that a holy appearance has graced their community. The hope is that the orchestrated phenomenon will attract pilgrims, boost attendance, and breathe new life into the town’s dilapidated waters.
At the center of the ruse is a choice selection: one local is picked to play San Dimas, chosen precisely because of a resemblance to the town saint. The role falls to the town fool, Mauro, whose innocence and gullibility become pivotal in the unfolding deception. The plan initially seems to work only in fits and starts. A disastrous fireworks and light show intended to reveal the saint’s presence leaves Mauro in the dark about the impending truth, and the truth feels dangerously close to unraveling. Still, Mauro’s sincerity—his willingness to believe—keeps the story alive even as skepticism grows among the townspeople. The show’s impact swells when a particularly devout woman experiences a spark of belief, nudging many others to wonder if they might be witnessing something genuine after all.
As Thursday returns, the townspeople retrace the previous apparition site, expecting a repeat of the spectacle. But this time, the stars misalign: the music falters, the lights flicker, and the actor who plays San Dimas slips, failing to conjure the miracle they had promised. The crowd disperses in disappointment, except for Mauro, who remains with arms outstretched, waiting for a sign that something miraculous has occurred. It is then that a new, unsettling presence arrives in town—a mysterious figure who seems to know every detail of the fraud that has been set in motion. This stranger presents himself as a magician, offering a path to “complete” the feat.
The magician’s plan hinges on a calculated display. With a mirror from the bell tower, he creates a radiant, almost heavenly projection of San Dimas, convincing the conspirators that they can push the deception to a new level. He then nudges them to pretend to fall ill and, aided by the doctor’s complicity, to recover by drinking the spa waters. Curiously, some villagers are actually cured by the miraculous waters, fueling the feverish desire to believe and to seek further cures. A real buzz grows around the spa as people flock to drink the waters, hoping for relief from their ailments, and an unofficial fever to obtain the sacred remedy takes hold of the town.
Yet as the plan spirals, the would-be forgers begin to repent and confess what happened. They expect sympathy, but the crowd is too consumed by the prospect of healing and by the lure of the spa to listen. The town’s mood shifts from one of skepticism to fevered dependence on the purported miracle. In the end, the conspirators seek out the mysterious stranger to confront him, only to discover a quiet, unsettling truth: in his room lies a letter revealing that the figure of San Dimas does not resemble the town’s imagined saint, and a photograph of the real San Dimas is attached. The message implies that the mysterious visitor and the whole spectacle were built on illusion, leaving the town to confront the gap between belief and reality, and to ponder what, if anything, in their fervor was truly authentic.
Miracles of Thursday Timeline
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Town plans a staged miracle to boost the spa
To revive visitors and revenue for the dilapidated spa, a small Spanish town hatches a plan to imitate famous pilgrimage miracles. Five local figures—the mayor, the teacher, the doctor, the landowner and the spa owner—agree to fabricate a saintly apparition. They hope the staged miracle will draw visitors and revive the spa economy.
Choosing an actor to play Saint Dimas
They select a local resident who resembles the town saint enough to pass as the miracle figure. The chosen person will play Saint Dimas in the successive appearances. The decision marks the start of a coordinated deception.
The first deception: Mauro the town fool is tricked
They enlist Mauro and stage a disastrous fireworks and light show to convince him of the miracle's presence. The spectacle is chaotic and the 'saint' appears only through their arrangement. Mauro pretends the miracle is real, while others watch with mounting doubt.
Skepticism grows after the initial reveal
At first, Mauro's account fails to convince most residents and belief in a miracle remains uncertain. Some townspeople begin to doubt the authenticity, while the conspirators push ahead with the plan. The spark of doubt lingers, setting up a test to come.
A second appearance tests belief in the deity
On the following Thursday, the same show is repeated before a devout woman, but the faltering spectacle deepens doubts. The crowd's curiosity clashes with skepticism as questions about truth arise. The ruse teeters on collapse, yet the town persists in hoping for a miracle.
The group returns to the apparition site; the performance fails again
They go to the place where the apparitions were meant to occur, but the music, lights, and the 'actor' falter once more. The crowd leaves disenchanted, and Mauro alone clings to the hope of a real miracle. The ruse seems close to breaking apart.
A mysterious magician arrives in town
A secretive magician appears, offering to help realize the fraud's desired outcome. He claims he can guarantee a 'miracle' and quickly aligns with the conspirators. The town's plan now includes a new, potentially dangerous collaborator.
The magician uses a bell tower mirror to reveal Saint Dimas
From the top of the bell tower, the magician projects a radiant image of Saint Dimas using a silver mirror. The illusion appears luminous and convincing, strengthening the belief in the miracle. The conspirators grow bolder as the crowd gasps at the spectacle.
Pretend illness and spa-water cures
Under the magician's guidance, the conspirators pretend to be sick and, with the doctor's complicity, claim to recover by drinking the spa waters. Strangely, some villagers are actually cured by the spring's waters, muddying the lines between manipulation and healing. The growing fever to find relief pushes the town deeper into the ruse.
Public fever and the rush to the miraculous spring
News spreads and a fever to obtain the miraculous spring's waters takes hold. People abandon skepticism in their search for cures and spiritual relief. The spa becomes the focus of a frenzy that overshadows the deception behind Saint Dimas.
The conspirators repent, but the town remains captivated
The forgers repent and confess what happened, but the townspeople are too absorbed in seeking healing to listen. The group, once exposed, finds themselves dismissed as the miracle continues to lure visitors. The deception becomes irrelevant against the community's hunger for relief.
Discovery in the foreigner's room reveals the truth
The conspirators confront the mysterious foreigner in their room, only to find a letter stating that the town's Saint Dimas does not resemble the real figure, along with a photo of the real Saint Dimas. The revelation reframes the entire episode as a deliberate manipulation tied to the mysterious visitor. The truth surfaces at last, but its impact is overshadowed by the ongoing thirst for the miracle.
The real Saint Dimas is revealed as the mysterious stranger
The letter and photo confirm that the mysterious visitor is the real Saint Dimas, ironically not the idealized town saint. The town is left to grapple with the revelation as people still pursue healing at the spring. The tale ends on a note about belief, deception, and the costs of seeking miracles.
Miracles of Thursday Characters
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Mauro (Manuel Alexandre)
El pueblo lo señala como el tonto del lugar, un personaje cuya fe parece genuina pese a la farsa que lo rodea. A medida que la conspiración crece, Mauro sigue esperando un milagro con esperanza y brazos abiertos. Su ingenuidad resalta la fe simple de la comunidad y su capacidad para sostener una mentira cuando otros se cansan.
Mayor
El alcalde impulsa el plan para atraer visitantes y revitalizar la economía local. Es práctico y ambicioso, dispuesto a cruzar líneas éticas para salvar el balneario. Su liderazgo muestra cómo el deseo de progreso puede nublar el juicio cuando la fe popular está en juego.
La Maestra
La maestra es una de las organizadoras que propone un milagro para promocionar el spa. Es racional y calculadora, colaborando en la planificación de la representación. Sus acciones revelan un conflicto entre educación y fe cuando la verdad empieza a tambalear.
El Doctor
El doctor coopera en el plan al declarar que la recuperación puede verse como milagro cuando se bebe el agua termal. Su ética se pone a prueba entre la manipulación y la creencia, evidenciando como la medicina puede ser instrumentalizada.
Propietario del Spa
El propietario del spa es el motor económico de la farsa. Busca restaurar la prosperidad del balneario y está dispuesto a participar en la mentira para atraer clientes. Su visión comercial choca con la posible caída de la reputación.
El Mago
Un misterioso extranjero que llega y propone una iluminacion milagrosa con un espejo desde lo alto de la campana. Presenta la ilusion como una fuerza real y manipula a los conspiradores para lograr su objetivo. Su presencia desencadena la revelacion final sobre la autenticidad de San Dimas y el costo humano de la fe.
Miracles of Thursday Settings
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Location
Pueblo español con balneario
Un pequeño pueblo en España depende de un balneario en ruinas que busca renacer. Los habitantes organizan una aparición para atraer visitantes y fomentar el turismo de las aguas termales. El spa, en decadencia, se convierte en el centro de un plan de engaño que cruza límites entre fe y negocio.
Miracles of Thursday Themes
Discover the main themes in Miracles of Thursday (1957). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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Magic vs Reality
La película explora cómo la creencia puede ser alimentada y manipulada mediante una aparición simulada y luces espectaculares. El misterioso San Dimas y el montaje escénico difuminan la frontera entre lo deseado y lo real. El film pregunta si la fe puede justificar métodos engañosos cuando la comunidad busca esperanza.
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Commerce and Revival
La motivación económica impulsa la farsa: atraer turistas y vender las aguas termales para revitalizar el balneario. El engaño parece funcionar al principio, generando una fiebre de visitas y ventas. La historia muestra cómo el comercio puede convertirse en motor de una comunidad cuando la fe se comercializa.
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Fraud and Consequences
Cuando la mentira se revela, el pueblo se enfrenta a las consecuencias del engaño. Mauro permanece esperando el milagro mientras otros confrontan la culpa y el daño causado. El giro final expone que la figura de San Dimas puede ser una invención, pero el daño humano ya está hecho.
Miracles of Thursday Spoiler-Free Summary
Discover the spoiler-free summary of Miracles of Thursday (1957). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
In the dwindling village of Fontecilla, the cracked stone of the plaza and the silent whisper of empty streets betray a once‑thriving community now yearning for a spark. The townspeople cling to the faded glory of their mineral spa, a relic that could yet become the heart of a new pilgrimage. The air is heavy with a mixture of rustic charm and quiet desperation, setting a tone that swings between gentle satire and wistful melancholy.
Guided by a handful of the town’s most influential figures, a modest plan begins to take shape: to recreate the awe of famous holy apparitions and lure visitors with a miracle of their own making. At the core of this collective ambition sit the mayor, whose public duties mask a personal need for redemption; the teacher, whose belief in history intertwines with a yearning for relevance; the doctor, whose pragmatic skill is tested by the prospect of faith; the landowner, a pragmatic steward of the surrounding hills; and the spa proprietor, guardian of the waters that could become a beacon of hope.
The scheme’s unexpected star is the village’s beloved simpleton, Mauro, whose earnestness and naïveté make him the perfect vessel for the fabricated saint. His heartfelt willingness to believe fuels the delicate balance between illusion and sincerity, hinting at deeper questions about the nature of miracles and the power of collective hope. As the townsfolk rally around this audacious idea, the mood oscillates between nervous anticipation and quiet wonder, inviting the audience to contemplate whether a shared story can breathe life back into a place that has been left behind.
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