Viva Maria!
“The world will never forget the two heroines who charged into battle undaunted, unafraid, and… undressed!”
1907 Central America: Maria II is the daughter of an Irish terrorist. After her father's death, she meets Maria I, a performer, and decides to stay with the circus, and on her debut as a singer, unintentionally invents the striptease and makes the circus famous. Their inadvertent encounter with a socialist revolutionary lands them leading a revolution against the dictator, the capitalists, and the Church.
Where to watch
Not streaming anywhere
Not on any streaming service in United States, and not available to rent.
Your rating
Your review
Cast
22 people
Brigitte Bardot
Maria I
Known for
Contempt
...And God Created Woman
Jeanne Moreau
Maria II
Known for
Jules and Jim
Elevator to the Gallows
Paulette Dubost
Mrs. Diogène
Known for
The Last Metro
The Rules of the Game
Claudio Brook
The Great Rodolfo
Known for
Don't Look Now... We're Being Shot At!
Cronos
Carlos López Moctezuma
Rodríguez
Known for
Night of the Bloody Apes
The Curse of the Crying Woman
Poldo Bendandi
Werther
Known for
Duck, You Sucker
Man of La Mancha
George Hamilton
Flores
Known for
The Godfather Part III
Hollywood Ending
Gregor von Rezzori
Diogène
Also in
A Very Private Affair
Ein bißchen Liebe
Francisco Reiguera
Father Superior
Known for
Simon of the Desert
Entrega Inmediata
Adriana Roel
Janine
Known for
My Love, My Sin
El extraño retorno de Diana Salazar
José Baviera
Don Alvaro
Known for
The Exterminating Angel
El Portero
José Ángel Espinosa 'Ferrusquilla'
The Dictator of San Miguel
Known for
Two Mules for Sister Sara
Louis Malle Director · Jean-Claude Carrière Screenplay Georges Delerue Composer
Worldwide gross $1.2M · Budget $2.2M · United States release December 18, 1965
Box office
Budget
$2,200,000
Worldwide gross
$1,150,000
Gross vs. budget
0.5×
Production
Les Productions Artistes Associés
Production
Vides Cinematografica
Production
Nouvelles Éditions de Films
Production
United Artists Pictures
Studio
France · Italy
Produced in
Languages
Original language
French
Spoken on screen
English · French · German · Spanish
Release dates
France · November 22, 1965
Theatrical
United States · December 18, 1965
Theatrical
France
December 22, 2025 · TV · TV5 Monde
December 29, 2025 · TV · (hommage à Brigitte Bardot : 28/09/1934 - 28/12/2025) France•3
January 1, 2026 · Digital · (hommage à Brigitte Bardot : 28/09/1934 - 28/12/2025) France•tv
Germany
January 22, 1966 · Theatrical
More from Louis Malle
Other films they directed, best known first.
If you liked Viva Maria!
Picks that share its genres, themes, cast and crew.
Some details come from TheTVDB.