Goya's Ghosts
The painter Goya becomes involved with the Spanish Inquisition when his muse, Ines, is arrested by the church for heresy. Her father, Thomas, comes to him hoping that his connection with Brother Lorenzo, whom he is painting, can secure the release of his daughter.
The film commercial failure against its mid-range budget of $50.0M, earning $9.4M globally (-81% loss). While initial box office returns were modest, the film has gained appreciation for its fresh perspective within the biography genre.
2 wins & 5 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Goya's Ghosts (2006) showcases meticulously timed narrative architecture, characteristic of Miloš Forman's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 54 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.2, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 2 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Goya paints members of the Spanish court and Inquisition in 1792 Madrid. He is an established artist serving powerful patrons in a world where the Church holds absolute authority over Spanish society.. Of particular interest, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when Inés is arrested by the Inquisition for heresy after refusing to eat pork at a tavern. Lorenzo, who has developed feelings for her, is unable to prevent her arrest despite his position. This event shatters the status quo for all characters.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 29 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 26% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to When Lorenzo is confronted by the Bilbatúa family about Inés's false confession obtained through torture, his own beliefs are questioned using the Inquisition's methods. He confesses to being a monkey and the son of a monkey, exposing the absurdity of forced confessions and setting him on a path of escape., moving from reaction to action.
At 58 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat Inés, released from fifteen years of imprisonment and now mentally shattered, is reunited with her family and confronts the world that has completely transformed. She meets Lorenzo again, now a powerful French official who doesn't initially recognize the woman he destroyed., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 86 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Lorenzo is captured by the restored Spanish forces. His execution is imminent. All his power, transformation, and attempts at redemption dissolve. Inés has lost everything—her youth, sanity, daughter, and any hope for justice. The cycle of violence continues unchanged., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 93 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 81% of the runtime. Lorenzo is led to execution by the restored Inquisition. The same systems that he once served and later opposed will destroy him, completing the cycle. Understanding dawns that ideology is merely costume—the cruelty remains constant regardless of who holds power., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Goya's Ghosts's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping Goya's Ghosts against these established plot points, we can identify how Miloš Forman utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Goya's Ghosts within the biography genre.
Miloš Forman's Structural Approach
Among the 6 Miloš Forman films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.3, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Goya's Ghosts represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Miloš Forman filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional biography films include After Thomas, Taking Woodstock and The Fire Inside. For more Miloš Forman analyses, see Hair, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Man on the Moon.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Goya paints members of the Spanish court and Inquisition in 1792 Madrid. He is an established artist serving powerful patrons in a world where the Church holds absolute authority over Spanish society.
Theme
During a debate about Inquisition practices, a character states that those who claim absolute moral authority often become the very thing they condemn. This foreshadows Lorenzo's transformation and the film's exploration of how power corrupts.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to 1792 Spain under Inquisition rule. Goya navigates between his artistic work, his relationship with the Bilbatúa family, and his observations of Brother Lorenzo's rising influence. Inés models for Goya while the Inquisition's power over daily life becomes clear.
Disruption
Inés is arrested by the Inquisition for heresy after refusing to eat pork at a tavern. Lorenzo, who has developed feelings for her, is unable to prevent her arrest despite his position. This event shatters the status quo for all characters.
Resistance
Goya and the Bilbatúa family attempt to rescue Inés through official channels. They pressure Lorenzo to intervene. Lorenzo visits Inés in prison, where she is tortured into confession. He rapes her, beginning his moral descent. Goya documents these events through his art.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
When Lorenzo is confronted by the Bilbatúa family about Inés's false confession obtained through torture, his own beliefs are questioned using the Inquisition's methods. He confesses to being a monkey and the son of a monkey, exposing the absurdity of forced confessions and setting him on a path of escape.
Mirror World
Time jump reveals Inés has given birth to Lorenzo's child in prison. This relationship becomes the thematic heart—a innocent victim bound to her abuser, mirroring Spain's relationship with its oppressors. Goya witnesses but cannot save her.
Premise
Fifteen years pass. Napoleon's forces invade Spain and liberate Inquisition prisoners. Lorenzo returns as a French collaborator, his identity transformed. Goya continues painting, documenting the changing world. Inés is released, broken and aged beyond recognition, searching for her lost daughter.
Midpoint
Inés, released from fifteen years of imprisonment and now mentally shattered, is reunited with her family and confronts the world that has completely transformed. She meets Lorenzo again, now a powerful French official who doesn't initially recognize the woman he destroyed.
Opposition
Lorenzo discovers his daughter Alicia works as a prostitute. He attempts to reclaim her while maintaining his position. Inés seeks revenge and connection. The French occupation crumbles as Spanish forces return. Former Inquisitors regain power. All characters are trapped by their past choices as political tides shift again.
Collapse
Lorenzo is captured by the restored Spanish forces. His execution is imminent. All his power, transformation, and attempts at redemption dissolve. Inés has lost everything—her youth, sanity, daughter, and any hope for justice. The cycle of violence continues unchanged.
Crisis
Lorenzo faces execution while still trying to manipulate his fate. Inés wanders in madness. Alicia is caught in the chaos of political upheaval. Goya observes the darkness, recognizing that Spain devours itself repeatedly. No one can escape the machinery of power and revenge.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Lorenzo is led to execution by the restored Inquisition. The same systems that he once served and later opposed will destroy him, completing the cycle. Understanding dawns that ideology is merely costume—the cruelty remains constant regardless of who holds power.
Synthesis
Lorenzo's execution by garrote. Inés dies in the street, still calling for her lost child, unnoticed and unmourned. Alicia escapes with her baby. The political powers change hands again but the suffering continues. Goya bears witness through his art to the eternal cycle.
Transformation
Goya, now elderly and deaf, watches the final parade of power in Madrid. Inés lies dead in the street while processions march past. The artist who documented everything remains, having witnessed the complete destruction of those he painted. Only art survives the brutality of history.