The surface properties of mixed monomolecular films of retinal and phospholipids were studied at a nitrogen/water interface. The subphase was glycine buffer pH 10.5 with an ionic strength of 0.1. Monomolecular films of retinal in the presence of amino acids were also measured. The area per molecule, at a surface pressure of 10 dyn/cm, A10 , in the dark for 9-cis retinal and 11-cis retinal are 42 Å2 and 47 Å2, respectively. After irradiation A10 for 9-cis retinal and 11-cis retinal dcerease to 40 Å2 and 43 Å2, respectively. The surface potentials, ⊿V, at a surface pressure of 10 dyn/cm, in the dark for 9-cis retinal and 11-cis retinal are 470 mV and 445 mV, respectively. After irradiation, AV for 9-cis retinal decreases to 435 mV and 11-cis retinal increases to 490 mV. Interaction was observed between retinal and phospholipids and amino acids. The A10 and ⊿V 10 of mixed films of retinal and phospholipid were measured as a function of the mole fraction of phospholipid. Maximum interaction is observed at mole ratios of; phosphatidylserine/9-cis = 1; phosphatidylethanolamine/9-cis = 2, phosphatidylserine/11-cis = 3; phosphatidylethanolamine/11-cis = 3. It is shown that mixing and interaction between phosphatidylethanolamine and retinal is spontaneous. The A10 and ⊿V10 of films of retinal were measured as a function of the molar concentration of amino acid in the subphase. The nature of the interaction between retinal and phospholipid and amino acid are discussed.