“Belle Epoque”
“Belle Époque” is a sex comedy that takes place during the early stages of the Spanish Civil War. Juanito (Gabino Diego), a wide-eyed deserter, is a strange one. After a run in with the Royal Guard on a country road that is tragically funny, he ends up staying in the house of local villager Manolo (Fernando Fernan Gomez), an elderly man with a quick wit. Juanito was raised in a seminary, and therefore knows the bible and is a great cook, but he calls himself an agnostic. He also seems naïve and painfully honest; he refuses to throw away his uniform that will mark him as a deserter because it “isn’t his” and he seems incapable of telling a lie. Oh well, a deserter needing to rest/hide for a spell, Manolo prepares to shuffle him out of the house in time for the arrival of his four daughters. Juanito sees them at the train station and decides he should stay awhile. Good decision. All the daughters are beautiful, and all have unique personalities. Luz (Penelope Cruz) is the youngest and her sisters treat her as such. Violeta is a man trapped in a woman’s body. Rocio is a flirt. She dangles her pleasures in front of Don Luis, a boy from a rich, mother dominated family. And Clara is a widow.
Juanito has run-ins with all of them. This seems rather predictable and we sense that he will end up with one of them, but it is a pleasant enough ride that we the viewer are happy to take. This is a good looking film, warmly lit like it’s subject matter. The local village characters are friendly and familiar. There is a whorehouse, with one whore and a bit of gambling. This is as good a place as any to find the local priest who insists he must be “wherever there is sin.” He also likes to stop by Manolo’s house in time for dinner.
“Belle Epoque” then is about the women in Manolo’s life, and when we realize that each of his daughters has a sweet agenda, but an agenda nevertheless, we realize that they must have gotten it from their mother. She will turn up. Politics abound in the background, but this comedy is more about Manolo’s family and which sister will end up with Juanito.
A mildly satisfying film, “Belle Époque” was an Oscar-winner for best foreign language film in 1992. I can’t help but think that there was something better out their in 1992, but then the best film doesn’t always win the Oscar. Not life changing, but not entirely forgettable, “Belle Époque” is a nice enough film, whether you love it or not will depend if you are a fan of the era, or Spanish language films, or of a young Penelope Cruz. I like all three, so it worked for me, but just a little.
Story: B A sex comedy. A young Spanish Army deserter finds refuge in a villagers home, and then in the arms of each of his four daughters.
Acting: B Everyone does well enough.
Visuals: B Warm and era evocative and nostalgic.
Originality/Innovation: B The opening mishap is both amusing and tragic, and the way that changing politics are sprinkled in unobtrusively is to be admired, but it’s just a sex comedy.
Enjoyability Grade: B Are we seeing a trend here?
Overall Grade: B Nice enough to practice your Spanish, and laugh and smile a bit.
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