"El Abuelo," directed by the famous director Jose Luis Garci, is a historical movie from Spain, released in 1998, and it is based on the novel of the same title written by Benito Perez Galdos. It was an Oscar candidate for the category of best foreign movie in 1998, but lost the award to the Italin movie "Life is Beautiful." It is a great movie with fabulous actors, such as the legendary actor Fernando Fernan Gomez, who plays the part of the main character Don Rodgrigo. Other actors include: Rafael Alonso, who plays the part of Don Pio Coronado; Cayetanna Guillen Cuervo, who plays Dona Lucrecia; and Cristina Cruz and Alicia Rozas play the parts of Dolly and Nelly. The principal theme is the importance of honor, rather than love, specifically in Spanish society around 1890, as well as the relationship of honor rather than love within various social classes.
Don Rodrigo is an elderly aristocrat who returns to Jerusa after he has lost his fortune on his last trip to Peru. The other reason he has returned is that while he was in Latin America he received a letter saying that his only son, Rafael, is dead. The same letter contained the latter Rafael wrote to his wife, which says that Don Rodrigo's daughter-in-law, dona Lucrecia, has had an affair and only one of the children is actually his. So don Rodrigo returns to Jerusa to determine which granddaughter is his real granddaughter. After he asks numerous questions, he comes to the conclusion that Dolly is the heir-although in reality it is Nelly who is the real heir. Don Rodrigo has to choose what is more important: the love of his two granddaughters, even though one is illegitimate, or protecting his honor and the family pride and dividing the girls without heeding the consequences or his granddaughter's feelings. Other parts of the plot include the stories of the girls' tutor, don Pio, and other people who work for don Rodrigo's family and are trying to improve their lives and social status, like Venancio and Gregorio, and their employee Senen.
I like "el Abuelo" a lot because it is a very interesting, moving, and sad movie, while at the same time being very humorous. One effective aspect of the movie is the soundtrack. At the beginning of the movie, and after the credits which show after the scene with dona Lucrecia and the politician, the song "Gymnopedie," by Erik Satie plays in the background. This song is very emotional and serves to bring the different scenes together. Also, that the song is a little sad, yet beautiful at the same time is a symbol that continues from the beginning until the end of the movie. In my opinion, the two more important defects are the excessive length and the dubbing of the voices of the young girls with voices of two grown woman. I think that the acting is incredible, especially that of Fernando Fernan Gomez and Rafael Alonso. Together they are very funny, for example, in the scene in the end of the movie. When don Rodrigo receives the news that Nelly is the actual heir and that dona Lucrecia is going to leave with his two granddaughters, he wants to die, just like don Pio wants to die. But when he says this, don Pio says that he won't allow it, that he cannot have the death of don Rodrigo on his conscience. When don Rodrigo ignores him don Pio says to himself, "They won't even let you die in peace, Coronado." It is possible that if the role of don Pio had been played by another actor, in the sad circumstances surrounding the scene, it would not have been so funny. However, in my opinion the type of the relationship between Fernando Fernan Gomez and Rafael Alonso, along with the script and the direction of Luis Garci, all these things together are the reason "el Abuelo" has a great balance of sadness and comedy.
Don Rodrigo is an elderly aristocrat who returns to Jerusa after he has lost his fortune on his last trip to Peru. The other reason he has returned is that while he was in Latin America he received a letter saying that his only son, Rafael, is dead. The same letter contained the latter Rafael wrote to his wife, which says that Don Rodrigo's daughter-in-law, dona Lucrecia, has had an affair and only one of the children is actually his. So don Rodrigo returns to Jerusa to determine which granddaughter is his real granddaughter. After he asks numerous questions, he comes to the conclusion that Dolly is the heir-although in reality it is Nelly who is the real heir. Don Rodrigo has to choose what is more important: the love of his two granddaughters, even though one is illegitimate, or protecting his honor and the family pride and dividing the girls without heeding the consequences or his granddaughter's feelings. Other parts of the plot include the stories of the girls' tutor, don Pio, and other people who work for don Rodrigo's family and are trying to improve their lives and social status, like Venancio and Gregorio, and their employee Senen.
I like "el Abuelo" a lot because it is a very interesting, moving, and sad movie, while at the same time being very humorous. One effective aspect of the movie is the soundtrack. At the beginning of the movie, and after the credits which show after the scene with dona Lucrecia and the politician, the song "Gymnopedie," by Erik Satie plays in the background. This song is very emotional and serves to bring the different scenes together. Also, that the song is a little sad, yet beautiful at the same time is a symbol that continues from the beginning until the end of the movie. In my opinion, the two more important defects are the excessive length and the dubbing of the voices of the young girls with voices of two grown woman. I think that the acting is incredible, especially that of Fernando Fernan Gomez and Rafael Alonso. Together they are very funny, for example, in the scene in the end of the movie. When don Rodrigo receives the news that Nelly is the actual heir and that dona Lucrecia is going to leave with his two granddaughters, he wants to die, just like don Pio wants to die. But when he says this, don Pio says that he won't allow it, that he cannot have the death of don Rodrigo on his conscience. When don Rodrigo ignores him don Pio says to himself, "They won't even let you die in peace, Coronado." It is possible that if the role of don Pio had been played by another actor, in the sad circumstances surrounding the scene, it would not have been so funny. However, in my opinion the type of the relationship between Fernando Fernan Gomez and Rafael Alonso, along with the script and the direction of Luis Garci, all these things together are the reason "el Abuelo" has a great balance of sadness and comedy.