Talk of Angels (1998)
This is the story of a young Irish woman who comes to Spain to escape from the pressures she feels about her impending marriage to a political activist in Ireland. But in Spain in the 1930's, taking a job of governess in a wealthy family, she finds the same kinds of political unrest. In fact, it isn't long before she finds herself attracted to a married man who is similarly involved in the struggle against fascism and Franco. This awakens her to her nature that brings her to such men and resolves for her what she must do about the life she left in Ireland
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How sad is this?
It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,
Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.
An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.
The superficiality of this poor film is its main failing. The Spanish Civil War was not explained at all, much less its byzantine structure, and the whole thing looked to me like an early Disney movie in Technicolor.The music was loud, overbearing, and trite. The bullfight stuff was sanitized, romanticized, and looked like some grade-schooler's idea of what a bullfight might be like. The commentary on the part of all the actors was juvenile and to me insufferable in its naiveté.The romantic stuff was wooden, rote, and simply ghastly, as Maggie Smith might observe.I know a lot about the SCW and Spain and this movie represented none of it. I have no idea what caused others here to think it good.
The Talk of Angels missed its title by a country mile so to speak. The expectations of the film deemed to be rather disappointing at best. Sure the cinematography was excellent. The settings were beyond belief. The actors were prepared to deliver, however the message was weak.The main character Mary, was indeed lovely in every way. She was indeed beautiful. The love scenes were poorly developed. The father was outstanding in terms of his role within the family. The son was good as well. Perhaps the story was too careful not to offend the two cultures involved in the story.The entertainment value was lost in its own sexual repression. The civil war dominance in the film apposed to the relationships on an intimate level. We needed more information on how love changes. We needed more closure on the question of love and angels to hear their voices, as do the times. I hope this story could be re=told in a more aggressive modern point of view.
This movie was a good effort and passable but it wasn't great. There should've been clearer evidence of why Maria went to Spain, why she needed to flee her fiance. I thought Franco Nero, the great actor that he is, should have been given a meatier role. Vincent Perez could've done so much more if only he was given the chance.The love story was rather subtle and I liked that they didn't overdo it like many other movies do. There was only one kissing scene and it wasn't shown if or not they ever consummated their love. It made you hungry for more! They didn't need a reason to fall in love, they just did. SPOILER! I thought the ending was perfect - for once, you don't see the lovers running into each other's arms for the ultimate cliched ending.The political unrest in Spain was well reflected. There was enough of it but to the oblivious like me, who never knew anything about the Franco era in Spain, maybe it would have helped if there was some clarification why there was a civil war, at least a little bit.Watch this movie for a chance to see Penelope Cruz pre-Tom Cruise days.
"Talk of Angels" tells of a betrothed Irish woman (Walker) who leaves her strife-torn homeland to take a job as governess to a wealthy family in Spain where she falls in love with a married man. The film, based on the writings of Kate O'Brien, is an attempt at a lavish and rich romantic tale set against an epic backdrop of Spanish civil war (circa 1930's). However, the screenplay tries to do too much for the allotted run time resulting in a weak, diluted, and ill-focused story of nebulous purpose, meaning, and significance. "Talk of Angels" will likely play best with mature women and incurable romantics. (C+)Note - Viewers who enjoy this film might be interested in a parallel film, also with Penelope Cruz, of the same period but different genre, "Belle Epoque".