The Grandfather (1999)

Purely Joyful Movie!

Powerful

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

The first must-see film of the year.

This perceptible drama is based on Benito Perez Galdos's (author of Episodios Nacionales) novel and adapted by Horacio Valcarcel. The countess Lucrecia (Cayetana Guillen Cuervo) along with his two daughters(Alicia Rozas, Cristina Cruz) return to City of Jerusia. But also the grandfather (Fernando Fernan Gomez)goes back Spain after traveling America looking for the Dorado, but he is now ruined. The old man wants reckoning , because his son died and left a will stating which one of the two daughters is an illegitimate little girl . Later on, the elderly count is obligated by the Mayor(Fernando Guillen, Cayetana Guillen's father), the priest(Francisco Algora), the administrator(Agustin Gonzalez) and doctor(Juan Calot) to remain at a Monastery led by the prior(Francisco Piquer) but Don Rodrigo escapes.This is a thought-provoking drama filmed with great sensitivity and feeling. It's an intelligent and touching story although sometimes is slow moving and tiring but is finely developed with sense of style and sensibility. In the picture are treated ethics and morals themes developed with great sense of fairness and ductility.Excellent acting by Fernando Fernan Gomez as an embittered man who will must face the traumatic truth and choose between honor and love. Special mention to Rafael Alonso as unfortunate elderly man who is mistreated by his six daughters . Besides exceptional and awesome cinematography by Raul Perez Cubero as is reflected on the marvelous outdoors of the countryside and brilliant interiors . Wonderful musical score by Manuel Balboa and the symphonic orchestra of Madrid with haunting leitmotif. Well filmed on marvelous locations as Niembro, Llanes, Pola De Lena, Church of Valdedios and Santa Cristina Lena (Asturias) and Monastery of Santa Maria Vid (Aranda Duero). Spectacular production design by Gil Parrondo who formerly achieved two Oscars (Patton, Nicholas and Alexandra). The motion picture is accurately directed by Jose Luis Garci (El Crack I, II, Luz Domingo) who won one Academy Award for ¨Volver a Empezar¨. Rating : Better than average and well worth seeing.For these reasons is essential and indispensable watching and is better than first version titled ¨La Duda¨ by Rafael Gil with Fernando Rey (Fernando Fernan Gomez role), Analia Gade (Cayetana Guillen character),Pilar Bardem, and again Rafael Alonso as Senen Corbacho (Agustin Gonzalez role).

EL ABUELO (The Grandfather) began as a 1954 novel by Benito Pérez Galdós and was adapted for the screen by writer/director José Luis Garci in 1998, a year when it was nominated for Best Foreign Film Oscar. It is a period piece of epic proportions, an immensely beautiful work both visually and emotionally, that assures the film's becoming a beloved standard in the cinematic library.Don Rodrigo de Arista Potestad (Fernando Fernán Gómez, the brilliant Peruvian actor from such films as 'Butterfly', 'Belle Epoque', 'All About My Mother, etc) is a crusty old aristocrat who has been in America for the Gold Rush who returns to Spain (a small town of Jerusa) when his son dies. He concern is about a letter his son wrote to him that one of his two granddaughters was sired by another man, an artist, and the old man is determined to find out which one of the granddaughters should rightfully inherit is name and his money. He arrives to meet Dolly (Cristina Cruz) and Nelly (Cristina Cruz) and their beautiful mother Doña Lucrecia (Cayetana Guillén Cuervo), a woman who has survived emotional hardships but has generously favored the small town with gifts while giving her daughters in home schooling by the intelligent, sensitive Don Pío Coronado (Rafael Alonso) who has been forsaken by his own family. The once butler of the home Senén Corchado (Agustín González) has been freed to become an oily capitalist, eager to squander the family money.Don Rodrigo (Abuelo) challenges the family to maintain the honor of his name, becomes fast friends with Don Pío, and the two set about to discover whether it is Dolly or Nelly that is the true bloodline granddaughter. The manner in which the investigation proceeds includes the warm relationship Abuelo forms with the girls, the way he decides the future of Lucrecia, and the bonding he forms with Pío. It is Pío who challenges Abuelo with the question of which is more important, honor or love, and it is this question that suffuses the resolution of the story with surprises and with extraordinary tenderness.The actors are all superb with special kudos to Fernando Fernán Gómez and Rafael Alonso. The cinematography of the coastlines of Spain is breathtakingly beautiful and the manner in which Raúl Pérez Cubero frames his images glows. The original musical score is by Manuel Balboa whose love theme is hauntingly played by both piano and orchestra: the moments of music by Satie (Gymnopédie) and Elgar (the Nimrod variation from Enigma Variations) are beautifully performed by the Madrid Orchestra under the baton of Ángel Gil Ordóñez. The film is long (well over two hours) and there are some synchrony defects in the spoken soundtrack (?dubbing for the granddaughters' voices?), but these are minor flaws in an eloquently beautiful film. In Spanish with English subtitles. Grady Harp

"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.

This charming, sensitive and often times hilarious comedy of manners is one of the best movies I've seen in years. It's long (147 minutes) and engrossing with many subplots and twists. A foreign film from Spain, it has no actors which will be readily recognizable to the American audience, and that alone builds interest and suspense, because we never really know who is going to what to whom and how it is all going to turn out.This is a rather talky film and takes patience to read the subtitles but it's well worth it. Beautifully shot in the Spanish countryside. Not to be missed by the discerning film enthusiast. 10 out of 10. Don't miss it.