Belle epoque (1992)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Fernando Trueba

Writers:

Rafael Azcona (screenplay)
Rafael Azcona (story)

Release Date:

25 February 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

In 1931, a young soldier (Fernando) deserts from the army and falls into a country farm, where he is...

Plot Keywords:

Soldier | Daughter | Political | Sex | Sexual Attraction

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 23 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Penélope Cruz	...	Luz
Miriam Díaz Aroca	...	Clara (as Miriam Díaz-Aroca)
Gabino Diego	...	Juanito
Fernando Fernán Gómez	...	Manolo
Michel Galabru	...	Danglard
Ariadna Gil	...	Violeta
Agustín González	...	Don Luis
Chus Lampreave	...	Doña Asun
Mary Carmen Ramírez	...	Amalia
Jorge Sanz	...	Fernando
Maribel Verdú	...	Rocío
Juan José Otegui	...	El cabo
Jesús Bonilla	...	Soldier (El número)
María Galiana	...	La Polonia
Joan Potau	...	Paco (as Juan Potau)

Also Known As:

Belle époque (France)
The Age of Beauty

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

Spain | Portugal | France

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Argentina:13 | Canada:18A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-14 | Peru:14 | South Korea:18 | UK:15 | USA:R | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Arruda dos vinhos, Lisbon, Portugal

Company:

Animatógrafo

Trivia:

When Juanito comes to serenade Rocìo, he sings "Las Mañanitas" which in México is used to celebrate a birthday instead of the classic "Happy Birthday To You".

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Amalia sings "En un pais de fábula" from Pablo Sorozábal's zarzuela "La tabernera del puerto". The situation of the movie is in early 1930s, whereas this zarzuela was first staged in 1936.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 79th Annual Academy Awards (2007) (TV)

Comic cinema at its best

Belle Epoque is one of those movies you don't see every weekend at the theatre. It is a film set in a certain age (in this case: Spain during the times of the civil war), where the age itself is not very important, but it effects the way the story evolves. The best thing of all in this film is the acting and the comedy. The farce is excellent - hardly ever seen a film with such intelligent humourism. The first time I saw the film was in Spanish and I laughed my guts out (even though I do not know Spanish a lot ). The story too is not too complicated and at the same time it is not at all banal. The highlight of the film, in my opinion, is when the wife of Manolo goes to visit him and starts singing an aria from some opera. Some of the comic highlights of this movie are when Rojio is asked to try her mother-in-law -to-be's wedding dress and when Juanito enters her bed. The best quote from the film is Clara's: "A Woman cannot stay without a man, especially at night." Anyway, just about everything about this movie is great. Well, in short, WATCH IT