The film is set at the end of the Spanish Civil War in 1939 , it deals with the days leading up to Barcelona encroachment that are dramatized from different locations . It tells the story of a Barcelona family through a faithful servant , the Italian Claudio (Vittorio Gassman) . Many years later , a descendant , Ramon Casals Jr (Sergi Mateu) arrives in the Mimosas mansion and attempting to find out what happened his family after they fled the country in '39 , then he learns the details of the fascist takeover from the former butler . In first part titled ¨La casa de Mimosas¨ regards how the old Catalanist Jordi Casals (Jean Rochefort) survives at Barcelona next to the invasion by Francoist troops , while happens bombing and destruction . The second part titled ¨Caralsol¨concerns his fascist brother Casimiro Casals (Adolfo Marsillach) , replacing Jordi at home , and at charge of the Casals family . Along the way is developed a melodramatic love story between Doctor Ramon Casals (Jacques Penot) and the American deaf-mute teacher Ema Stapleton (Elizabeth Hurley) .
Detailed recreation about the significant weeks leading up to Barcelona invasion during the Spanish Civil War in 1939 .The flick is spoiled by some disjointed scenes , interiors overusing and lacking exteriors . It is narrated by means of some parallel stories , a lot of flashbacks and retelling historical as well as fictitious events . The picture is based on historic events , though it has some inventions and including a well recreated Barcelona encroached by the National Army carried out by the prestigious production designer Gil Parrondo who made Patton and Nicholas and Alexandra . It is divided in two parts : La casa de Mimosas and Caralsol . Director Jaime Camino was very interested in Spanish Civil War , as he made this ¨The Long Winter¨ that is a sequel to "Long Vacations of 36", and two documentary as ¨La vieja memoria¨ and ¨Los niños de Rusia¨. The international main cast is pretty good , the prestigious Vittorio Gasmman who uses his own voice , while Elizabeth Hurley is finely dubbed as well as Jacques Penot and Sergi Mateu who plays as the son of the large bourgeois family returning to Barcelona . Support cast is frankly well , such as : Jean Rochefort , Adolfo Marsillach , Asunción Balaguer , Teresa Gimpera , Ramon Madaula , Àlex Casanovas , Silvia Munt , José Luis de Vilallonga , José Luis López Vázquez , Ovidi Montllor , Vicky Peña , Hermann Bonnín ,Pedro Díez del Corral , Abel Folk , Ferran Rañé , Mario Gas , Judit Mascó , Jordi Rebellón , Marian Aguilera , Jordi Dauder , José Lifante , among others .
It contains an atmospheric and sensitive musical score by Albert Guinovart performed by Barcelona Symphonic Orchestra . As well as an evocative cinematography by Hans Burmann . Adequate screenplay written by notorious authors as Román Gubern , Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón , Bernheim ,Juan Marsé and Jaime Camino himself .This lavish motion picture was profesionally directed by Jaime Camino , though it has has failures and gaps , being a flop at the Spanish boxoffice . Camino was a fine writer/producer/director and member of the ¨Barcelona School¨ , as he financed his films by means of his own Company : Tibidabo Films S.A. . His films were strongly censored from ¨Los Felices 60¨ dealing with adultery , to ¨Largas Vacaciones Del 36¨ (1975) . He directed several dramas as ¨Mañana será otro dia¨(1966) about the loves of a prostitute , ¨España otra vez¨ (68) that won the Spectacle Syndicate Award , ¨Un Invierno En Mallorca¨ about Federico Chopin and George Sand in this island , ¨La Campanada¨ upon crisis of a middle-age man , ¨El Balcón Abierto¨ about poet Federico Garcia Lórca , and ¨Luces y sombras¨(88) about a director who shoots ¨Las Meninas¨by Velazquez . And a prestigious documentary titled ¨La Vieja Memoria¨ and finally ¨El Largo Invierno¨ about the end of the Spanish Civil War in Barcelona .
