It's a romantic drama carried out with sense and sensibility . It is set in Cuba about the fifties , when people-smuggling substitutes the liquor bootlegging . As Simon (Jorge Perugorria) was a bootlegger , but he is now a human smuggler who transports people to Florida keys . There , the emigrants are left to their luck . His underling is Andres (Aléx Gonzalez) who is injured by shots carried out by a machine gun from a coast guard ship . Later on , Simon carries him to a brothel run by a Madame (Broselianda Hernández) , and where is healed by the prostitutes . But there also resides virginal Marie (Ana De Armas) , Simon's protégée . Then , there takes place a unrelentingly passionate romance between two conflicting characters , Andres and Marie . They fall in love and is originated the standard and eternal loving triangle with unexpected consequences . As Simon attempts to avoid his henchman escapes with his protégée .
The movie has romance , drama , tragedy , a love story and is pretty entertaining . It includes some nudism and a little bit of action when the smuggler boat is pursued and shot by the coast guard ship . Filmmaker Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón successfully creating a portrait of the Cuban nation falling into moral decay . The usual as well as entertaining triangular drama is overspread throughout the movie , but not totally satisfactory , including conventional pitfalls . The picture is acceptable ,though the story needs a vibration more real than the one offered in this sometimes slow-moving flick , though also contains interesting scenes , thrilling images and sensitive moments . Anyway, its is compensated with the great performances from main cast . As a decent acting by protagonist trio , as a two-fisted and likable Jorge Perugorria , who plays a wonderful dancing with the Madame well performed by Broselianda Hernández ; Aléx Gonzalez as a good-looking and agreeable young smuggler who bears a guilty feeling for his lover and a very young Ana De Armas as virgin girl to be loved by her suitors . Atmospheric musical score with Cuban sounds by Xavier Capellas , who composes a stirring soundtrack , including a catching song titled ¨Una Rosa De Francia¨. Colorful as well as evocative cinematography by Alfredo Mayo who shows splendidly streets , promenades , sets , and mansions of La Habana .
The motion picture perfectly produced by magnificent producer Gerardo Herrero was compellingly directed by Manuel Gutierrez Aragon , a good Spanish movies director . Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón was born on January 2, 1942 in Torrelavega, Cantabria, where uses to set most of films , including Valley Pas . He is a writer and director, known for Habla, Mudita (1973), Camada Negra (1977) , Maravillas (1981) , Demonios en el Jardín (1982) , Feroz (1984) , Visionarios (2001) and this his last movie Todos Estamos Invitados (2008) . He began working in cinema in 1973 when he filmed ¨Habla Mudita ¨ , this debut feature by acclaimed Spanish director deals with a strange relationship between a mature men and a mute villager and set in rural country from Valley Pas similarly to La Vida Que Te Espera (2004) . And , of course , this ¨Una Rosa De Francia¨ that along with ¨Cosas Que Deje En Habana¨ forms a diptych dealing with Cuban world . Manuel Gutierrez is a well recognized filmmaker both nationally and internationally, and in proof of it he won many prizes among which there are the following ones : David di Donatello Awards , Moscow International Film Festival , and San Sebastian International Festival award to ¨Demonios en Jardin¨ , Goya Awards 1987 to ¨La Mitad del Cielo¨ , Cinema Writers Circle Awards, Spain and Berlin Internation Festival 1996 to ¨Rey del Rio¨ , Biarritz International Festival awards and Goyas 2003 to ¨Caballero Don Quijote¨ , among others
