Thin story. Great opportunities. And a tired tale. The dialogs are just signs for atmosphere. The acting is collection of different pieces. The action - crumbs from The three musketeers. Julia Ormond as new Milady, Juanjo Puigcorbe in the clothes of ambiguous puzzle and river of soulless words. A script with so many nuances in the boring swamp. Only virtue - first step to discover a Spanish history page. But may it enough ? Sure, the props, the costumes are beautiful illustration of Golden Age but facts and intrigues are suffocated in velvet coffins. May be a moral lesson ? I don't know. Is love story a good part ? Only as slice of old bread. A common movie about an exciting events ball. And the dreams about its possibilities.
