The Grandfather

Oscar winner Jose Luis Garci repeats his classical formula in this adaptation from a novel by Perez Galdos. The story is set in Asturias, in the north of Spain, in the 1900's. The film is about honor, reputation, friendship, love and hate.

As many films by Garci, the cinematography and the score makes the film more comfortable to follow, although there are scenes that can be so slow, that they can bore a bit.

But all the cast, including Fernan Gomez and Rafael Alonso, the landscape and the story itself, make this film so attractive to those who love classical films, that it must be seen.

And pay attention to the magnificent first 7 minutes, with no cuts, and the camera following calmly to the characters. ¡It is genial!

My immediate impression after seeing this film for the first time (and any really good film needs to be seen at least twice) was that at last here was another little masterpiece to add to the very limited cinematographical treasure troves produced by Spain in the last quarter of a century. 'El Abuelo' stands very well alongside `El Sur' (1982) and `Los Santos Inocentes' (1984), these two also being adapted from novels. I cannot help thinking that Garci is at his best when with the help of Valcárcel he adapts a story from real Spanish literature. As perhaps the most prestigious and prize-winning Spanish director (we shall pass over Almodóvar and his commercially orientated light entertainment), having won at Hollywood, Montreal, and Spain's own Goya prize several times, he has produced some memorable films and TV series (Historias del Otro Lado - Stories from the Other Side), mostly because he has that acute eye for capturing every detail as he shoots his scenes. He knows how to use his actors, and never better than in `El Abuelo'. The leading actors bring sincere interpretations, full of feeling, adding beauty to the situations being developed. The film is also a little tribute to Rafael Alonso, who died without seeing the finished film: his life ended with the hugely memorable part of an unpresuming private home teacher to the two little girls - Dolly and Nelly - one of whom is not really Don Rodrigo's granddaughter. Fernán Gómez is of course perfect, as he has been in most of his films in recent years, and Agustín González has at last played his best rôle in the whole of his acting career. Don Rodrigo returns from the Americas where he lost a fortune, to find out which of the two girls was due to his daughter-in-law's unfaithfulness. The novel itself is `costumbrista' as is also the novel by Concha Espina, `El Junco', which deals with a similar situation. Manuel Balboa once again has been exquisite in choosing his music and I must mention the sumptuous photography by Raúl Pérez Cubero, beautifully, lovingly captured in the countryside and around the grand old house, worth any prizes that may be floating around out there.....But I do not believe in prizes: they mostly exist only to perpetuate themselves. `El Abuelo' does not need any prizes - it stands up on its own merits: simply a wonderful film telling a story with simplicity and feeling.

This is a period piece bringing together some of the greatest writers, directors, and actors of the Spanish theater.

Benito Pérez Galdós' novel was first made into film in 1925, five years after his death. Galdos has written many works that have made it to film, and the fact that one is redone is testament to his writing skill.

José Luis Garci is one of Spain's greatest writers and directors, and has many shelves full of awards to prove it.

Fernando Fernán Gómez, who plays the lead in this film, also has shelves full of awards for his acting (over 200 roles), writing, and directing skills. He plays a man who returns from Peru determined to find his rightful heir between the daughters of his philandering daughter-in-law (Cayetana Guillén Cuervo).

This is not an easy task as he is broke and his daughter-in-law has the whole town on her side because of the money her husband left her.

The scene where he called them all out was magnificent! The scene where his granddaughter Dolly (Cristina Cruz) laid down the law was breathtaking.

This was a beautiful film that my poor words cannot even begin to describe.

Probably done for a reasonable enough budget, but this film has the look and soul of a big, well-crafted European production.

The script is just filled with nodules of truth wrapped up in old world philosophy, that play out before the viewer's eye. This is a long film so make sure that you have the time and mental alertness to make the journey - but for the patient, the investment is worth it.

The cast is filled with capable players: the leads are exceptional latin character actors, they are surrounded by the others which are more often than not caricatures who actually focus the reality of the story around the serious players.

The cinematography is magnificent.

Among the many strengths of this movie: excellent dialogues-better if you understand Spanish-, superb acting even by children, touching and comic -not corny- story, magnificent landscapes and atmospheres. Definitively, an intelligent movie with a big heart.