The Queen of Spain

A second rate flick, made unpalatable by Trueba's childish political obsessions. Not that he is unique in such proclivities. Other countries have film industries, Spain "enjoys" an obscenely subsidized version of the Socorro Rojo.

It's the 1950s, and Arturo Ripstein is producing a movie in Spain with a mix of Hollywood and local talent. Spanish-born but now American flm star Penelope Cruz is the cast's lead. Except on the set, where director Clive Revill (playing a thinly disguised John Ford) doze in an alcoholic stupor, all is chaos, filled with gossip, affairs, and an attempted rescue of one of Miss Cruz' lovers from a political prison.

It's a sort of sequel to 1998's The Girl of Your Dreams, and it's very funny, a movie that looks like Kenneth Anger's fever dreams, and in which the actors think they can do things in reality as they do in the movies, so of course the cast includes Mandy Patinkin among the American cohort.

Writer/Director Fernando Trueba (Belle Epoque, The Girl of Your Dreams, The Artist and the Model) revives the storyline and characters of The Girl of Your Dreams and places the tale (and stars from the original) in a slovenly montage of Span in the time of Franco. It desperately needs an editor.

Briefly the story relates Penélope Cruz, as the famous movie star Macarena Granada, who flees the glitz and glamour of 1950s Hollywood to return to her roots in Spain where she has signed on to star in an epic film as Queen Isabella of Spain. Some would say it is enough simply to see Penélope Cruz on screen (she remains extraordinarily beautiful), but the story is so overwritten with meaningless side plots that make the very very long film become quite boring.

There are some fine actors involved – Mandy Patikin, Clive Revill, Antonio Resines, Ana Belén, Rosa Maria Sardà, Jorge Sanz, Javier Cámara, and an embarrassingly tedious role for Cary Elwes, but the bluster takes over and even the scenery takes second place to the paucity of significant story. Pass.

This serious/ironic film results to be a nice comedy with a Spanish all-star-cast in which a movie troupe shooting a film about Catholic Kings and Granada conquest . This is an enjoyable and light comedy set nearly twenty years after the events of "La Niña de tus Ojos" that was set during the Spanish Civil War and in the Nazi Germany . A very pleasant comedy plenty of humor , emotion , sensitive scenes and mayhem . Macarena Granada (Penelope Cruz) , has become a Hollywood star and married to a famous American director , as she goes back to Spain to film a blockbuster about Queen Isabella I of Castile . In Madrid, not only will she meet up again with her old friends and partners from the troupe who played ¨La Niña de tus ojos¨. The US/Spanish company moves to Madrid surroundings to make a film in co-production . During the Fifties , the shooting troupe goes is filming a joint production Spain/USA and including a filmmaker who bears remarkable resemblance to John Ford . Besides the problems of any movie set , add to the tensions , as the former director (Antonio Resines) is detained and the actors cooperate with a common objective in hopes of freeing him from one of Franco's prison , as they he will also have to contend with the dictatorial regime. Soon some problems start to arise , the always slept filmmaker (Clive Revill) and the rest of the crew (Jorge Sanz , Neus Asensi , Rosa Maria Sarda , Loles Leon, Santiago Segura , Jesus Bonilla) encourage for the good of the filming .

This is an entertaining and fun picture shot by Goya Award Winning Fernando Trueba , the director of ¨Belle Epoque¨in which we're immersed in the 1950s . Comedy with historical background and movie troupe way-of-life elements ; adding culture and politics , including enjoyable performances and adequate set design . This is a dramady which manages to blend comedy and drama and falls on its face with an amusing screenplay which is little more than a whole lot of bantering and busy work . La reina de España (2016) results to be other of the innumerable stories to deal with deeds regarding the Francoist period , but including twisted messes, discussion , jealousies , filming troubles, antics , romance and prison escapades . While in La niña de tus ojos (1998) the director looked exactly like Fritz lang in La reina de España (2016) , the director played by Clive Revill looks like John Ford . Based on true events during the filming of a lot of movies in Spain in the late 50s and 60s, mostly produced by Samuel Bronston, and specially in Madrid surroundings , Navacerrada, Colmenar Viejo , La Pedriza in which was shot El Cid and The Fall of the Roman Empire directed by Antony Mann , in fact , Penelope Cruz role is Sara Montiel-looklike who married American director Anthony Mann . An agreeable story plenty of amusing moments , moving feelings and fun finale .. It is as beautifully filmed as it is written and acted . This is one of those rare gems that does not stray from its purpose - to be a celebration of love and romance - and comic tale of a company who suffers several dangers and funny situations during a hectic time . This is an tragicomedy that blends tragic elements , humor and irony . Director Fernando Trueba , also writes the interesting script and filmed in his usual formal and luxurious style , without leaving a trace the joyful themes , in terms of fun and narrative excitement . Stars Penelopé Cruz as Diva Macarena Granada who returns from Hollywood to Spain to shoot a US blockbuster entitled The Queen of Spain. Unforgettable Penelope Cruz , as she will breathe life into Isabella I of Castile and she parades sexily at her best and more relaxed and enticing than ever . The hit of the show is undoubtedly for the fetching Penelope who gives one of the best screen acting . Very good secondary cast formed by Spanish familiar faces such as Rosa Maria Sarda , Neus Asensi , Santiago Segura , Jesus Bonilla , Ramón Barea, Anabel Alonso , Jesús Bonilla , Carlos Areces , Gemma Cuervo , Guillermo Toledo , Julián Villagrán , Ramón Agirre, Arturo Ripstein, Secun de la Rosa and some American actors as Mandy Patinkin and Cary Elwes . Evocative and jolly musical score by Zbigniew Preisner , including sone songs marvelously sung by Penelope Cruz . In addition , a spotless pictorial cinematography by Jose Luis Alcaine and a willingness , almost perfect of the elements of each shot , every sequence , every space ; being filmed on location in Alpedrete, Moralzarzal, Madrid, and Budapest, Hungary. The picture is entertaining and well worth your time . The film is light and never somber, no small accomplishment from Fernando Trueba and his team.

This simple, delightful motion picture was professionally directed by Fernando Trueba , though inferior to ¨La Niña de tus ojos¨, in fact it failed at the box office . Trueba's first success was Ópera Prima (1980) following the style of the "Madrid comedy". He had major success with Sé Infiel y No mires Quién (1985) also known as : Be Wanton and Tread No Shame , starting a longer collaboration with the producer Andrés Vicente Gómez . He went on directing numerous successes such as Coarse salt , Too Much , Milagro de Candeal , Year of Enlightment , The Girl of Your Dreams , Calle 54 , Embrujo De Shanghai , Chico and Rita and recently : The Artist and the Model . Trueba was President of the Spanish Academy of Motion Picture Arts and he received the 1994 Oscar for Best Foreign Film to Belle Epoque (1992) .

A film nice to see for actors. It is the basic conclusion . An American historical movie with a Spanish subject under Franco regime , mixing humor, fine irony and proposing,in essence, one of French war comedies, Penelope Cruz in her beauty, a chaotic story about the American film star returns in home country and the director punished by circumstances. The real good point - Carlos Areces as Franco. Short , a nice film, great for energy, less for quasi - improvised story.