Belle Epoque

Shown: 11 January 1999

Spain/Portugal/France 1992 (subtitles)
Directed by Fernando Trueba
Leading players - Fernando Fernan Gomez, Jorge Sanz and Miriam Diaz-Aroca

Synopsis

A light-hearted comedy set in Spain in the summer of 1931. Fernando (Jorge Sanz) a young deserter from the Spanish Civil War has the good luck to meet Manolo (Fernando Fernan Gomez) an elderly artist who takes him under his wing. They enjoy each others company but Manolo's four daughters are expected at his farmhouse on a visit from Madrid and he realises that it would be wise for Fernando to depart.

At the station Fernando watches wide eyed as the girls descend from the train each more entrancing than the last. He decides not to leave and the good-natured Manolo takes him back into his family.

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Belle Epoque is full of wit, sex and a wonderfully sunny feel that all is right with the world. The peripheral characters are all a delight and only the surprise fate of the priest give a clue to the storm clouds gathering for those who are living so joyously in 'this beautiful time'.