Leap to Fame is an enjoyable biography, though tediously paced, at times , from childhood to adult period, being skilfully dramatised and well starred by Adolfo Marsillach. Dealing with the notorious scientific who is considered to be the head of the wise men, discovering the developing of the nervous cells. Ramon Y Cajal was born in Petilla de Aragon 1852 and died in Madrid 1934. At his infancy he is submitted by his dominant father: Jose Marco Davo who shapes son's future to become his own man, as he served as a helper of a stiff shoe-maker : Jose Sepulveda . As an adult character he attended at the Zaragoza University as a detached pupil. Later on, he was in the Cuban war as a doctor, there being wounded and sick. He attached the first grade as a professor in Valencia University. He studied illness as tuberculosis, tisis, and means to combat it. Cajal himself used to practice with a simple microscope that enabled him the visualization of the real structure of the central nervous system, based on individual cells, the neurons. For which both Cajal was bestowed the Medicine Nobel Prize in Stockholm 1906.
It deals faithfully of the famous doctor Santiago Ramon y Cajal, but relies heavily on his relationship with his father, wife and children . It is an interesting biography regarding his universitary time, studies, teachings, family and anything else. Cajal , magnificently played by Adolfo Marsillach, elaborated his known theory about neurons, nervious cells and central nervous system formed by independient cells by adopting Golgi's silver staining method. Marsillach is finely accompanied by a great plethora of secondary actors as Jose Marco Davo, Angel Alvarez, Rafael Bardem, Jose Sepulveda, Goyo Lebrero, Enrique Avila, Manuel Pombo, Julia Caba Alba, Isabel de Pomes , Manuel Arbo, Antonio Molino Rojo, Jose Manuel Martin, among others. It is followed by a miniseries also starred by Marsillach titke Ramon y Cajal (1982), 9 episodes directed by Jose Maria Forque with Veronica Forque, Fernando Fernan Gomez , Laura Cepeda .
It contains an atmospheric and adequate cinematography in black and white by Godofredo Pacheco. And evocative musical score by Isidro Maiztegui. The motion picture was well directed by Leon Klimovsky. It won best Spanish film and best actor in San Sebastian Film Festival. And won Cinema Writers Circle Awards to best actor, Marsillach. National Syndicate of Spectator winner best actor and best film. And Saint Jordi Awards winner best actor. Rating 7/10. Decent biography.
