Talk of Angels

Irishwoman Polly Walker leaves her home and fiance during the aftermath of the Troubles to become a governess to the daughters of wealthy Franco Nero in Spain. She falls in love with Nero's son, Vincent Perez. But it's 1936, and there's this civil war going on there; while Perez goes off to fight for the government, Nero favors the fascists, and the other Irish women in Spain who are her friends thinks she's misbehaving.

There is some very nice acting in this movie from the principals and the likes of Frances McDormand, Penelope Cruz, and rather lush color camera work by Aleksey Rodionov. I got the impression that director Nick Hamm was taking Kate O'Brien's novel, and infusing the cinematic interpretations of Ibanez' Spain, with considerable success.

This was a very boring movie for me, I have to say. There was no excitement, no real emotions, no passion... Just a fake dramatic romance, set on purpose during a political turmoil (any kind will do...), like so many movies are, without anything political to say (...fascist or royal regimes are mostly preferred). So what we get is a typical romance, with old-fashioned, TV-style direction and over-dramatic performances with extra schmaltz. Yes, exactly like a Mexican soap opera. (Mexicans, don't take it personal, but in Greece a lot of Mexican, Brazilian etc. soap operas are on TV every day). So, if we get so many soap from our TV sets, why should we watch one on the big screen?

I was impressed by this movie. The acting by Vincent Perez was truly exquisite, he'll surely be taking the world by storm. (not to mention he's something to look at) I thought that the plot was great. Though the end is kinda funky. (I won't give it away)

I only truly felt a tad let down in Polly Walker. Her accent was wobbly and her emotion was only 80% their. But she manages to pull through.

I know barely anything about the Spanish Civil War but was quite taken by how that didn't really matter. They seemed to explain it without it sounding like a History lesson.

Which is why I suggest that everyone should go out and rent this movie right now. It was truly enjoyable.

"Talk of Angels" tells of a betrothed Irish woman (Walker) who leaves her strife-torn homeland to take a job as governess to a wealthy family in Spain where she falls in love with a married man. The film, based on the writings of Kate O'Brien, is an attempt at a lavish and rich romantic tale set against an epic backdrop of Spanish civil war (circa 1930's). However, the screenplay tries to do too much for the allotted run time resulting in a weak, diluted, and ill-focused story of nebulous purpose, meaning, and significance. "Talk of Angels" will likely play best with mature women and incurable romantics. (C+)

Note - Viewers who enjoy this film might be interested in a parallel film, also with Penelope Cruz, of the same period but different genre, "Belle Epoque".

It may be the oldest storytelling device in the world.

You take external events, usually a war or some political oppression. You draw grand sweeps that show passion and scope and boundless consequence.

And in this opulence of effect you place a love story, folded within if you wish.

After all, there is no emotion in existence that is stronger than romantic love and all its twists and perversions. But these are impossible to display because they are internal. So these internal locomotives are given the external clothes of the other fold.

How many of our great stories are thus framed? How many films?

Well, here's one. I suppose you judge these things on how powerful the emotions are that the love story evokes. This is a sort of "Casablanca" with the genders reversed. The woman needs to stunt her passions and "give" her lover to the higher fold, and live forever with the memory of one encounter.

I admit, this rings solidly for me. I shake when I shape it in my heart.

Back to the judgment: how effectively is this expressed in a way that the film plumbs and guides the waters of the heart it pulls. Does the thing give us tides?

Well, the people are beautiful. But oddly, we know these actors from elsewhere and they have been more beautiful there. In particular we depend on Polly Walker here. She has an extraordinary appeal in other projects. "8 1/2 Women" was a difficult movie to survey, but once it sticks, it is Polly who pulls us through the canals of desire. "Enchanted April" was slight but she was powerful.

She acts with her brow and has one of the most appealing brows in film.

But, alas. Although lots of money was spent. And the sets are effective, we have something like "Head in the Clouds" where we know what we are supposed to get. And we might get it by mere suggestion but the film actually gets in the way.

So the bad guys win this time. No passion.

Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.