Elsa & Fred

Marcello, te amo! Te amo más de lo que nunca he amado a nadie... Gracias! The fountain's sound vanishes in these last words, as it happened in La Dolce Vita. That love professed and expressed is the central character of the film.

Beware: you'll find yourself crying and smiling like an idiot throughout this beautiful story.

Is there anything I'd leave out of it? Not a single word, not a single take, nor a music note. The acting is top notch. I'd rather say "heavyweight". Maybe it is just that I haven't seen such performances in a long time.

This is a film to open your heart, no matter the age, to a reality few of us like to think about. Prepare yourself for a ride of joy and happiness in a world so full of trouble.

This is one of those jewels of filmdom that Hollywood will seldom or never produce --a shining venue for actors of "a certain age" (and not Clint Eastwood) in a romantic comedy replete with laughs, tears and profound yet light-handed treatments of human nature and national traits. The pace moves without interruption; it lags at no time, a tribute to a superb script and masterful editing. The scenes are remarkable for their realism. The acting is extraordinarily sensitive and on the mark. Watch the body language and facial expressions in funny/sad/ordinary situations. It's almost like being there, eavesdropping and peeping at this wonderful couple as their relationships bobs, weaves, dips and soars. The subtle ethnic jokes are there too ... the Telephone company retiree sporting one of the most ancient family names in Spain ... the Argentine widow (or not) displaying some of the too-clever-by-half sharpness many of her compatriots put to work to get by ... the play on letter of the apartments ("J" in Spanish as in "F" in English), etc., etc. A winner all around, worth seeing again and again. Do not miss this home run of a film.

For some reason, this film reminded me of the 1979 film "A Little Romance" except it starred two senior citizens instead of two youngsters. In "A Little Romance" two young kids fall in love and runaway to Venice with the help of and old con artist. The young girl is played by Diane Lane, while the con artist is played by Laurence Olivier.

I don't know why "Elsa and Fred" took so long for this film to reach the U.S., but I finally saw it in Orange County, California, just last week. It's a warm and touching film largely due to the two main characters. Both of them (Elsa and Fred) are living alone in adjacent Madrid apartments. Fred is withdrawn and still getting used to being a widower. He is a very practical, straight-laced gentleman. In contrast, Elsa lives in a fantasy world conjured up by her dreams of someday wading in the Trevi Fountain in Rome ala Fellini's "La Dolci Vita." She a persistent liar, risk taker and bold adventuress. She gradually draws Fred out of his shell and into her world. Who says that there can't be romance after 70?!

The two actors who play Elsa and Fred are remarkable. Their dialogues and facial expressions give their characters real depth, tenderness and life. Their years as seniors gradually whither away in the film as they slowly fall in love and become "teenagers" again figuratively speaking. The theme of "Trevi Fountain" runs throughout the film from the beginning during the credits until the very end.

Yes, Americans can enjoy this foreign film. I certainly did!

What a touching movie! what great performances and what a story. Sad though but still unforgettable! Federico Luppi's scene... great as usual, he's like wine, gets better as times goes through. China Zorrilla, what can I say, I saw her previously and instantly fell in love with her. She's such a good ACTRESS (yes, with capital letters), she should be nominated for an award in the U.S., like Norma Aleandro once..... let's face it, Latin American movies are good, really good. These ones and independent movies are far better than the usual made-in-Hollywood movies, where mostly always, when you take out the special effects, nothing is left! Again, I do recommend this movie to everybody, you'll never forget it!

When the retired seventy-eight years old hypochondriac widower Fred (Manuel Alexandre) moves to an apartment in Madrid, his temperamental daughter Cuca (Blanca Portillo) has an incident with his next door neighbor, the elder Argentinean Elsa (China Zorrilla). Later, they meet each other and Elsa seduces Fred with her reckless behavior and view of life and they have a romance.

"Elsa y Fred" is a sensitive romance in the third age, proving that it is never too late to love, and a great homage to Federico Fellini's "La Dolce Vita". The simple and beautiful story is supported by magnificent performances of Manuel Alexandre and China Portillo, and an effective screenplay that appropriately blends romance, drama and humor. A dear friend of mine recommended this movie and I would like to thank her advice. In the end, there is a wonderful message of hope and love - people should live and not be afraid of dying. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Elsa & Fred - Um Amor de Paixão" ("Elsa & Fred - A Love of Passion")