Lágrimas negras

`Desire is sad', wrote W. Somerset Maugham half a century or more ago. Added to the fact that love is blind, which probably means more or less the same thing in the end anyway, the arbitrary ingredients imposed by a Ricardo Franco rather disposed toward somewhat outlandish plots that embark on not unfeasible lines but rather on some kind of metaphysical debauch, assures us of an unusual kind of cinematographic entertainment. Although Franco died after only three weeks filming, Fernando Bauluz continued the job, faithfully adhering to the outlined concepts; he had not much choice; any other deviation from the set piece would have been an abominable aberration. Three days after Ricardo Franco's burial the crew returned with great enthusiasm to the task of completing the film. Fele Martínez as the `nice' young man down the street with a `nice' job and a `nice' fiancée who are about to buy a `nice' apartment in a `nice' suburb, suddenly find their `nice' plans shattered by a not so `nice' Isabel (Ariadna Gil). This young actress's part in the film completely overshadows Martínez (Andrés); Ariadna Gil is brilliant; absolutely absorbed into the part of a schizophrenic who suffers from a `rare' degenerative disease which affects the brain, she delivers the punch with that `latina' aplomb and bravura which just makes or breaks the whole piece. Fele Martínez is no match for this Herculean tour de force; even Ana Risueño as Cinta leaves him in the shade in her worthy contribution. It is Ariadna Gil that holds you spellbound; it is Ariadna Gil who commands the screen, demands focus and masters the art of impossible rôles; it is Ariadna Gil and her extreme skills that stop the film from sliding into something murkily messy. As Ángel Fernández-Santos says, Ariadna Gil measures up to having to go beyond the terrible and beautiful catastrophe in Franco's complex and abrupt moral and poetic geography in `Lágrimas Negras'. Since a small part in `Lola' (1985') when she was 16, then going through dramatic art school in Barcelona, she has made a number of appearances on TV, the stage and in films, at last getting known in `Belle Époque' (1992) and `Tranvía a la Malvarrosa' (1996), both with scripts by Rafael Azcona (Logroño, 1926), as well as `Malena es Nombre de Tango (1996). Now screening, watch out for her in `Nueces para el Amor', an Argentinian-Spanish co-production in which she has to learn to speak with a `porteño' accent. Just turned 30, Ariadna Gil represents a new, vital generation of actresses who use intelligence above all else, and this is what makes beauty shine through with real force in any part she is given. This is a `set-piece' inasmuch that each step forward in the course of the film is certainly predictable; it is an `unset-piece' inasmuch that the handling of many scenes is not so typically logical – or even logically typical. It is apparent at an early stage that the film will reach hopelessly tragical consequences, as the synchronised predictability drives inexorably towards the only possible outcome, despite the problem of having to try to escape from sublime banalities at frequent intervals. The story is right; Ariadna Gil is extremely right; but there is something which does not allow the whole to hang together. Maybe the music has something to do with it; Eva Gancedo says maybe it was her tribute, her homage, her requiem for Ricardo Franco; the music in itself is good, but it becomes overly evident, even reaching strident protagonism, especially in the closing scenes. The mysteriously warm pacific glow of sunset over Portuguese Atlantic contrasts pathetically with the lewd funeral pyre glowing obscenely over the sands in the final scenes, as the music swells and fills the screen and dashes all attempt at poignant delicacy at the end of a harsh drama.

Charming and sensitive drama about an outlandish love story starred by some troublesome characters. Andrés (Fele Martínez) is a young photographer whose life is completely sorted out. He has a steady job and is about to marry his longtime girlfriend Alicia (Elena Anaya) . Then a woman named Isabel and her mate (Ana Risueño) rob him on the street and he is kidnapped at gunpoint. The two women result to be drug addicts and thieves. Andres' life is completely shaken after he meets Isabel and disturbed by this traumatic experience. When he sees Isabel in the images where he works, he looks for her, finds her and establishes a peculiar relationship with her. But something about this mysterious woman changes everything. Isabel is a really tormented woman, she's not really crazy, but simply different, then Andres can't help, being attracted to her. Despite the warnings of his psychiatrist Marta (Elvira Minguez) that she is crazy and that she cannot be cured, he begins a love affair, he goes with the deranged and drug addicted girl to Portugal.

A downbeat and brooding film dealing with a suffering and tragic love story. A sad story about an 'amor fou' in which Andres follows Isabel wherever it might be necessary, whatever the consequences. Following the line that begins with the documentary ¨Después de tantos años (After so many years)¨ and continuing with his greatest success: ¨La Buena Estrella (Lucky Star)¨(1997) the scriptwriter and director Ricardo Franco makes the most risky and complex of his works. He died in the middle of filming, when he had only shot a third of the film, his assistant and friend Fernando Bauluz finished it, which gives rise to various hypotheses about how it would have been if he could have finished it personally.

It is a work of certain dramatic complexity, where a too young Fele Martínez appears somewhat lost between Ariadana Gil as a woman with a mental disorder, and Elena Anaya as his , becoming a puppet in their hands. His love story with Ariadne doesn't work properly and isn't very credible, so to speak. Despite everything, and having several imperfections and cracks, the film is set to be one of the greatest love stories of the last decades. Presented at the Valladolid Festival in a somewhat hasty montage, it is released again with 5 minutes less and surrounded by a certain curiosity due to the conditions of the shooting and the death of its director, which does not benefit it much, both with the public and with the critics.

In the film stands out the colorful cinematography by cameraman Gonzalo F. Berridi , shot on location in Madrid, Cascais, Sinatra , Lisbon, Óbidos, Leiria, Portugal. As well as the enjoyable and moving musical score by Eva Gancedo. The motion picture was produced by great producer Fernando Bovaira ; being unevenly directed in his particular style by Ricardo Franco and finished by Fernando Bauluz . This was a Spanish director, writer and lyricist , he was a member of Madrid's independent Cinema, making films about the underprivileged . Ricardo directed a series of award-winning movies firmly establishing him as one of the best Spanish filmmakers , in spite of his early death , as he died on May 20, 1998 in Madrid at 48 years old . Franco was a good director and writer , an expert on literary adaptations and especially known for dramas. His first independient film was ¨El Desastre of Annual¨ (1970) . Later on , directing several decent , interesting and provoking films as ¨Restos Del Naufragio¨, ¨San Judas de Frontera¨, ¨Después Tantos Años¨, ¨El sueño de Tánger (1991)¨ , ¨Berlín Blues (1988)¨ , his big hit: ¨La Buena Estrella or Lucky Star¨ (1997) , ¨Berlín Blues¨ , and Lágrimas Negras (1998) . Rating: 6/10. Attractive love drama with fine Spanish players.

I saw the film at the "Berlinale" in Berlin. It is a very sad story about a young man who is torn between his girlfriend and a woman who first robs him and afterwards falls in love with. But she is mentally disturbed. The people in East-Berlin cheered the director and the main actors. I can recommend it.

A nice guy falls in love with a schizophrenic girl, who robbed him at gun point. What follows is a "Pretty Woman" or "Autumn in New York" made in a more unorthodox way.

Ariadna Gil is superb as Isabel, the lovely woman with a secret dark side. Ana Risueño also offers a very good performance as Cinta, another woman who fells in deep and profound trouble.

Out of 100, I give it 78. That's good for **½ out of ****.

Seen at home, in Toronto, on October 4th, 2002.

I don't know why, possibly because of the DVD cover, but I expected something like the Brazilian/Portuguese masterpiece "Terra Estrangeira" in this flick. It's completely different, although it shares a couple of points. So those fooled by the cover, don't be. But then again, is this any weaker? Hell no! Lágrimas Negras shows us it's no surprise to see divine beings such as Almodovar in Spanish cinema. If an unknown film from the cinema culture of a land can be so magnificent, one should expect it to offer other excellent examples like it already does.

I hadn't heard of any of the actors or the director before seeing this movie, and I was almost shocked by their excellent performance. The picture selection is a little extraordinary, sometimes reminding slightly of "Tésis", yet it's flawless. The actress playing Isabel, Ariadna Gil, is not only one hell of a drop dead gorgeous woman, but she's also acting a mad woman as if she had been a mad woman in her past life!! If I saw those eye gestures in someone in real life, I'd advise her to see a psychiatrist asap. Absolutely no overacting or exaggeration, simply perfect. Be it the director's virtue, be it a great casting selection, the rest of the actors are also doing a great job. I've already fallen in love with Ariadna Gil, but it would be unfair to say anyone else on this movie is anywhere behind excellent. The screenplay is also perfect, so we have yet another person to thank and congratulate. I'm a guy at the age of the head character, and each time I saw a scene with him and his girlfriend, I said "how can a man cheat on such a lovely girl dude?!?". And each time I saw a scene with Isabel, I said "ok, I guess I could be deviated with such a deity as well". This isn't only because both women are attractive, but also because their aura is utilized efficiently and perfectly by the director and the screenplay.

Any grade below 9/10 would be an insult to this movie, so here's my 10/10.