La fille de tes rêves

Penelope Cruz is so good in this movie she carries it; you really want to see what happens next. She has some great musical numbers and some excellent dramatic scenes. I also found the set design and scenery superior, as well as just the visuals who contrast the small, swarthy Spaniards against the Aryan ideal. The DVD I rented had two versions, in Castillian Spanish and Mexican Spanish, with English sub-titles, which was interesting when the characters spoke in German, as that was not translated unless a translator actually did it in the film. Actually there was even a little Russian. The supporting cast gets a little slapstick at times, but I found the film well worth it as a Cruz vehicle--she is quite a beautiful actress. 8/10.

I have just got this film on DVD I saw it a couple of years ago during a Penelope Cruz season in Manchester, I enjoyed it then & I enjoyed it just as much now.

As a non-Spanish speaker I still got the comic elements & the historical references to a point & now I have it on DVD I can go back & check any bits I have missed.

I just like the characters in this film, the fish out of water element of the Spanish in Nazi Germany is very funny the off the cuff one liners are priceless.

Cruz & Resinas may be the focus of the film & they are lead the way but everyone gets a moment to shine in this film, segura is my favourite he always steals some or all the limelight in any film he appears.

I would heartily recommend this film it may not be up to Belle Epoque but its not far behind.

Reviewing the comments, you can spot a trend: people from Spanish speaking countries like the movie while the rest, don't. The reason is that its not possible to translate the movie without loosing a lot in the process: the dialogues and expressions are what really makes the film funny. Personally, I think the movie is fantastic.

The cast is excellent and the movie is quite funny and moving. Not to mention based on historical facts. (Spanish actors doing movies at the UFA studios in the thirties). The setting, the costumes and photo -brilliant. However there's one big draw back: The plot goes "Thummpph!" after an hour and suddenly becomes a French farse (people banging doors, hiding in closets and becoming hysterical) and it all falls apart. It does pick up at the end though. It's not the greatest film ever made but it's watchable. And Penelope Cruz...what can I say? She's fabulous.

With a wonderful cast, including the divine Penélope Cruz, this movie is the best Spanish movie of 1998. As a humorous approach to Spanish actors working in Hitler´s Germany, it provides the spectator with large quantities of laughs, as well as with very touching scenes.