Belmonte

BELMONTE is generally recognized as the world's most famous (and perhaps best) bullfighter. Hemingway always said (or so the film's promotional taglines say) that he had only met two geniuses : Einstein and Belmonte. This filmed biography uses two actors as Juan Belmonte, as he ages. During Belmonte's era, bullfighting (tauromaquia) was elevated to an art form by European intellectuals mostly as a result of what Belmonte injected into it: bravery, tragedy, fatalism, salvagery, passion, and rivalry with the other bullfighters, not forgetting his notorious love life. This film, if nothing else, is a good period piece which lavishly and (arguably) faithfully reproduces Belmonte's myth.

BELMONTE is generally recognized as the world's most famous (and perhaps best) bullfighter. Hemingway always said (or so the film's promotional taglines say) that he had only met two geniuses : Einstein and Belmonte. This filmed biography uses two actors as Juan Belmonte, as he ages. During Belmonte's era, bullfighting (tauromaquia) was elevated to an art form by European intellectuals mostly as a result of what Belmonte injected into it: bravery, tragedy, fatalism, salvagery, passion, and rivalry with the other bullfighters, not forgetting his notorious love life. This film, if nothing else, is a good period piece which lavishly and (arguably) faithfully reproduces Belmonte's myth.

It deals with one of the greatest bullfighters of the Spanish story, Juan Belmonte : Achero Mañas and his Torero double : Luis Delgado who carries out breathtaking Pases . It concerns his life story from chilhood , youthful : Achero Mañas , to an old man as a Mayoral : Lautaro Murua . At the beginning he practiced in Capeas as a Maletilla , that is why he wanted to be a great matador , being really helped by his trainer and Apoderado : Jesús Bonilla . His competition and subsequent frienship with another great Torero , Joselito : Luis Miguel Calvo . He married to an upper class woman , though he gave birth a child with another lover , Consuelo : Monica Molina . Including some historical roles as writers Ramon Maria del Valle Inclan and Julio Camba: Ernesto Alterio . His hits , triumphs and flops until his his sad final in which he commited suicide .It is very well set , giving an adequate period piece and it depicts faiithfully Spain of the 40s , 50s and 60s , adding NODO images .

This is a Spanish , French coproduction movie supported by European script fund , it delivers a nice description about Belmonte more as a tough , sensitive man than as a torero and concerning the peculiar culture in Spain . Regarding its mythology , and glimmer spectacle , all around the old traditions of the bullfighter , in which Toreros are extremely submitted to nerves during the slaughter. The film belongs to bullfighting subgenre , it was very popular in the 50s and 60s including notorious titles as Currito de la Cruz silent version 1925 , sound version 1965 Currito de la Cruz by Rafael Gil who made 3 films about bullfighting , El Litri y su sombra , Sangre en el ruedo , El momento de la verdad by Francesco Rossi, Chantaje a un torero by Pedro Lazaga , among others . Decent self-biography about the bullfighting world regarding a young Belmonte who achieved a big success as a matador , being really helped by his Apoderado finely performed by Jesus Bonilla. Terrific acting by Achero Mañas as the great Belmonte and masterfully played by Lautaro Murua as the oldest Belmonte .Support cast is good such as Jesús Bonilla , Raúl Fraile , Quique San Francisco, Mónica Molina , Ernesto Alterio, Maria Galiana , Eduardo Gómez , Tito Garcia , Elisa Matilla , Carlos Ballestetos , and several others .

It contains a sensitive musical score by Antoine Duhamel , including wonderful songs at the time . As well as an adequate and evocative cinematography by Angel Luis Fernandez with a competent ca mera work showing the bloody spectacle . The motion picture was well written and directed by Juan Sebastián Bollain (Dime una mentira , Las dos orillas) , and it was dedicated to his father who was a real lover to the great figure of Belmonte.