Il tempo del coraggio e dell'amore

We love this series (Spanish with English subtitles), superb acting and great location shots. The first few episodes are a little slow paced, but set in Spain during WWII. This is a gem, we are definitely hooked. A dressmaker rescues her mother from Madrid during the General Franco rise to power and relocates to Morocco. She develops a clientèle in her dress shop among the German officers and gains a valuable foothold in social circles associated with the women. While the allies battle for influence in Spain, they recruit her to do undercover work in an effort to keep the Nationalists from joining Hitler. She translates messages through Morse code in the way she stitches clothing, a rather clandestine plot ensues with a number of interesting twists. The series is ideal for learning a bit of history through fictional characters and the costumes and era social life are really quite captivating.

By far, one of the best I have ever seen! Couldn't stop watching just one episode. The acting is amazing, filled with a very talented cast. Filmed on location in some of the most beautiful parts of the world, this movie made you feel like you belonged there. I wish it never ended. Not only captivated with the story, but you are able to go back in time and relive some history you may not have known. The writing was phenomenal and special touches added by including real characters. Everyone involved in this production should be very proud. Adriana Ugarte is absolutely wonderful and makes this an exceptional adventure. Not to be missed! Thank you so much for bringing this to the USA.

This is one of the best TV series I've ever seen. I watched this through Netflix streaming and got so hooked, I'd stay up late to see what was happening next. The main character is smart, courageous, resilient & gorgeous. She's a seamstress who creates stunning haute couture dresses along the lines of Grace Kelly and Kate Middleton. Her clients are some of the richest & most powerful of European society, so it makes it fun. The film is set in the late 30s & early 40s, so there are gloves, hats, coordinated bags & heels ... pure class & style all the way. But that's just the flash. The story itself starts out slowly, but develops, along with the characters, from a poor dressmaker's shop into intriguing emotionally charged war time espionage excitement, showcasing classic cars & incredible Moroccan & Spanish architecture & decor. The film is in Spanish, so if you don't speak it, you have to read the subtitles. The Spaniards speak very quickly, so I had to pause occasionally to read the full text. A fun fact: Because the main character, "Sira", is a dressmaker and the show was such a hit, sewing machine sales in Spain rose 197%! I'm going to pull out my own fabric stash & patterns & hit my machine. Only wish we still dressed that classy & could kick the Kardashians to the curb. What a refreshing turn that would be.

Kudos to all involved for giving the viewer one of the best productions ever put on film!The thrilling storyline is based on a historic novel by Maria Duenas.Cinematography and settings in Madrid,Morroco and Lisbon are visually beautiful!The original soundtrack,by Cesar Benito,is totally spectacular! Production values are top notch...costumes,antique cars,interiors down to the smallest details.The cast is excellent, as the storyline moves to intruige,espionage,romance and cliff hangers!Adriana Ugarte,as Sira....is a revelation,as her character continues to evolve.She graces the screen with a beauty and artistry reminiscent of the glamour of old Hollywood! The author has added several real-life historic characters to add validity to the plot.The series has justly received numerous accolades and awards in Spain for its excellence!

My wife and I really enjoyed this series. The plot is engaging, and the acting is above average. Adriana Ugarte, who plays Sira/Arish, is particularly fun to watch. More than anything I enjoyed the look of the show -- the architecture (in Tangier and Tetouan Morrocco, Madrid, and Lisbon), the cars, and the clothes. I saw somewhere that the women in this show (the dressmaker and her clients) wore well over 1000 different outfits, each more elegant, in a 1940 sort of way, than the last. This isn't what I usually watch TV for, but the look of the show is over the top and it makes the whole series more fun to watch. Also, with the first half of the show set in the Tetouan, in the Spanish Protectorate in Morocco, during the Spanish Civil War, I had to brush up on some interesting history. I had imagined that Morocco was all under French control before the country resumed full independence in the 1950s, but a strip of northern Morocco was under Spanish administrative control from 1912 on. And of course Franco had started his rebellion against the Republic, and thus the civil war, by invading Spain from Morocco..