Arde Madrid

Anyone who has always wanted to know what drove a Hollywood star like Ava Gardner (1922-1990) to Spain, which was ruled by Franco, of all places, will be none the wiser after watching this series, but they were thoroughly entertained.

Two servants (great: Inma Cuesta and Paco Leon) are smuggled undercover as a married couple at the diva's house because the old dictator is slowly becoming afraid that the relaxed Hollywood life could become too subversive for his conservative Spaniards. And it actually gets down to business: free love, alcohol, abortions, homosexuality (among military members!) and so much more. Gradually the lively hustle and bustle rubs off on the ossified domestic workers. And we learn: Actually, a bird of paradise like Gardner (wonderfully sophisticated: Debi Mazar) has actually done the conservative, rigid Spain a lot of good.

Wonderfully funny and wonderfully bizarre! In black and white and mercilessly to the point at 30 minutes per episode, Spain's Telefonica delivers a small masterpiece on its Movistar platform. Paco Leon not only shines as the main actor, but also wrote and directed the script. This guy is one to keep an eye on! But that also applies to the rest of the cast. The Peron couple lives below the diva. No joke! The former dictator of Argentina ended up in Madrid after Evita's death. The new girl at his side is called Isabelita and was once a nightclub dancer. A decade later, the hard-working hairpiece designer would actually become President of Argentina. You can't believe it! You just can't invent something like that!

Now let's get to Ava Gardner! The star fell in love with the country while filming "Pandora and the Flying Dutchman". The tough bullfighters probably also contributed to this. From 1953 to 1968, Gardner lived in Madrid, and a lot happened during that time. Her marriage to Frank Sinatra ended in divorce. Her close friend Ernest Hemingway committed suicide. Producer Samuel Bronston, who had a film studio built in Madrid because of the lower costs, really wanted Ava for an inconsequential film, which the diva then made: "55 Days in Beijing". And in between parties, debauchery and more parties. But somehow she grows on you, just like all the other residents of her luxury apartment in Madrid. Spain has the same mistakes as her, says Ava Gardner when asked why she ended up in Spain of all places.

Thank heavens she was there! And for this extremely entertaining series!!!

Very funny. Great offbeat look at life in the early 1960's Spain. Characters are well developed from the get-go.

Ava Gardner is in Madrid chasing bullfighting and drinking herself silly. This is all seen through the eyes of the servants. This is a classy series which is well acted, well scripted, original and very funny.

Another classic product of Spain in the las 40 years: a heavy critical look of Spain to evidence how nice and good were the communists and socialist, and how nasty the rest

In Franco's Madrid in the early 1960s, Ana Mari (Imma Cuesta) is a naive soul who in the Sección Femenina organization teaches young ladies how to be good homemakers and mothers , so when she's assigned by a superior official (Carmen Machi) to work at Ava Gardner's (Debi Mazar) home to spy on her for the Francoist government, she doesn't think twice . However , she and Ava's chauffeur Manolo (Paco León) must impersonate as a married couple , and Manolo is Ana's exact opposite : a swindler always attempting to make a buck on the side ; plus , Ava's liberal lifestyle is the exact opposite of Ana's own moral code . Thus , Ana Mari is in for quite a ride ; whether it's the Ava 's all-night roaring parties disturbing their neighbor , Argentinian dictator Juan Domingo Perón, of his cherished sleep , or bringing a wasted Gardner back to life after nights danced away with the local Dolce Vita crowd at Madrid's hippest clubs . That's why the bustling parties hosted by Ava Gardner cause growing tensions with her downstairs neighbors : General Juan Domingo Perón (Osmar Núñez) and wife Isabelita Perón (Fabiana García Lago) , recently exiled from Argentina . In all the turmoil, Ana Mari barely notices how she herself is changing and really begining to fall for that nutty , lightheaded Manolo.

A nice and compelling dramedy series dealing with life in the Francoist period and especially about Ava's liberal lifestyle and whose stay in Madrid inspired this production , but she's the exact opposite of starring's own moral code , along the way , Ana Mari/Imma Cuesta must pretend to be married to hustle , crazy Manolo/Paco León . However , the opposite roles gradually and ultimately lead them to an intimate relationship between them . Adding other charming chracters as the young maid Pilar stunningly played by Ana Castillo and the schizophrenic brother Floren magnificently interpreted by Julián Villagran . All of them will serve at the endless parties of the Hollywood megastar Ava Gardner and her circle enjoying in the Dolce Vita reserved for the Madrid elite, noisy parties that create mayhem and chaos enough . Performances are uniformly good as Imma Cuesta as a loyal , conservative woman who's assigned the mission to spy on Ava and Paco León as happy-go-lucky wheeler/dealer Manolo who attempts to take advantage of his position for his dodgy dealings with gypsy clans . And special mention for the American Debi Mazar who looks exactly her , giving an enjoyable acting as Ava Gardner , in fact the latter lived in Madrid in the 1960s before settling in London in 1967 and here played along with Charlton Heston : 55 days at Pekin , produced by the powerful magnate Samuel Bronston . They are excellently accompanied by a very good support cast , such as : Julián Villagrán , Ken Appledorn , Osmar Núñez, Fabiana García Lago , Craig Stevenson , Carmen Machi , Manuel Manquiña, Mariola Fuentes , Carmina Barrios , Silvia Tortosa , among others. Many of them playing popular people by the time , such as Juán Domingo Peron , Isabelita Perón , Lola Flores , El Pescailla, Marisol, Natalia Figueroa , Duquesa de Alba, Carmen Sevilla , Augusto Alguero , Carmen Cervera , Lucia Bosé , Luis Miguel Dominguin, Samuel Bronston , Charlton Heston , Frank Sinatra .....

It packs a lively and agreeable musical score by Ale Acosta , including some songs at the time . As well as adequate and brilliant cinematography in black and white by Paul Esteve . The latter is considered to best one of the best Spanish cameraman who has photographed important films , such as : Intemperie , Adios , Cannibal , El autor , Órbita 9 , Proyecto Lázaro , Alpha , Ahora o nunca , among others . This quirky , unusual , dramatic and funny , at times , series was competently written and directed by Paco León . Paco is a good actor who has played various films as main actor or secondary , such as : 3 Bodas de más , Embarazados , Toc Toc , La Tribu , Dieta mediteranea , Reinas , Sexy Killer . He has also directed a few movies , such as : Carmina o Amén , Carmina y revienta , Kiki el amor se hace and episodes of TV series as Acaros and Arde Madrid . Rating : Better than average 7/10 .