Os Amantes

"Amantes" is a beautifully shot film with 3 gorgeous stars in the lead roles.

The central triangle is reminiscent of another fine film, 1951's "A Place in the Sun," which was also based on a true story.

The final scene, with Paco searching for Louisa at the train station, is particuarly striking. It will stick in my memory for a long time.

there is the fact that is based on a true story. If I had to choose one modern spanish movie to see this would be the one. There is the young soldier that is in love with a pure and virgin girl (marivel verdu), then there is the older woman (Victoria Abril), not so naive that has been around quite a bit and knows "the business" she is also older. the soldier (alejandro sanz) is in between them and that both woman try to do to get his attention and they are all in a love triangle, hard to describe, sometimes is disturbing, sometimes is passionate and above all all the actors are outstanding! the director has done a very fine job, very deep, very impressive, and by all means one of the most underrated spanish movies of all.

Intense and heart-rending drama about a love triangle and jealousy that lead to tragic consequences . Solid film dealing with jealousy , passions , treason , sexual intrigues and an extraordinary acting by the main cast ; being sometimes slow-moving , but also steamily entertaining . Concerning a deep love story who transformed a pair of lower-class young lovers when get across a scheming widow . Set in '50s Spain, a young man named Paco (Jorge Sanz) leaves the army and looks for a job so he and his fiancée called Trini (Marivel Verdu) can get married . He rents a room from a widow called Luisa (Abril), and shortly starts falling in love with her . He falls fatally in love with a heartless , predatory widow , a real Femme Fatale . The girlfriend figures it out and decides to win him back by offering herself to him and taking him to meet her family but Paco goes back in a mutually destructive affair. Now a bitter , resentful as well as deceived girlfriend attempts to find a way to resolve the sad truth that consumes their relationship . Furthermore , she proceeds a particular vendetta until a breathtaking ending . Ultimately he has to make a tragic decision.

Solid but downbeat drama , based on a true story written by Vicente Aranda mostly filmed in city of Madrid , Burgos and surroundings . It is a peculiar story of love , lies and jealousy with an intrigue behind . This interesting as well as intimate story is a passionate retelling and a touching drama , including strong as well as exuberant sex scenes . In fact , many erotic scenes were suggested by the principal actors . According to Jorge Sanz, the famous sex scene with the handkerchief was Victoria Abril's idea . In the scene where Trini loses her virginity, Maribel Verdú suggested to director Vicente Aranda that she would just stripped from the waist down and lie in bed . Vicente Aranda also writes the interesting script along with Alvaro Del Amo based on their own story . Very good acting by trio protagonist such as Jorge Sanz as Paco , a man who begins a torrid affair with a widow ,and Maribel Verdu as Trini who wants to be in love with him , she overcomes with sentimentality and takes Antonio under her reins but her ploy backfires and she remains fixated on jealously . Victoria Abril steals the show , winning yet another magnificent interpretation with an alluring and smoldering role , absolutely hypnotic in her account of the bondage , a sadomasochist relationship that occurs from the beginning to the end . Her role as sluttish and crude domineering woman will be repeated several times in his posteriors acting . The secondary actors were very intelligent chosen and they all did a marvelous performance . Spotless pictorial as well as colorful photography by magnificent cameraman Jose Luis Alcaine , Pedro Almodovar's usual, he carries out a photography with juicy atmosphere , being filmed in Burgos , Guadalajara , Alcala De Henares , Torrelaguna , Madrid , though wastes the scenario of these gorgeous cities . In the last scene set in Burgos, the crew was ready to use fake snow when, to everyone's surprise, it snowed in the area for the first time in many years. Jose Luis Alcaine is deemed to be one of the best Spanish cameramen with a long and prestigious artistic career and Almodovar's ordinary cameraman . Furthermore , a willingness almost perfect of the elements of each frame , every scene , every place . Sensitive and rousing musical score by Jose Nieto , Aranda's usual , including an enjoyable leitmotif . The flick had a great success , and is considered to be Aranda's one of the best . The film deservedly won several awards such as Silver Berlin Bear to Best Actress Victoria Abril , ADIRCAE Awards 1992 , Chicago International Film Festival 1991 Won Silver Hugo Best Director ,Fotogramas de Plata 1992 to Best Film , Ghent International Film Festival 1991 won Special Mention Maribel Verdú , Onda Awards , Turia Awards Sant Jordi Awards and especially Won Goyas : Best Director , Best Film : Pedro Costa , Best Actress Maribel Verdú and Best Actress Victoria Abril .

The motion picture was compellingly and professionally directed in his particular style by veteran filmmaker Vicente Aranda . Although originally intended to be produced as an episode of the TV crime anthology series 'La Huella Del Crimen 2' (1991), before producer Pedro Costa decided to rewrite the script as a theatrical film. He directed a series of award-winning movies firmly establishing him as one of the best Spanish filmmakers . His usual film editor is own wife , Teresa Font . Vicente is an expert on literary adaptations ,as he has adapted four novels by Juan Marsé (Canciones Amor en Lolita's Club (2007), El Amante Bilingüe (1993), Si Te Dicen Que Caí (1989) and La Muchacha De Las Bragas De Oro (1980). Vicente often shoots strong erotic scenes , being ¨jealousy¨, a customary issue in his films . Vicente has been working from the 60s with ¨Fata Morgana¨ , Las Crueles¨ , ¨Novia Ensangrentada¨ , ¨Clara es el Precio¨ , among others . His greatest successes were intense dramas with plenty of sex such as ¨Amantes¨, ¨Pasion Turca¨ , ¨Si Dicen Que Cai¨ , ¨Intruso¨ , ¨Tiempo De Silencio¨ , ¨Carmen¨ , along with a delinquency tale : ¨El Lute¨ I and II starred by Imanol Arias , his fetish actor along with Victoria Abril (They have worked together 12 times) and specially the historical story titled ¨Juana La Loca¨ also dealing with jealousy . And this ¨Amantes¨, easily the best of the numerous films of Aranda .

A love triangle.

A strong, courageous young girl who works hard as a maid and loves a young soldier. She saves all what she earns to marry him and get started in life. She is innocent with strong morals yet not stupid. She is a typical figure of SPain 50 years ago.

A young soldier. A weak character. Lazy, no clear morals. He is looking for good deals in life. He is influencable and selfish. His relationship with other minor characters (the commanding officer) suggests that he is a coward.

A mature woman who takes part in shady deals as a way of life. She has known many men before. She is lonely and looking for sexual experiences.

The film is fairly sensual. The characters are plausible. The acting is good.

My vote: 8 / 10.

The actors make this movie in every way. These are not roles for lightweights and so the choice of Victoria Abril, for example, was classic. I've only ever seen in her Almodovar or French movies in which she plays the beautiful slut. I wasn't familiar with the other actors - the young soldier and his girlfriend - but they played their roles to perfection. The sex scenes are erotic enough to distract you from the plot. In a way, that mirrors what is happening to the young soldier. He is being distracted from what's important in his life when he becomes involved with the corrupt sexy Abril.

What a dark, wonderful movie!