La Verbena De La Paloma (The fair of the dove) is an 1894 Zarzuela with a libretto by Ricardo De la Vega and music by Tomás Bretón . The work premiered in Madrid in 1894 and produced a great success for the authors , leading quickly to a debut in South America where it premiered the same year in Buenos Aires . This is the third cinematographic retelling , being exhibited in 1963 , realised by José Luis Sáenz Heredia , produced by Benito Perojo and Cesareo Gonzalez/Suevia Films ; it was starred by a great cast as Concha Velasco , Irán Eory , Vicente Parra y Miguel Ligero Rodríguez . Orchestra direction at charge of Gregorio García Segura, who had opportunity to add musicalization , a musical theme that was used in the final scene . The narrator of the film explains to us that the Madrid of today keeps its old structure . To confirm it , the film begins with a tale based on modern roles , but soon jumps 70 years back into the past and the plot follows the Spanish "Zarzuela" , the most known : "La Verbena De la Paloma" . It concerns about the beautiful brunette Susana (Concha Velasco) and her sister blonde Casta (Iran Eory) , who live with their aunt Antonia (Milagros Leal) , an old little matchmaker , flirt with the apothecary , Boticario Don Hilarión (Miguel Ligero) , a rogue old man who gets his hopes up , not realizing that the two girls just want to have fun playing with him . This game causes Julián's (Vicente Parra) jealousy , always staffed by maternal and adviser Señá Rita (Mercedes Vecino) . After some adventures in the festival , the old man is mocked and love triumphs between Julián and Susana .
It has a prologue and an epilogue in which the same director Heredia gives a praise about the classical characters , stating they are still alive along the time . The staging is very well achieved and we can watch some surprising sequences , as the fight between "Don Hilarion" and "Julian" and the splendid recreation of the old fairground . Lavish and nice production design by the prestigious Enrique Alarcón . Including unforgettable dances and immortal songs such as ¨Donde Vas Con Mantón De Manila¨... It has a superb cast that gets over-the-top performances . There stands out Concha Velasco who sings and dances magnificently and with great slickness . Special mention for Milagros Leal as grumpy , old spinster called aunt Antonia . And , of course , the great Miguel Ligero who steals the show as elderly pharmacist or ¨Boticario¨ , ¨Don Hilarion¨.
There are three cinematic versions of the ¨Dove Fair¨ . It was adapted for the cinema in 1921 by José Buchs . The first premiered in the Circo Price de Madrid , a silent film produced by Atlántida , and directed by José Buchs, it resulted to be a hit smash . This picture was even supported by the same Tomás Bretón . In the decade of the 1930s rekindled a deep interest for the ¨Género Chico¨. Being subsequently directed La Verbena De La Paloma (Paloma Fair) by a big production company , Cifesa , under direction by Benito Perojo (1935) . Made during the Spanish Republic , in black and white with some scenes in color, it was the first Spaniard picture to use Technicolor . It was starred by Raquel Rodrigo and Miguel Ligero . Both of them were shot in studio , while the 1963 rendition was partially shot in outdoors scenarios , being also produced by Benito Perojo and repeating Miguel Ligero . Furthermore , a TV version La Verbena De La Paloma (1996).
This Verbena De La Paloma was well directed by Jose Luis Saenz De Heredia . He was a controversial figure in Spain because of his strong and unabashed support of dictator Francisco Franco . At the beginning his career he was hired by Luis Buñuel , as executive producer , to direct ¨La Hija De Juan Simon¨ (1935) and ¨Quien Me Quiere a Mi¨ . During the Spanish Civil War , Jose Luis Heredia is detained but freed thanks to Luis Buñuel and Santiago Ontañon . Heredia directed various ¨Propaganda films¨ . It is well known the main title ¨Raza¨ written by General Francisco Franco under pseudonym : ¨Jaime Andrade¨ . As Jose Luis became the official filmmaker of the dictatorship , as he writes ¨Escuadrilla¨ (1941) . Posteriorly ,in the 40s , he directs several successful dramas : ¨El Escandalo¨ (43) based on Pedro Alarcón novel , ¨Mariona Rebull¨(1947) based on Ignacio Agusti book , ¨La Aguas Bajan Negras¨ based on Armanado Palacio Valdes , ¨El Destino Se Disculpa¨ based on Wenceslao Fernández Florez , ¨Don Juan¨ based on Don Juan Tenorio by Zorrilla , ¨Bambu¨ about the Cuba War and ¨¨Mies Es Mucha¨. In addition , a very good drama about Carlistas wars : ¨Diez Fusiles Esperan¨ . Heredia subsequently makes inferior comedies as ¨Grano De Mostaza¨, ¨Derechos De La Mujer¨ and ¨La Decente¨ . And various Manolo Escobar/Concha Velasco vehicles such as ¨Pero En Que País Vivimos¨, ¨Juicio De Faldas¨, Relaciones Casi Publicas ¨and ¨Me Debes Un Muerto¨. And other films for Paco Martínez Soria: ¨Se Armo El Belen¨, ¨Don Erre Que Erre¨. His greatest hits were ¨Historia De La Radio¨(1955) and this ¨La Verbena De La Paloma¨.
