¡Ay, Carmela!

Spain, 1938: The Republicans (the good guys) are at Civil War with the Nationalist Fascists (the bad guys), led by General Francisco Franco (the baddest). Entertaining the good-guy troops is a rag-tag theatrical troupe consisting of Carmela (Carmen Maura), her lover Paulino (Andres Pajares) and their gofer, the mute Gustavete (Gabino Diego). Carmela & Co. aren't all that intellectual or idealistic, but their narcissistic hearts are basically in a politically correct place and they seem to enjoy giving the Republican guys a few laughs and the odd tear; no one appears to notice, or to mind, that they aren't really all that good.

Directed by Carlos Saura, best known for the caliente flamenco films Carmen and Blood Wedding, Ay, Carmela! has rather too much in common with Carmela's company. It's technically rag-tag and droopy, neither analytical enough to be challenging nor sensual enough to be exciting. Conceived as a cross between Bye Bye Brazil and Mother Courage, it ends up a politicized Goodbye, Dolly!. That's a movie that the dazzlingly talented, irreverent pixie Pedro Almodovar (Women on the Verge of a Ner vous Breakdown) might have been able to bring off, but not the relatively flat-footed Saura.

The star of Ay, Carmela!, Carmen Maura, became famous through her work with Almodovar, of course, and she's fitfully amusing here, doing her Carmen Miranda"Susan Hayward routine, but Rafael Azcona's see-through script merely serves to expose her flaws as a dramatic actress (she's great at extremes, not so hot at normal behaviour).

The rest of the cast falls victim to that same flimsy script, which wafts toward a teary climax as easy to forecast as rain in Vancouver. For indigenous audiences - the picture has been a big hit in Spain - the movie is no doubt important and moving, presenting as it does the reality of a war hidden for many years by Franco's repression. But for the rest of us, it's merely an attempt to translate a history we already know into a kind of entertainment we've seen too many times. Ay, Carmela, and adios. Conrad Alton, Filmbay Editor.

Saura's superb display of a well-chosen fit between music and the story that is going on "behind the curtains". He is a master on that. Kind of idealistic view of the Spanish Civil War, as a result of the political moment of "institutional silent" when democracy is possible in Spain again. (90')He took the amazing and just genial play by Sinisterra and make it a new piece of art. Makes you laugh and cry..although the vision of Carmela as the representation of "la republic" inserts women in a stereotyped context of the "abstraction" that does not let her be part of the struggle for democracy, hand by hand with human kind..men in this case.. highly recommended, but also should be followed by the reading of the theater play.

This dramatic film with comical elements deals about lives of a group of artists and comics that travel around the country in hard times the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). Carmela (Carmen Maura), his husband Paulino (Andres Pajares) and their mute helper Gustavete (Gabino Diego) are street performers who entertain the Republican troops after the battle in Aragon , 1938 . The trio of troubadours touring scenarios decides to seek a less dangerous destination . However, the Republican trio by mistake go to the national zone and immediately are arrested by a captain (Jose Sancho) . Suspecting that all of them collaborate with the Republican rebels opposite to the Francoist Regime they are imprisoned by a Lieutenant (Miguel Rellan) and they fear a firing squad , but receive a reprieve from an Italian Fascist commander who loves the theatre . As an Italian Lieutenant named Ripamonte (Maurizio De Razza) arranges a performance for his troops , playing burlesque , bargaining with Paulino to stage a burlesque show in exchange for the actors' freedom.

This is an interesting story about human beings , three sympathetic troubadours touring the countryside during the Spanish Civil War and how they cope with this unsettling nightmare ; including their pain , poverty but also some mirth and joy . Drama with historical and hilarious elements ; including enjoyable performances and adequate set design by Rafael Palmero. ¨¡Ay Carmela¡¨ results to be other of the innumerable stories to deal with dramatic deeds regarding the Civil War background . A familiar theme about the global horrors of a fratricide war , impossible to forget to our cinema . An agreeable as well as dramatical story plenty of enjoyable moments , moving feelings , wonderful songs , attractive musical score by Alejandro Masso and tragic finale . Above all , the acting is first rate , as Carmen Maura gives a terrific acting as the fiery and patriotic Carmela, along with Andres Pajares who won several national as international prizes . The story describes the penury and sadness of a nation at recent war which itself is expressed through the tortuous mental , emotional processes and final nervous breakdown Carmen Maura goes through . Director Carlos Saura , also writes the interesting script along with prestigious screenwriter Rafael Azcona , Luis Garcia Berlanga's usual writer . Carlos Saura conveys us the escalating tension before the show in important measure of difficult along with an ironic humor backstage . Filmed in his usual formal and stylistic scholarship , but plenty of marvelously ancient songs , musical numbers and without leaving a trace the thought-provoking issues , in terms of dramatic and narrative excitement . The flick can be defined as a realistic tragedy-drama , a romantic history , a historic/comical fresco and a socio-political fable . This theme about a troupe constantly being dragged back to the reality of war and in an extreme situation continues through the picture . The flick bears remarkable resemblance to subsequently directed by Emilio Aragon titled "Paper Birds" by Emilio Aragon with Imanol Arias , Luis Homar , but the latter failed as box office with indifferent reception by public as critical . Good support cast with prestigious Spanish secondaries as Luis Rellan , Jose Sancho , Maurizio De Razza , and Chema Mazo , among others . Including a spotless pictorial cinematography by Jose Luis Alcaine and a willingness , almost perfect of the elements of each shot , every sequence, every space .

The motion picture was stunningly written and directed by Carlos Saura He is one of the best Spanish movies director . He began working in cinema in 1959 when he filmed ¨Los Golfos ¨(1962) dealing with juvenile delinquency from a sociological point of view . He subsequently made LLanto por Un Bandido (1964) starred by an European all-star-cast . Saura is a well recognized filmmaker both nationally and internationally, and in proof of it he won many prizes among which there are the following ones: Silver Bear in Festival of Berlin for Peppermint Frappé (1967) and the successful La Caza (1966) that also won numerous prizes in International Festivals and in which four characters facing each other and terminating into a jarring burst of violence . Saura achieved Special Jury Awards in Cannes for La Prima Angélica (1974), in 1973, and for Cría Cuervos (1976), in 1975. Also, the film Mamá Cumple Cien Años (1979) got an Oscar nomination in 1979 as the best foreign film, and it also won the Special Jury Award at the San Sebastian Festival. He subsequently made ¨Deprisa , Deprisa¨ based on facts about juvenile delinquency in Spain since the 80s , as he tried to take a position in favour of outcast people and he got to make a both lyric and documentary-style cinema . In 1990, he won two Goya , The Spanish Oscar , as best adapted screenplay writer and best director . Saura became an expert on Iberian musical adaptations as ¨Carmen , Amor Brujo , Bodas De Sangre , Sevillanas , Iberia , Salome , Fado, Flamenco ¨ and even recently Opera as ¨Io , Don Giovanni

I only wanted to say that it was not until the second time that I watched it that I began to really appreciate the complexity of the story, is web of ironies, and the extent of the moral dilemmas with which the different characters really had to confront and deal with...and how in the end, it was really the lack of the husband's moral backbone that nearly bankrupted Carmela's (i.e, Spain's) morality and dignity...a dignity that was redeemed in the very end of the movie, but only through Carmela's very own blood - a very clear Christ-figure reference; one consistent with western literature, and also very consistent with much of the film's Communist/Republican/Atheist vs. Franco-Fascist/Vatican-Backed/Fervent Catholic sub plot.

Carmen Maura was brilliant in the complex role of Carmela, as were the two male supporting actors in their respective roles. I only wish that the subtitles would have done the rich Spanish dialogue more justice. So many nuances had to be left out, but those I suppose are the limitations inherent in subtitles, no matter how competently they may be done.

This is a film about human beings and how they cope with the nightmare of civil war. We are shown that people's reactions to this kind of ordeal are various. It is an extreme situation and this is conveyed very well by Carlos Saura - we watch people trying to forget where they are and enjoy themselves watching the antics of our variety troupe, only to be reminded of reality, as the sound of aircraft drowns out the performance. This theme of constantly being dragged back to the reality of war continues through the film. The acting is outstanding, Carmen Maura's in particular, and regardless of with whom our personal empathy may lie, Saura does not condemn individuals. Above all, the pain and sadness of a country at war with itself is expressed through the tortuous mental and emotional processes Carmela goes through.

This film brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. It says much about the value of human life,and the bewildering horror and absurdity of civil war.