Elsa & Fred

When the retired seventy-eight years old hypochondriac widower Fred (Manuel Alexandre) moves to an apartment in Madrid, his temperamental daughter Cuca (Blanca Portillo) has an incident with his next door neighbor, the elder Argentinean Elsa (China Zorrilla). Later, they meet each other and Elsa seduces Fred with her reckless behavior and view of life and they have a romance.

"Elsa y Fred" is a sensitive romance in the third age, proving that it is never too late to love, and a great homage to Federico Fellini's "La Dolce Vita". The simple and beautiful story is supported by magnificent performances of Manuel Alexandre and China Portillo, and an effective screenplay that appropriately blends romance, drama and humor. A dear friend of mine recommended this movie and I would like to thank her advice. In the end, there is a wonderful message of hope and love - people should live and not be afraid of dying. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Elsa & Fred - Um Amor de Paixão" ("Elsa & Fred - A Love of Passion")

Wow!... maybe the best movie I've seen in the last decade. The story is simple but full of emotions. The main actor is so good, but the old ACTRESS is lovely, amazing, funny and beautiful. No doubt this movie should be considered for the foreign movies awards, they really deserve something! I just hope that it could be translated as well as they mean all the dialogs, because this is a jewel that has to be appreciated as it is. Please, don't waste your time and go to see this wonderful film. Hope you like it as I did. The film magazine is good enough and the locations looks nice and some are fancy. The volume could be better, I just recommend that adjust the volume a little bit higher for seniors who can have a bit problems to hear the sound. This is a story full of love, compassion, emotion, sadness, but first of all, a very good sense of humor, very hard to find in this times. I bet you will love it and more if you're in your late 60's, cause it gives you a new vision of life. Women are always women!

What a touching movie! what great performances and what a story. Sad though but still unforgettable! Federico Luppi's scene... great as usual, he's like wine, gets better as times goes through. China Zorrilla, what can I say, I saw her previously and instantly fell in love with her. She's such a good ACTRESS (yes, with capital letters), she should be nominated for an award in the U.S., like Norma Aleandro once..... let's face it, Latin American movies are good, really good. These ones and independent movies are far better than the usual made-in-Hollywood movies, where mostly always, when you take out the special effects, nothing is left! Again, I do recommend this movie to everybody, you'll never forget it!

This is a romantic movie for those who never give up hope. here we have a woman who is a bit of a rascal, meeting a timid, hen-pecked man. Both in their late 70s (officially, she lies about her age but in fact I read that both were much older when they made the film)there is a tiny flame that flickers and then burns with a gentle intensity. His daughter turns from a frantic bullying, worried out of her mind caregiver to an understanding concerned daughter. I thought that was one of the nicest aspects of the story. I loved this, and I loved the couple. She lies about everything, he about nothing and yet he embraces her and her irrationality with total acceptance. Don't we wish we could find someone like that at any age? They headed a wonderful cast, not one weak player among them. I have watched it twice, and will happily watch it again and again.

Marcello, te amo! Te amo más de lo que nunca he amado a nadie... Gracias! The fountain's sound vanishes in these last words, as it happened in La Dolce Vita. That love professed and expressed is the central character of the film.

Beware: you'll find yourself crying and smiling like an idiot throughout this beautiful story.

Is there anything I'd leave out of it? Not a single word, not a single take, nor a music note. The acting is top notch. I'd rather say "heavyweight". Maybe it is just that I haven't seen such performances in a long time.

This is a film to open your heart, no matter the age, to a reality few of us like to think about. Prepare yourself for a ride of joy and happiness in a world so full of trouble.