[edit] # 23:25

The Age of Beauty!

Mood: Elated!
On iTunes: The Santa Fe Sessions

(so I was feeling LiveJournalish... bleck.)

Belle Époque was, in short, outstanding, and eternal thanks go to Bizby Wetherdeal for the recommendation. Honestly, can you imagine a better way for a hopeless romantic like myself to have capped off a Valentine-less weekend? Dig this!

"Handsome young soldier Fernando deserts from the army during the Spanish Civil War and befriends a free-thinking artist. But when he meets his new friend's four daughters, he finds himself in a romantic dilemma -- which woman should he romance? In a neat twist, the women do the deciding, as each in her turn tries to seduce him. Penelope Cruz co-stars in this passionately comic romp."

Since I've yet to start Homage to Catalonia, this film seemed a good place to start. First, it's en Español, which was bueno for mi práctica. Second, Penélope Cruz makes her fourth-ever screen appearance and oh, she's adorable. Third, it stars Maribel Verdú, whom we all know quite well from Y Tu Mamá También...

The interplay between young, seminarian Fernando and Don Manolo, eccentric 70-something painter and father of the 4 beauties, intrigued me most of all. "I knew he'd miss the train once he caught a whiff of my daughters," Manolo says offhandedly. Purist Fernando decides he's in love with each of them, one after the other, following their consecutive affairs. And for this reason he feels compelled to inform Don Manolo each time! Were I Fernando, I would have eloped with any of them, but Don Manolo practically expected and even accepted the debauchery. This, my friends, is elderly wisdom personified. ¡Viva España!

In conclusion, toss Belle Époque in your Netflix queues for the next time an "I'm feeling like an Iberian romantic comedy" mood strikes- you won't regret it!

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