The famed director of some of the most representative of the first Franco-era films ("Agustina de Aragón", "Locura de Amor"), Juan de Orduña, was commissioned in the late 60s by Spanish Television, for making a total of seven musical adapted from successful zarzuelas, the genre of Spanish Lyric Theatre par excellence.
Although according to some, this set in the Basque rural world is one of the most successful, in my personal opinion the film is rather disappointing. And is that because of bland and nothing expressive interpretation of the actors (and particularly of the two main male characters), and a script and staged fairly flat and erratic.
Also it is the case that in several of the musical numbers, there are not even a good coordination between the work of actors and the lyric genre singers (all first-line) who put their voices over them, leading to sometimes the film even falling in some ridiculous.
A shame, and not only because the original zarzuela from Jesus Guridi deserves a better adaptation, but because the film has also visually interesting moments, and even a bright start indeed
In addition, the original libretto by Federico Romero and Carlos Fernández Shaw cant help remaining curious, with funny moments and even some drama, although some may believe that the portrait of the Basque countryside, offering is somewhat burdened by the way picturesqueness. And that, along with the music, prevails.
Although according to some, this set in the Basque rural world is one of the most successful, in my personal opinion the film is rather disappointing. And is that because of bland and nothing expressive interpretation of the actors (and particularly of the two main male characters), and a script and staged fairly flat and erratic.
Also it is the case that in several of the musical numbers, there are not even a good coordination between the work of actors and the lyric genre singers (all first-line) who put their voices over them, leading to sometimes the film even falling in some ridiculous.
A shame, and not only because the original zarzuela from Jesus Guridi deserves a better adaptation, but because the film has also visually interesting moments, and even a bright start indeed
In addition, the original libretto by Federico Romero and Carlos Fernández Shaw cant help remaining curious, with funny moments and even some drama, although some may believe that the portrait of the Basque countryside, offering is somewhat burdened by the way picturesqueness. And that, along with the music, prevails.
