Belle Époque (1992)
The 1930s were a time of political upheaval in Spain. But even with violence and uncertainty in Madrid, such action seems far distant in the remote village where the events of Belle Époque take place. When Fernando deserts from the army and goes on the run, he happens upon the obliging old man Manolo. Initially his home is a convenient place to crash, but then Manolo’s four daughters enter the equation and things shift dramatically in Fernando’s endgame. Torn between which of this quartet to woo, Fernando attempts conquest on each in turn, only to become their plaything and object of affection. The sisters are very March sisters coded, albeit with more of a horny edge. Rocío is self-assured and involved in an on and off fling with local mamma’s boy Juanito. Clara is still reeling from loss of her previous husband and is more reserved. Violeta has no desire for men at all, making a mockery of heteronormative institutions with her pronounced disinterest. And Luz is naïveté incarnate. The central thrust (in every sense) of the narrative takes on the air of a fable, an episodic romp of sexual adventure and misadventure. Tempers flare and feelings are hurt, complicated especially by the incursion of various parental figures from Manolo’s wife with her fling in the opera impresario Danglard to Juanito’s wealthy, presumptuous, and Carlist mother. But it’s nothing that can’t be made up over a delicious meal, and fortunately to that end Fernando cooks with the best of them.
Despite the bucolic setting, there is some acid etched into the largely light approach to the narrative here. Discovered for desertion, Fernando only gets off when one of the Guardia Civil apprehending him shoots the other in a disagreement and then promptly commits suicide. And the edgy local priest, always sardonic in his application of faith, disrupts the wedding plans for Luz and Fernando when the party find him hanged in the church (which has only recently completed repairs after an arson attempt). This community is in large part isolated from the greater social machinations at play, but the film seems to know that there are darker things in store for Spain in years to come. But in the interim, a devil-may-care attitude is on order.
THE RULES
SIP
Someone says 'republic'.
The Bible is mentioned.
Someone pours a drink.
Juanito mentions his mother.
BIG DRINK
Someone is 'fishing for crabs'.
Fernando kisses one of the sisters.
