La Niña De Tus Ojos

Rating:
Summary: Painful to watch.
Review: Doesn't work as a comedy or drama, attempts both. I am a fan of penelope cruz (I highly recommmend 'open your eyes') but this film was terrible - filled with stupid cliches and an unconvincing plotline, including misguided allusions to "Cassablanca" which this films suffers by comparision.
There is ONE redeeming scene: when P. Cruz performs musical number in traditional anduluscian dress.

Rating:
Summary: Another Great Film from Spain.
Review: I have to say the movie is one of the best films from spain I have seen. The scences are shot beautifully, and the dialouge to. Penelope Cruz is outstanding as always, and dosen't fail to surprise you in this film either.

The film takes place in Germany, during World War 2. One of Spain's most respected directors,Blas, is invited to Germany where he will shoot the Spainsh version of "The Girl of your Dreams" (also known as) "La Nina de tus Ojos." Macarena (Cruz) will play the female in both the German and Spanish version and the male role will be done by a German star and the the spanish will be played by a Spanish Star (Jorge Sanz). The film group is supported by the pervert Minister in Germany, whom is extermly infatuated by Macarena. He constantly makes advances at Macarena, and tells her that she should stay in Germany to persue her carrer as an actress, but she who rather return to Madrid as soon as possible. Fearing that Macarena's rejection of the Minister could cause him to stop production the Spanish directer, Blas, encourages Macarena to keep accepting his invitations, gifts, and reciprocate his flirting. This upsets Macarena for she and the director are lovers, and fells that if they were married the Minister would respect her instead of harassing her, but marrage is an unlikly possibility for he is already married with childeren. As the film progresses Macarena is disgusted by the mistreatments of the Jews and Gypsy's, however is in no place to say or do something because of the possible punishments in her political views. She befriends and Russian Jew on the set and it is he who makes her see that the War is wrong and takes a stand in her belifes. The film further progresses and the Minister practically forces Macarena to move into a private and sucluted home, wherer the Minister plans to have his way. As the film is comming to an end Blas learnes that Macarena's father has passed away, and realizes that Macarena would be best off in Mardrid. In the end Macarena helps the Russian Jew to escape, only to find herself in a predicament with the Minister. The Group and Blas is forced to choose between finishing the almost completed film or doing what is right and leaving Germany.

Rating:
Summary: A Big Spanish 'Hollywood Blockbuster' with Heart
Review: LA NINA DE TUS OJOS is one of Fernando Trueba's greatest films to date. He has taken a story of an acting troupe (film production company) that flees Fascist Spain for an opportunity to make a 'really huge' film in Hitler's Germany - a country where the director and crew see opportunity in the grandeur of Hitler's expensive self-promotion films. Once there, they discover the sad facts of the Hitler regime, facts which come to play in the crew's choice of gypsy extras to play parts not credible with the German Aryan candidates they encounter. One among these gypsies is a Russian Jew who is ultimately befriended by the troupe and makes their mission to make it big in film less important than to tend to humanity.

The cast is amazingly excellent through and through with exceptional comedic skills as well as dramatic ones. The head of the film crew is Blas Fontiveros (Antonio Resines) who functions with his German sponsors through the multilingual translator Vaclav (Miroslav Taborsky). The stars of the company are Macarena (Penelope Cruz at her best) and Julian (Jorge Sanz) whose love lives intermingle with the project at hand (Macarena with Blas, Julian with any available fan including Henrich - Gotz Otto!). The production falls under the eye of the evil Dr Goebbels (Johannes Silberschneider) who tries to seduce Macarena.
Others in this talented company include roles for Rosa Maria Sarda, Santiago Segura, Neus Asensi, Loles Leon, and Karel Dobry (as Leo, the tender salvaged Russian Jew).

To some this may appear as yet another Hollywood-type, behind the scenes type movie, but with this cast and the sensitve direction of Trueba it is so very much more. Beautifully photographed and scored, this is a film that deserves a wider audience - especially if you love films from the always creative Spanish cinema. Grady Harp, November 2004

Rating:
Summary: Funny, clever, even possible!
Review: This film was a great surprise for me. I had no idea it existed until I saw it at the local store ("already-viewed" and at a reduced price) and had to buy it. A Spanish theater troupe is invited to Nazi Germany to film a musical in both Spanish and German. You can just imagine what ensues when their expectations are met with the reality of Nazi Germany!

This film is quite funny, with many ridiculous situations. In addition, if you are a Penélope Cruz fan, you should watch her singing scenes! Nazi Germans are trashed by the Spanish theater troupe. The film director (who also directed the wonderful film "Belle Epoque") cleverly mixes everything up until there is no way back but ... I am not telling you more.

Rating:
Summary: Funny, clever, even possible!
Review: This film was a great surprise for me. I had no idea it existed until I saw it at the local store ("already-viewed" and at a reduced price) and had to buy it. A Spanish theater troupe is invited to Nazi Germany to film a musical in both Spanish and German. You can just imagine what ensues when their expectations are met with the reality of Nazi Germany!

This film is quite funny, with many ridiculous situations. In addition, if you are a Penelope Cruz fan, you should watch her singing scenes! Nazi Germans are trashed by the Spanish theater troupe. The film director (who also directed the wonderful film "Belle Epoque") cleverly mixes everything up until there is no way back but ... I am not telling you more.