When a man ends up in a house full of girls, the question in many stories is: who will that man fall for? Where Little Women provides everyone with a suitor and The Beguiled does the opposite, Belle Époque takes a much more comedic route for Fernando to pick his wife. Far from being a Casanova, Fernando is much more naive. He stumbles from girl to girl in a series of hilarious sequences, never truly understanding what each of them wants. It’s pretty silly stuff. But it’s also the kind of lighthearted romp that remembers the joys and pleasures available to Spain before the fascist Franco regime took over.
In 1931, a young soldier deserts from the army and falls into a country farm, where he is welcomed by the owner due to his political ideas. Manolo has four daughters, Fernando likes all of them and they like him, so he has to decide which one to love.
Spain, 1931. After deserting the army, young soldier Fernando is invited to stay in the country home of an old artist named Manolo. However, upon the arrival of Manolo’s four daughters, Fernando finds himself falling in love with all of them.
The film has a ludicrous premise, but the way Fernando Trueba uses it to subtly criticize the Franco regime makes the comedy more compelling.
I still think Farewell, My Concubine was the better Oscar contender, though.
Oscars
1 win
Berlin
1 nomination
BAFTA
1 win, 1 nomination
Goya Awards
8 wins, 9 nominations
