User Reviews

I've been watching a lot of films in Spanish lately, trying to prepare for a course I will be teaching on Love in Hispanic Cinema. I'm searching for the film I can show that will exemplify love of country... and while I don't think this is the one I'm looking for, it may work insofar as the "love of Spain" expressed resonates with the same propagandistic tones similar expressions of "patriotism" so often do.

I won't bore you with the basics of plot nor repeat what everyone else has already said as you can read the intro and a hand-full of other posts and know enough. I will tell you that this is a subtle film. We in the US are so used to being hit over the head by our movies that watching this film is like feeling a soft breeze. It's oh so quietly disquieting.

I have found interesting the posts reviewing this film that criticize the "meanderings" of the plot --how far the dispersed elements take us away from the core message. But I ask, what is not childhood but a collection of fascinating and disconnected pieces of a puzzle that we can't put together quite yet. Music, love, family, sex, food, school, friends, women and girls, books, nature, teachers and grown men -all equally interesting and engaging to a young boy. But when he's all of maybe seven, what does he know about how they all relate to each other? What do any of us really know about how all the pieces of our lives fit together, or what they mean?

I especially enjoyed the sad quality of all the varied losses interwoven in the greater story; they tempered the otherwise hopeful mood of the film. The overall effect on me was that I understood that loss is comprised not only of one deep cut but of a thousand little ones too. It wasn't only the dream of a Republican and free Spain that was lost; it was much more that was lost as well.

The film-making here is exquisite too, like a butterfly, so beautiful visually; "La lengua de las mariposas" is so well executed that it truly feels real. There were no moments when I said to myself "oh, come on," as I do when I feel I've been taken for too stupid to figure things out for myself, when everything has been made too obvious, predigested for me by the movie makers.

Amazingly the child actor is believable at all times -never too precocious, never too coy. An excellent performance from a child actor is always a delight. See the Argentine film "Valentin" (2002) for another.

Others write that the ending is shocking, too abrupt and that the audience is neither prepared for it nor guided towards it. For me that is the perfect ending because it replicates the shock of the civil war to the Spaniards, and the shock adult violence inflicts upon childhood. For me, the abrupt ending was the radical interruption traditional Spain forced upon everyone's future. Never mind, as one post suggested that in Republican Spain the communists had taken over and democracy was no longer in effect. Democracy here is the exotic Chinese beauty Andrés falls in love with, a fantasy out of reach, silenced and taken hostage by a brute.

See this film and decide for yourself.

It's a beautiful (and too rare) thing to witness a child actor who can avoid the saccharine cutesiness so common to mainstream American child actors. In this film full of children there are, happily, no cloying, exaggerated "cute kid" moments.

The real beauty of La lengua de las mariposas is what's unspoken -- the truths that remain between the lines. The film's political theme is never heavy-handed, and its vivid and fascinating depiction of a turbulent moment in Spanish history has inspired in me a desire to learn more. Without spoiling the ending (which I read as fairly subversive, at least to an American audience), I must say I wasn't entirely surprised at what happened. It brought a tear to my eye and it's still making me think, three days later.

Those who liked this film should also see La Vita e Bella (Life Is Beautiful) and La notte di San Lorenzo (Night Of Shooting Stars), which are similar and may appeal equally, if not more.

This was a film that really tugged at the heart strings. I really enjoyed the building of characters and the way the lives of the village were portrayed. It was a difficult time politically, yet the simplicity of daily life and family in Galicia was the over-riding story here. The acting is second to none and Manuel Lozano was unbelievably fantastic! I mean these ridiculous "affected" children they get for American movies (i.e. the "Pepsi" girl) are so unbelievable and fake. Manuel is so realistic as Moncho. So are the other actors.

I don't necessarily agree with the way that Cuerda rushed the ending, but I certainly wouldn't want to take away any time in portraying the lives of everyone involved. Maybe he should have made it a little longer as not to rush the ending. Although I will say that one of my favorite things about foreign films is that they are so NOT "Hollywood" that you never really know what to expect. Unlike the trite, unbelievable, over-acted, high budget American films and their overpaid actors which usually just leave a bad taste when I exit from the theatre.

This is an historical piece that absolutely shames "the Patriot". It's so nice to see that a movie doesn't have to change history to show us the past and entertain us at the same time!

This one was one of the excellent movies I have seen for the last couple of years. It takes you back to 1936, Spanish War in Galicia. Telling the truth I did not know well what happened there exactly . But this movie showed how the war influenced those people who lived in a small town to live their small lives. By the time they showed the ending scene my heart ached. I truly wished that someone could have been here with me to enjoy the afterglow this time. It has not happened to me lately. Plus their way to take this film was exquisite. Every single scene was beautiful and sentimental as if you turn around the post cards stand at the souvenir shop.

I give this movie 10 points and even Woody Allen said he liked it. It's a very touching story about a child and his teacher in the period previous to the Spanish civil war. The movie is based on a novel , the screenplay is almost perfect .The performances , specially but one of the best Spanish actors ever Fernando Fernan Gomez as the teacher is amazing and one you will remember for a long long time and the child Manuel Lozano is at the same quality level of performance . I have seen this movie only once and I still remembered it now. José Luis Cuerda , the director , do a very good job and Alejandro Amenabar wrote the soundtrack.The characters are so well constructed you will identify with them. I recommend this movie . Don't miss it .

Among recent Spanish films - and I refer to the last twenty five years -there has been some tendency towards an intimistic approach which rather limits deeper comprehension and the ability to grasp essential concepts for non-Spanish audiences, whether the film is dubbed or subtitled into English or not, or even for Spanish speaking people in Latin America. This causes certain difficulties, similar to what happens when European or North American audiences try to comprehend Chinese or Japanese films requiring knowledge of their history, culture, mores and values. This has certainly been the case with `Las Ratas' (1998) directed by Giménez Rico, and to some degree with other Spanish masterpieces such as `El Sur' (1982), `Los Santos Innocentes' (1984), and to a lesser extent with `El Abuelo' (1999) - reviewed elsewhere in IMDb. Perhaps for general audiences `La Plaza del Diamante' (1981, Francisco Beltrú), `Últimas Tardes con Teresa' (1983, Gonzalo Herralde), and `Las Bicicletas son para el Verano' (1983, Jaime Chávarri) are rather more accessible, but even so many nuances might be lost. This may well happen to many audiences watching the film known as `Butterfly' in English. The story is set in the north western region of Galicia during the winter and spring preceeding the outbreak of the Civil War, and told through the eyes of a little boy - Moncho (Manuel Lozano) - a tailor's son and younger brother of a would-be saxophonist. The film is a point-counterpoint on the values of friendship, loyalty and other feelings so common to ordinary townspeople living their easy and uncomplicated village lives, values which just break down under fear. You have to understand certain principles of Spanish behaviour veering from foolhardy courageousness to outright cowardice, from close friendship to open hostility, superbly summed up in the close-up final shot of Moncho's face, half angry and embittered, half bewildered and confused, as the lorry drives away. Fernando Fernán-Gómez is masterful as the lonely schoolteacher and Manuel Lozano as Moncho is definitely something very special. Watch out for Fernán-Gómez directing Manuel Lozano in `Lázaro de Tormes' (based on an anonymous medieval tale) and José Luis Garci directing him in `You're The One" (both 2000). `La Lengua de las Mariposas' is also highly recommendable for its beautiful photography in the lushly wooded green hills and valleys around Allariz and the River Arnoia in Ourense, one of the four provinces of Galicia. Worth 8 out of 10.

Interesting and thought-provoking drama set during Spanish Civil War and filmed on wonderful landscapes from Galicia . For a kid named Moncho (Manuel Lozano) starts a new life , he begins school , there he has a sensible and aging teacher named Don Gregorio (Fernando Fernan Gomez) , a Republican veteran like his daddy . He makes a friend in the little village called Roque , Moncho starts to figure out some mysteries about life , and , with his older brother, a budding saxophone player, he makes a voyage with the band called ¨The Blue Orchestra¨ from their village around in Galicia . He soon journeys into adulthood through a friendship with his teacher , forming bonds with new friends and walking on the idyllic fields . Armed with a rebellious nature, opposes life lessons from his father and his love for a little girl will open doors to a world of sensitive feelings that will make her trip turns into a tender , vital and unforgettable experience but also tragic . The screen livens up as love blossoms between Moncho and his little girlfriend and as a love for a teacher becomes evident and finally risked . But it's also the year that the Spanish Republic comes under fire from Franco revolt and country growing apart. As sides are drawn and power falls clearly to one side , the forces of fright , rebellion and treason alter profoundly what should be the pleasure of growing-up .

Drama with historical and romantic elements ; including enjoyable performances and adequate set design . ¨Tongue of Butterflies¨¨ results to be other of the innumerable stories to deal with dramatic deeds regarding the Civil War background . A familiar theme about the global horrors of a fratricide war , impossible to forget to our cinema . An agreeable coming-of-age story plenty of enjoyable moments , moving feelings and tragic finale . Director Jose Luis Cuerda , also writes the interesting script along with prestigious screenwriter Rafael Azcona , Luis Garcia Berlanga's usual . Filmed in his usual formal and stylistic scholarship , without leaving a trace the thought-provoking issues , in terms of dramatic and narrative excitement . The flick can be defined as a realistic tragedy-drama , a romantic history , a historic fresco and a socio-political fable . The main problem has to face , beyond not being able to avoid falling into the politic pamphlet is precisely derived from the coldness of its staging , some slow-moving scenes and including some surprisingly and inadequate sexual scenes . Because the story needs a vibration more real than the one offered in this sometimes joyful as well as sad flick , though also contains humorous and enjoyable moments as when the children are gathered and play and enjoy themselves , the unforgettable scenes when the oldest brother plays saxophone in the presence of a Chinese girl and of course the stirring and moving ending . Anyway, it's is compensated with the great performances from Fernando Fernan Gomez and and the boy Manuel Lozano , interpreters who provided a considerable boost to the result . Jose Luis Cuerda is a great director of actors and the main players are complemented by a good cast of secondaries as Uxia Blanco , Gonzalo Uriarte , Elena Fernandez Guillermo , ¨Willy¨, Toledo, among others ; all of them forming a powerful human group of support cast and giving excellent interpretations . Special mention to magnificent musical score by Alejandro Amenabar who composes an evocative as well as sensitive musical score . Including a spotless pictorial cinematography by Javier Salmones and a willingness , almost perfect of the elements of each shot , every sequence , every space . Shot on north of Spain, where have been filmed the gorgeous landscapes , marvelously reflected on location in Ourense , Galicia . The film won several Goya Awards -Spanish Oscar- such as : Goya Best Screenplay - Adapted to Rafael Azcona , José Luis Cuerda and Manuel Rivas , Nominated Goya Best Actor Fernando Fernán Gómez , Best Cinematography to Javier Salmones and Best Costume Design to Sonia Grande , Best Editing to Ignacio Cayetano and Best Director to José Luis Cuerda and Best Film .

This Fernando Bovaira production was professionally written/produced by Jose Luis Cuerda who also efficiently directed and resulted to get an acceptable success at Spanish Box office . Cuerda is a veteran professional , being his film debut ¨Pares and Nones¨ a typical Madrid comedy . He subsequently directed ¨El Bosque Animado¨ also with script by notorious Rafael Azcona and based on Wenceslao Fernandez Florez's novel . His most personal movies were two comedies with a peculiar and surrealist sense of humor titled ¨Amanece Que no Es Poco¨ and ¨Asi en el Cielo Como en Tierra¨. He followed directing failures as a drama titled ¨Viuda de Capitan Contreras¨ and more comedies as ¨La Marrana¨ and ¨Tocando Fondo¨ . His greatest success corresponds as producer , as he produced hits for Alejandro Amenabar as ¨Tesis¨ and ¨Abre Los Ojos¨, among others . This highly-acclaimed and successful movie titled ¨Lengua De Mariposas¨ has a rating as ¨better than average¨ , it's a beautiful and powerful film . Two thumbs up .

What a great film! It puts the Spanish Civil War in perspective and shows how awful living under "el franquismo" was going to be. You can feel the exhilaration of living under the Republic and the darkness the country begins to slide into. Spanish film, overshadowed by Pedro Almodovar's quirky film, is really coming into its own and, unfortunately, is often overlooked and undervalued. The settings are true to the era, capturing the feel of Spain in the 1930s. The acting is superb, and the script is great. Plus, there is no overdone drama. The child actor is adorable without being made the object of cuteness, and Fernando Fernan Gomez is lovable without being sappy or sentimental. All I can say is "Wow!"

A magnificent story about the personal choices that have to be made by people caught up in intolerant times. A shy young boy is brought out of his cocoon by a wise teacher who shows him the wonder of the natural world around him, amidst the growing tensions and chaos of the Spanish Civil War. This is one of those movies whose ending leaves audience members rooted to their seats, stunned into silence. With beautiful photography and glorious classic Spanish (with clear subtitles), this is a movie not to be missed.

Many people have called "La lengua de las mariposas" an anti-war movie and in a way that is true. But in my opinion calling this film only an anti-war movie is not exactly right, because it is more than that. It's also a movie about a young, shy, asthmatic boy who, after being a bit over-protected by his parents, now goes for the first time to school. At first he is scared, because he is convinced that the teacher will hit him, but as time goes by, he becomes very enthusiastic and interested in everything the teacher tells him. He learns a lot of new things about nature, poetry, friendship,...

It's true that all this happens with the Spanish civil war on the background. Eventually Moncho has to choose between his love for the teacher and the pressure of his family and neighbors to take sides in this political conflict. But it's only at the end of the movie, when the civil war has already a much more imminent role in the movie, that he will have to make his choice, forcing him to grow apart from someone that he really loves, no matter which side he chooses. Only then it really shows how people were forced to choose a side and what happened if they had made the "wrong" choice.

However, the biggest part of the movie hasn't much to do with war or anti-war feelings. The biggest part of the movie is dedicated to the life and adventures of the young boy Moncho. I'm sure that many people will feel involved with him, because Manuel Lozano played this role so naturally that you'll soon forget that this is actually an actor. The same for Fernando Fernán Gómez. He is really very convincing as the father-like teacher who has learned to love life and nature in every detail and who is eager to open 'his' children's eyes to the beauty and wonder of it.

I'm sure that not only adults could enjoy this movie. I guess even younger viewers, even though they might not yet completely understand the underlying message, might appreciate it. For them, this might also be a way to take interest in nature, in history,... Personally I also like the fact that, even though this is a rather sentimental movie, it never has that sugar sweet feeling that you might expect from many other movies. It's all very sober and very interesting to see. I give this movie a 7.5/10.

How can live in world of glamorous sights? And why? Which metaphor covers the wars in sprain's moments of a long past? The Spain in the Civil war period. A child, a old teacher, politics, jokes and family life. Nature, discoveries and inescapable betrayal. Amovie about beauty and illusion. About beliefs and memory. About quick sands. In fact, a tale about Crist. Same sacrifice and same desire to make a new form of world thanks to the dialog with a child's consciousness.The secret of each hour like the evening of a dream. The butterfly and his presence in the eye of a schoolboy. Don Gregorio is not only a master like every source of knowledge, not the ordinary teacher with same methods and exigency. He is only a presence, like Malena for Renato Amoroso. This aspect is essential for every life. For every memory of each child. Final cry is an accident. An realistic act and the recognition of the end. Mocho is mature. The fall of golden age is real and powerful. But then?

This film is really well made, adapted and interpreted, even very well dubbed into Galician (a really excepcional fact). It represents so good the 1936 scene in Galicia. Near perfect

This movie is aptly named - it has about as much incisiveness as a bar of preheated butter, and it flits from scene to scene with a real lack of continuity. It's very pretty, but it's a failure at interweaving the chaotic politics of the era with the daily life of the Galician townspeople. It has every stock figure from every sentimentalized coming-of-age film ever made: the saintly, Mr. Chipps-like teacher, the young boy who he brings out of his shell (played by one of the more annoying child actors you'll encounter), the brutalized drunken lout who presages the coming of Falangist brutality by brutally killing his lover's dog....The film is highly episodic and never gets around to knitting together the various characters who appear from time to time. This doesn't come close to capturing the tremendous chasms in Spanish society, and the social and political dynamics that led to the drama and brutality of the Spanish Civil War.

Butterfly is an excellent film directed by Jose Luis Cuerda in 1999. Set in Spain during the Spanish Civil War. A young boy, named Moncho and an old teacher make a friendship that will last a lifetime. Moncho is about to start school and is terrified that the teacher will hit him. He realizes that his teacher is a nice old man, named Don Gregorio. They soon become friends and Gregorio teaches him all about nature and life. Then when the war takes a turn and the government starts capturing the republicans. The boy and his family are forced to turn against what they believe in. The boy is forced to grow up before his time and sees what the world is really like at a young age. This is a great film and I would recommend this to all. The acting is great and is directed very well also.

This import from Spain shares with viewers some of the effects Civil War has on a small town. More specifically the film "Butterfly" is about a young boy played by Manuel Lozano. Now, stop right there. I wanna voice my opinion on foreign film and child actors. Is there some sort of written law that dictates they have to better than their American counterparts? Besides "The Patriot," child actors (13 and under) tend to be well below average.

Anyway, Manuel at first doesn't wanna go to school, but later learns that the teacher doesn't only NOT hit his pupils but can actually become a great mentor and friend in a time of revolution.

The title comes from a lesson the teacher, played by Ferdenando Fernan Gomez, teaches young Manuel in the feilds. He speaks of the butterfly and its long rolled up tongue which it needs to taste the nectar from the depths of the flowers. Other lessons follow, one in particular about not being so shy around females. If you know what I mean...

Eventually the Civil War heats up and those who are for a Free Spain are gathered in the night and paraded through the town. Even though Manuel's father proclaimed viva the Republic he is quietened by his strong wife. Others, however, are not and are led away from the town, presumably to be executed.

"Butterfly" has pure characters, vivid locations, and a torrid sex scene. *blinks* How did that get in there? It also lacks forward direction at times, loses focus on the bond between Manuel and Gomez, and suddenly just stops. Still, it is far and above what I expected and therefore gets a splinded grade.

Butterfly Grade: B+

'Butterfly's Tongue (1999)' certainly values atmosphere over plot but that's not necessarily a bad thing, as we follow a young child through his every day exploits and tend to feel the way he feels (except that we view each moment through an adult lens) during the varied, almost anthology-esque events which are indicative of how a kid sees the world - as loosely connected but in-the-moment experiences that each subconsciously add up to form their eventual world view. Most of the film is pleasant, well-written stuff that excels at feeling naturalistic and is also loosely nostalgic, even if some subplots - and even individual sequences - seem like total non sequitur and a couple of scenes are strangely inappropriate for what seems to be the perfect target-audience (strangely graphic sex scene, included). It seems as though it all builds up to a message that only really forms itself - at least, in the foreground - in the film's final moments, though. While this ending is emotionally resonant and actually quite poignant, it feels somewhat rushed and causes the rest of the flick to seem retroactively unfocused, especially if this was always supposed to be the thematic outcome. 6/10

This film spends most of its time on a lost plot, even remembering those family movies played by Robin Williams and so. By the end it takes a great view of the influence of the environment in the personal conceptions. The genial end carries the film. 7 out of 10.

This movie consists of an hour and a half of meandering, sweetness-n-light fluff, followed by a rushed and overdone ending. The conclusion felt artificial because so little foreshadowing or tension was developed during the first 90% of the movie. If the director wished to make a point about the impact of war, one would think he'd have devoted a little more time to that subject, fleshed it out a little more, instead of wasting so much time on irrelevant events earlier in the film. On the plus side, the acting was excellent, especially that of the little boy Moncho, whose expressive, innocent face was a joy to behold.

But even Moncho's adorable face couldn't stop me from wishing I'd saved my eight bucks and instead rented "Life is Beautiful" a far better movie about war and the transcendence of the human spirit.

Adapted by screenwriter Rafael Azcona from three stories in Manuel Rivas novel "Que Me Quieres, Amor", Butterfly is a rare and insightful coming-of-age story that takes place in a rural part of northern Spain during the Second Republic when Spain had a brief flirtation with socialism and democracy. Against a background of the growing clouds of the Spanish Civil War, the film depicts the relationship between asthmatic 7-year old Moncho (Manuel Lozano) and his liberal schoolteacher played by the great Spanish actor Fernando Fernan Gomez (All About my Mother, The Grandfather).

Butterfly does not directly involve politics (at least until the end) but tells its story through snapshots of young Moncho, In the beginning, he is a quiet, shy boy who is afraid go to school because he thinks his teacher, Don Gregorio, will hit him. Gregorio, however, is a kind spirit who teaches his students to appreciate poetry, the beauty of nature, and the spirit of loving one another. Moncho grows from a frightened child to an enthusiastic young boy who is eager to learn all that he can about life. He divides his time between following his older brother's exploits playing the saxophone in a local band and chasing butterflies with his teacher friend. The butterfly here seems to be a symbol both of freedom and transformation.

I felt very involved with this young boy's world and found Lozano to be one of the most beguiling child actors that I have seen in a long time. His performance alone saves the film from Miramax-type sentimentality (which it occasionally drifts towards). Gomez is also wonderful as the compassionate teacher, symbolizing the humanitarian government that Spain enjoyed before the onset of fascism.

Eventually, Moncho must choose between his love for the teacher who opened his eyes to the beauty and wonder of the natural world and the ugly pressures of his family and neighbors to take sides in the political conflict. With the ending as shocking and memorable as Truffaut's The 400 Blows, Butterfly powerfully illuminates the human cost of war.

An innocent young boy forms a special relationship with his primary school teacher while growing up in a country on the brink of war. For Moncho, going to school for the first time is the most terrifying thing in his life at the moment. Scared that he will be hit by the teacher when punished, Moncho enters his classroom with a strong sense of fear. He soon learns that Don Gregorio is unlike any other teacher of the time, a kind old soul that has no intention of hitting his students. They begin a budding relationship where the two learn from each other, mentor to mentor. However, it is also the year of the beginning of the Spanish Civil War where Nationalists invade Moncho's peaceful town in search for Republicans, those who are against their government. Unfortunately, this includes Moncho's father and Don Gregorio. What was supposed to be a blissful time of growing up, is now interrupted by the forces of fear and betrayal. The Spanish Civil War (1936-139) brings the reality of life at the family front to the big screen in La Lengua de Las Mariposas. Debuting in June of 2000, the director José Luis Cuerda cleverly depicts the political factionalism that is slowing brewing in the small Galician town by placing doubt and unfaithfulness in each of the characters. No republican is safe from being exposed by those in their home town. But what makes this movie exceptional is how Cuerda tells the story through a child's eyes. At just eight-years-old, Moncho understands nothing of the war, allowing the audience grow and discover the consequences alongside of him. It is a time of innocence and learning for not just a child, but for all characters in the story, young and old. This movie will for sure spark emotion from anyone who watches this heartwarming coming of age tale. Fernando Ferman Gomez (Don Gregorio) and Manuel Lozano (Moncho) brilliantly complement each other in the roles that they play, with Gomez's charming wit and Lozano's captivating charm. Emerging into the scene at just nine years old, Lozano proves himself to be one of Spain's best child actors of his generation. His innocence and self-discovery is portrayed by his exceptional facial expressions that captures the audience's heart the moment he is first viewed. La Lengua de Las Mariposas is a fantastic family movie for all ages that will surely enlighten some and shed a few tears for others.

This is the first of Sr. Cuerda's films that I have seen, and I am eager for more. The larger setting of this film is rural Spain during the Spanish Civil War, with all the rich opportunities for betrayal and paranoia it provided. Spain has still not fully recovered from this terrible conflict. The story line is about a young boy, frail and fearful, who develops confidence and strength from his friendship with his teacher, played by the renowned Fernando Fernan Gomez. Sr. Gomez' performance is a marvel of clarity, simplicity and honesty. This could be a very stereotypical role, as it usually is in Hollywood products which settle for sentimentality at the expense of honesty. Sr. Gomez brings such substance to the part, he doesn't seem to be doing anything. He brings a thousand subtle details to bear, yet the overriding impression is that his kindness is unfeigned, and that he is a true teacher, having given his life to his young charges. The relationship between Moncho and Don Gregorio is the backbone of this film. Manuel Lozano is perfect as Moncho, a timid, sickly youth. All the supporting roles are developed fully. Moncho's big brother especially is played beautifully, as a young teen who finds his musical gift, his true love, and his first real heartbreak at the same time. The social conditions of that period are presented believably, especially the poverty of the everyday people. The quality of village life is not sentimentalized, but even in the midst of the strife, there is a social cohesion that many in the U.S. can only vaguely remember. During Moncho's first week at school, the local "jefe" attempts to bully Don Gregorio to give his son better grades by bribing him with a turkey, flopping it onto his desk in full view of his students. It's a beautifully funny moment, and it sets up Don Gregorios betrayal later in the film. The betrayal of Don Gregorio to the Fascisti was a life shattering event for young Moncho, as well as for the entire village. By denouncing Don Gregorio,the local gangster has ripped the heart out of the village. War is always promoted and presented by lies. There has never been a "just" war of any sustained length. Moncho's big brother is also played beautifully, as a young teen who finds his musical gift and his true love at the same time. The only real flaw with this little gem is that the larger story, the impact of the civil war, is neglected. Sr. Cuerda was fairly bold in his handling of this material, but the film fell somewhat flat. The film, "Gangs of New York", by Martin Scorcese, had the same flaw, and as a result fell a little flat at the end. As an audience, we want to feel the reality that the larger events in our world impinge upon our lives. Fate stalks us, for good or bad, through the events of our world. We cannot escape it. We can only define ourselves by responding to life as it presents itself to us, and makes its demands upon us. This tension is what provides the dramatic backbone to the story. This was not brought forth in the film. Perhaps the films financial backers intervened during the editing stage. The camera work is superb. A beautiful film, with powerful and affecting performances.