At the beginning of Spanish Civil War (1936) a sheperd or pastor named Joaquin (Corvacho) helps a wounded man and with almost no memory who escapes from a firing squad . He heals the unknown man who survived after being executed and carries him a convent . Forty years later ,in the eighties , Joaquin (Alfredo Landa) returns to Granada attempting to find hints about something happened when he was a teenager and the Spanish Civil War was going on . He encounters the man nicknamed Galapago (Nino Manfredi) , who is now quite old , poor and nutty . Joaquin supported by Adela (Kiti Manver) takes care of him and find out clues point to Galapago seem to be Federico García Lorca.
¨La Luz Prodigiosa¨ results to be other of the innumerable stories to deal with dramatic deeds regarding the Spanish Civil War background , but this time from another point of sight . It packs drama , emotion , biographical events about Federico Garcia Lorca and some brief elements of humor . Fernando Marias writes the interesting script based on his novel ,"The End of a Mystery" , International (English title) , or ¨La Luz Prodigiosa¨ . It's a good film but sometimes turns out to be slow-paced and is precisely derived from the coldness of its staging, which eventually become monotonous in approximately 110 minutes of footage . Because the story needs a vibration more real than the one offered in this slow-moving and sometimes boring film .
But anyway, its is compensated with the great performances from Alfredo Lando and Nino Manfredi , interpreters who provided a considerable boost to the result . Miguel Hermoso is a great director of actors and the main players are complemented by a good cast of secondaries such as Kiti Manver as Adela , José Luis Gómez as Silvio , Iván Corbacho as Joaquin , Mariano Peña and Silvia Espigado as Bibliotecaria . Including a spotless pictorial cinematography by Carlos Suarez , being shot in Granada , location where Federico Garcia Lorca lived . And of course , a marvelous musical score by the incombustible Ennio Morricone who composes a classical and sensitive soundtrack . It was nominated 2004 CEC (Cinema Writers Circle) Award Best Actor (Mejor Actor) Alfredo Landa and Best Screenplay, Adapted (Mejor Guión Adaptado) Fernando Marías Awards, Spain . And nominated Goya Best Actor (Mejor Actor Principal)Alfredo Landa , Best Production Design (Mejor Dirección Artística)Félix Murcia , Best Screenplay - Adapted (Mejor Guión Adaptado)Fernando Marías and Best Supporting Actor (Mejor Actor Reparto) José Luis Gómez . And won 2003 Golden St. George for Miguel Hermoso in Moscow International Film Festival .
The motion picture was well directed by Miguel Hermoso , being filmed in his usual formal and stylistic scholarship , without leaving a trace the thought-provoking issues , in terms of dramatic and narrative excitement . Miguel Hermoso is an expert on comedy as proved in ¨Loco Veneno¨, ¨Truanes¨, ¨Marbella¨ and drama such as ¨Como Un Relampago¨, the biopic ¨Lola¨, ¨Luz Prodigiosa¨ and his greatest hit was ¨Fugitivas¨ . Rating : 6'5 , good movie . The picture will appeal to Alfredo Landa fans and Ennio Morricone enthusiast .
