Adequate rendition based on the a realist novel by Spanish author Leopoldo Alas y Ureña , magnificently played and professionally directed by Gonzalo Suarez . Adapted from the novel of the same name by Clarín, which narrates the difficulties of Ana Ozores (Emma Penella) to adapt to the sordidness of life in Vetusta , -evidently the pseudonym of the actual Oviedo, capital of Asturias-, a provincial city of northern Spain inspired in Oviedo. Ana married the former prime magistrate of the city , a kind but fussy man much older than her . As the young Ana, married to the retired regent Víctor Quintanar (Adolfo Marsillach) lives oppressed by the provincial hypocrisy and the mystical fears of an absorbing religion. Sexually dissatisfied, beset by constant erotic dreams, she reveals in her confessional her intimate torments, and to complete the circle, D. Fermín de Pas, her confessor (Keith Baxter) begins to feel a morbid passion for her. At the same time,feeling sentimentally abandoned Ana falls for Álvaro Mesía (Nigel Davenport) , a Don Juan, who intends to seduce Ana.
Passable retelling based on La Regenta , it is a realist novel by Spanish author Leopoldo Alas y Ureña (1852-1901) , also known as Clarín, published in 1884 and 1885 with high-class , middle-class and priests as protagonists , these forces find in extreme tension, as the Asturian writer narrates a cruel story of Spanish provincial life in the days of the Restoration .The flick is vey well set in Oviedo (there is even a Statue dedicated to La Regenta in Oviedo) : Vetusta , "Vetusto" in Spanish stands for "antiquated", "extremely old", a provincial capital city, very identifiable with Oviedo, capital of Asturias - especially since it is said that two monks, Nolan and John, founded the city, this being Oviedo's mythical genesis. On the other hand the film uses the city of Vetusta as a symbol of vulgarity, lack of culture and hypocrisy. Besides the story , the actors' artistic merits are notable and make this film worthwhile watching . It seems to be a typical 19th century love story but turns out to focus rather on more or less allegorical social criticism than on mere emotional. In Vetusta lives the main character of the work, Ana Ozores "La Regenta" , being appropriately played by Emma Penella as the orphan female protagonist Ana Ozores, the most beautiful woman of northern Spain imaginary province capital Vetusta, who lets herself be courted by the province casanova, Álvaro Mesía adequately performed by the British Nigel Davenport .Ana incarnates the tortured ideal that perishes progressively before a hypocritical society . Keith Baxter is so-so as Fermin , Ana's confessor and canon in the cathedral of Vetusta who also falls in love with her and becomes Mesía's unmentionable rival. Don Fermín, the father confessor, symbolizes conservatism and bigotry in the Vetusta's small-minded microcosm. While Álvaro Mesía : Nigel Davenport plays a politician, embodiment of libertinage and social progress. These great actors are completed by a great panorama of secondary characters, well portrayed by the filmmaker with merciless irony, completes the human landscape of the film , such as : Charo López , Rosario García Ortega , Maruchi Fresno , Agustín González , , Isabel Mestres , Pilar Bardem, María Luisa Ponte, Antonio Iranzo, Antonio Gamero , among others .It packs a colorful as well as evocative cinematography by Luis Cuadrado . Sensitive and emotive musical score by Angelo Francesco Lavagnino. Impressive and spectacular production design and art design by Wolfgang Burmann and Miguel Narros . The picture was uneven and professionally directed by Gonzalo Suarez , though it has some flaws and gaps .
Of course , the TV Series La Regenta (1995) in three episodes by Emilio Martinez Lázaro is much better , being starred by a great cast , such as : Aitiana Sánchez Gijon, Cármelo Gópmez , Juán Luis Galiardo, Miguel Rellán , Amparo Rivelles , Fiorella Faltoyano , Cristina Marcos , María Luisa Ponte ,Manuel Alexandre , Francisco Vidal , Francisco Merino . Also a Musical will be premiered at the Campoamor Theatre, in Oviedo, hometown of La Regenta; "La Regenta El Musical" on July 2012, written and composed by Sigfrido Cecchini.
