Lovers (1991 film)
| Amantes | |
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Spanish theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Vicente Aranda |
| Produced by | Pedro Costa, Televisión Española (TVE) |
| Written by | Carlos Pérez Marinero Alvaro del Amo Vicente Aranda |
| Starring |
Victoria Abril, Jorge Sanz, Maribel Verdú |
| Music by | José Nieto |
| Cinematography | José Luis Alcaine |
| Distributed by | Aries Films (1992) (USA) (subtitled), Columbia TriStar |
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Release date
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Running time
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103 minutes |
| Country | Spain |
| Language | Spanish |
| Budget | P208,120,000 |
Lovers (Spanish: Amantes) is a 1991 Spanish film noir written and directed by Vicente Aranda, starring Victoria Abril, Jorge Sanz and Maribel Verdú. The film brought Aranda to widespread attention in the English-speaking world. It won two Goya Awards (Best Film and Best Director) and is considered one of the best Spanish films of the 90s.
In Madrid, in the mid-1950s, Paco, a handsome young man from the provinces serving the last days of his military service, is in search of both a steady job and lodging. He is engaged to be married to Trini, his major’s maid. Trini is not only sweet and pretty, but also has saved a sizable amount of money through years of hard work and frugal living, which will enable her and Paco to start their lives together comfortably. With a factory job lined up, Paco moves out of his barracks and looks for somewhere to live until the wedding. Trini unwittingly refers him to Luisa, a beautiful widow who periodically takes in boarders and rents him a spare bedroom.
Besides supplementing her income with boarders, Luisa engages in swindles with underworld contracts, and is not above cheating her partners by skimming money off her illicit earnings. Instantly smitten by Paco, the attractive Luisa quickly seduces her new tenant. Paco, frustrated by his unfruitful job hunt and by Trini's refusal to sleep with him until they are married, offers little resistance when Luisa seduces him, initiating an affair. He is dazzled with the sexual delight to which she introduces him. So intense is Paco’s attraction for Luisa, that he abandons Trini for long periods, finally showing up at the major’s house to spend Christmas Eve with her. Trini feels a distance between herself and Paco, and while the couple is strolling in the street, she is surprised to see the “old widow” and immediately guesses that she and Paco are having a relationship.
Trini seeks the advice of the major’s wife, who tells her that she should use her own sexual powers to win Paco back. Waiting for Luisa to leave the apartment, Trini goes to Paco’s room and gives herself to him, making sure that Luisa later sees her leaving. At first, her tactic works and Paco reaffirms his love for her and they leave to visit Trini’s mother in her village. However, Trini is no match for her rival as a lover and Paco cannot get Luisa out of his mind.
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