Yerma, 1999, 118 mins., Spanish
(4 stars)
I would have given this 5, but this is a play of García Lorca's adapted to a movie. The acting by Aitana Sánchez-Gijón is first rate, as is with all the rest of the cast. This movie reflects the XVI-XIX attitudes of "women should stay at home"; "there must be something wrong with a childless woman"; and how women/townspeople gossiped about everything. If you are not familiar with Lorca, pay attention to the gitano (gypsy) songs, which will reflect the moods and feelings of Aitana, as well as the events happening. Lorca loved the gypsies and admired their passion and expression--which is heavily used in this movie. The songs, as well as the lighting, circumstances and charcter interactions will draw you in and make you feel Aitana's pain and desperation--not to mention the restrictive and smothering restrictions on women of this era. Of course, remember this is a drama, a reflection of a certain point in time in Spain, so unless you like such a socially-themed movie, this may not interest you. But based on what the movie is supposed to portray, it does an excellent job, as many plays adapted to movies generally fall woefully short. This one does not.