The winner of Best Foreign Language Film for 1993 depicts soldier Fernando (Jorge Sanz) deserting his platoon and ending up seduced by the daughters of an artist whose house he hides in. Fernando Trueba's look at Spain in the early '30s - a few years before the civil war - has just about every clever scene that you can imagine. But most importantly, "Belle epoque" shows how Fernando has to try his luck with each woman and in the process coming to understand whether or not her goal in life fits with his. It's like a second coming of age for Fernando, while the artist has his own issues to deal with. And of course, one can see the various divisions in Spanish society that eventually led to the civil war (the sisters' different personalities sort of mirror that, although none of them is like Franco). A really good and thought-provoking movie. Also starring Maribel Verdú and Penélope Cruz.

Pope Pius X outlawed the tango. WHAT A JERK!!!!!!!

The story is set in the years just as the Spanish Republic was coming into being. A young soldier deserts his unit and is befriended by a nice old reprobate (his summation of himself). Just as he's about to hop on a train to leave this town and the old man, the old man's four beautiful daughters arrive and so the young man makes an excuse to stay. And, during the course of the rest of the movie he has sex with all four--including the confirmed lesbian among the four. I thought the part when the young man tells the old man he wants to marry the lesbian was priceless for everyone's reaction--everyone but the young guy KNEW she was gay and were completely shocked to hear him declare his passion for her. Despite all this sex, the family likes the young man and is incredibly broadminded about this--ultimately giving their blessing when he finally does wed the last one with which he sleeps! An interesting study of some rather strange individuals. Not great, but worth while.

It's the winter of 1930. The Spanish civil war is building. Fernando deserts the Army. After months of wandering the countryside, he gets arrested when he's found with a bible. The policemen argue about letting him go and get themselves killed. Fernando befriends the elderly Manolo who introduces him to his four beautiful daughters. Clara is still mourning her husband. Violeta is a lesbian. Rocío (Maribel Verdú) is being wooed by a young man from a rich family. The youngest Luz (Penélope Cruz) is the innocent. He has a fling with each one but they all fall apart in turn until Luz.

There is some fun to this movie. The main drawback is Fernando. It's no doubt that Jorge Sanz is a beautiful boy but he is a boy among women. By reason of the plot, he can't be the pursuer of the sisters. Time and time again, things happen to him instead of the other way around. It's also a bit of a male fantasy movie. The humor struggles to rise above the awkwardness. For example, the opening with the two policemen is gallows humor but the suicide is off-putting. It would be infinitely funnier if he simply slip away while the two men argued. I understand the humor but some of it struck me wrong. Overall, there is some fun and there are the four beautiful individual female characters.