Enrique San Francisco Movies

A young Catholic girl takes viewers through a changing Spanish political and social landscape as she develops from her confirmation day to adulthood. Her first experience with the real Spain comes when her Jewish godfathers cannot come to her confirmation. One of the godfathers, using a ring, poses an early challenge to her innocence that puts her in danger. He later returns, indirectly introducing her to a new boyfriend. If he is one of the symbols for Jewish life under Franco, or for a Judeo-Christian interaction, that interaction is complex. The young woman encounters different lovers as she grows into adulthood, but at the same time she is burdened with financially supporting her father and his own rather decadent lifestyle. Again, this difference in generations could be understood as a difference between the "new" and "old" Spain; it is up to the viewers to interpret the story elements as they decide. Darker sides of life and new layers of meaning are explored as the young woman and her boyfriend steal from a priest, and the story of rapist Caryl Chessman's execution in San Quentin, California is woven into the plot line. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

In this offbeat crime film, Willie Parker (Terence Stamp) an English mobster turned informant, has been given a new identity and has been living in a small, isolated village in Spain for 10 years. Unfortunately for Parker, the men he has betrayed have ascertained his whereabouts and send Braddock (John Hurt), a professional hitman, and his apprentice Myron (Tim Roth) to bring Parker to Paris where his ex-associates await. After kidnapping Parker, nothing goes as planned. Now they are followed by a Spanish policeman (Fernando Rey) who seems to anticipate each of their moves, and they are burdened by Maggie (Laura del Sol), the mistress of a fellow mobster they were forced to kill. What should have been a routine hit becomes a psychological battle between all the participants as Parker, in a fight for time and for his life, plays one against the other. Set against the bleak Spanish landscape and featuring evocative and memorable theme music, the film builds to a surprising conclusion where the true nature of all the characters is revealed. Terence Stamp develops the character of Parker in a subtle but surprisingly comic performance and Laura del Sol shines as a woman who will do what is necessary to survive. Tim Roth, in his film debut, plays a brutal, but oddly endearing thug. But it is John Hurt, in a sensitive and nuanced performance, who brings a perceptive intelligence and depth to his role which adds a philosophical and psychological dimension to the film. Hurt plays his difficult role without a misstep and with a rare economy of action. Thoughtful and frequently amusing, The Hit, superbly written by Peter Prince, is both a compelling and suspenseful crime drama and also a deep and profound meditation on life, death and courage. ~ Linda Rasmussen, Rovi

In this road movie, a young Spanish teen has formed a band which has been booked to play at the Hilton in Beirut. The group is well versed in mambo and pop classics. When the age-diverse group sets out on its tour, however, they find that they cannot get farther than Cairo and Amman, Jordan. The boy has a stormy relationship with his father and the band's manager, and their being stuck in musical limbo in fleabag hotels doesn't help that much. The group's charismatic trumpet player, a particular hero of the boy's, walks out on the group after getting his fill of drinking and whoring for low pay. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

This historical drama, set in the '20s examines the strange, brief reign of a Latin American dictator. It was alternately shot in Havana and Mexico. The story is set in an unspecified Latin country and chronicles the daily life of the tyrannical dictator. One of his day's highlights is the signing of execution orders. His insane daughter must be physically restrained and is tied to her bed. Also included in the tale are a group of picked on Spaniards, a psychic woman, and effeminate Spanish ambassador, and a rebellious general. The film contains no violence. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

This lively western from Spain centers on the exploits of a wealthy young troublemaker who escapes from a Franciscan monastery and teams up with a handsome country boy who has run away from the Army. Together the two try to become outlaws and pose as gang members under the notorious El Argentino, an outlaw who plies his trade upon the border of Portugal and Galicia in northern Spain. The two "bandidos" steal horses and rob a taxman as they flee for the border. Along the way another fellow joins them. Much to their surprise, the fellow turns out to be a female reporter for the New York Times, hoping to interview El Argentino. Unfortunately, the outlaws have never met him. They meet him soon enough when he captures them. Proving to be a vain but basically good-hearted outlaw, he spares them and together they all take off with the Civil Guard hot on their trail. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Veteran Spanish film star Fernando Fernan-Gomez plays, appropriately enough, a veteran actor looking back on his career and wondering what his relatively short future will hold. Don Agustin is a 65-year-old actor travelling to Madrid to perform his one-man show Pepe Guindo, in which he chronicles the life of a jazz musician. Don arrives at the theater, gets into costume with the help of his dresser (Veronica Forque), confers with the director and writer (Jose Maria Pau and Pepon Nieto), and greets the musicians who play his band before going into the evening's performance, which comprises the bulk of the film. As "Pepe Guindo" discusses the life of a performer, and the rewards it has brought him at the expense of his relationships with his family, the actor and his character begin to merge, and Don and Pepe both conclude the evening wondering how much longer they can face an audience while holding on to some shred of their dignity. Fernando Fernan-Gomez was 78 when he made this film, and while the film itself received mixed reviews, his performance was widely praised. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi