Alfredo Landa Movies

This play on the jitters-at-the-altar theme finds the groom backing out before the fateful "I Do," not just once, or twice, but three times! ~ All Movie Guide

A man on the run from outlaws finds himself consoling a troubled priest in this broad comedy. Rufus (Javier Manrique) is deep in debt to a Cuban gangster named Ortega (Idefonso Tamayo), who has an uncertain temper and is tired of waiting to be repaid. Rufus decides that it's time to dip into his hidden reserve of money that he's hidden in a tree in the desert, so heads to Almeria to get it. However, when he arrives, Rufus discovers that his tree already has a visitor -- a depressed priest (Alfredo Landa) who is convinced that his wicked life has left him beyond redemption. The cleric is intent upon committing suicide by hanging himself from the tree, while Rufus has to persuade him that life is worth living at least long enough to get his money. El Arbol del Penitente was the first feature film from director Jose Maria Borell. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

German Areta (Alfredo Landa) is an ex-cop detective with a tiny office in a part of Madrid going to seed - a scenario inspired by Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961), to whom Crack is dedicated. Areta is trying to track down a young woman who has basically disappeared into the world of high-class courtesans in the city, and he is told to lay off the search by some powerful types who do not want any negative publicity. Unwilling to leave it at that, Areta' s enemies decide to bring home the message in an unsavory manner, through some nasty business with his girlfriend's daughter. Enraged at their tactics, Areta puts his manhunt into high gear and heads off to New York City to track down the bad guys. In another tip of the hat to Dashiell Hammett the "look and feel" of the film evokes the 1930s mystery movies. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

The business of death provides the framework for this black comedy about a mortician's assistant who wants to marry an executioner's daughter. Her father really wants to change professions, but cannot, as he will lose his new government-sponsored apartment. The young man is persuaded to take over the job, but he swears he will quit before he must kill someone. Unfortunately, an execution is scheduled shortly before the beginning of a major carnival, a time when many executions are halted. The bride and groom travel there, hoping the victim will be pardoned, but he is not and the groom must fulfill his duty. Although he swears he will never do another, his face tells another story, and the old executioner knows that many more state-sanctioned deaths will follow. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

José Luis Garci's romantic drama Story of a Kiss follows two different stories that take place decades apart from each other. Julio (Carlos Hipolito) attends the funeral of the uncle who raised him. After reminiscing with his uncle's friends, Julio remembers his childhood. At that time, his Uncle Blas (Alfredo Landa) fell in love with a much younger women who made him realize how dispassionate his life had become. The adult Julio also attempts to romance a fellow teacher. Director Garci previously made the Oscar winner Starting Over. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

Miguel Hermoso's La Luz Prodigiosa (Marvelous Light) examines what might have happened if famed Spanish writer Federico Garcia Lorca had not been executed at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. In Grenada in 1936 Joaquin (Ivan Corvacho Cervantes) delivers a man he decides to call Galapago (Sergio Villanueva) to nuns after Galapago is shot. Fifty years later, Joaquin comes back to Grenada and is conned by Adela (Kiti Manver). Joaquin decides to find Galapago, who is now homeless. Joaquin and Adela soon suspect that Galapago may be Lorca, and each reacts to the situation differently. The music for Marvelous Light was written by the great Ennio Morricone. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide