Fernando Fernán Gómez Movies
Popular Spanish actor and director Fernando Fernán Gómez was born in Lima, Peru, while his mother, noted stage actress Carola Fernán Gómez, was on a South American tour. Since the birth was registered in Argentina, Fernán Gómez considered himself an Argentine citizen. He moved to Spain in 1924 and though he began acting on-stage in 1938, he didn't garner much notice until 1940. In 1943, Fernán Gómez entered films as an actor in Cristina Guzmán (1943) and went on to specialize in fast-paced comedies, though he would occasionally essay dramatic works such as Carlos Saura's Ana y los Lobos/Anna and the Wolves (1972) and Victor Erice's El Espiritu de la Colmena/The Spirit of the Beehive (1973). Fernán Gómez made his directorial debut with Manicomio/Asylum (1952), which he co-directed with Luis M. Delgado. In addition to feature films, Fernán Gómez has also acted and directed in the theater. In 1980, he was honored with a National Cinema Award. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide- 1976
In this tragicomedy, loosely based on a tale by Anatole France, Fernando Fernan Gomez plays a man who has locked himself away in the bathroom of his apartment in Madrid after furnishing it with various necessities. In a wan attempt to communicate with the far-distant world, he flushes aspirin bottles filled with messages down the toilet, reasoning that they will reach the sea eventually. After almost a dozen years, one of his messages reaches someone who finds the idea of responding somewhat amusing. The "kept" mistress of a millionaire looks him up, and they have a very brief affair. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fernando Fernán Gómez, Claude Dauphin, (more)
- 1975
When the mind of a six-year-old wakes up in a 36-year-old body, it causes some confusion for all concerned. After having been in a coma since he was six, when the boy awakens he is greeted by his parents, a psychiatrist, teachers and a priest. This large group attempts to bring the boy in a man's body into accord with his current physical age. The attempt to force 30 years' emotional growth runs into trouble when he develops a passion for a man's wife; she was his playmate 30 years before. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Manuel Summer, Fernando Rubio, (more)
- 1975
Even during the Second World War, some Spanish anti-Nazis worked to sabotage the Germans operating in their supposedly neutral country. This drama explores the love between a showgirl and a younger man who has been such a guerilla. She is also the mistress of a local black-market gangster, and tragedy results when her duplicity is discovered. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Aurora (Ana Belen) is a high-school teacher. When two attractive men fall in love with her, she enjoys their attention. One of them is a young student of hers (Jaime Gamboa), the other is a man returning from his many years of exile following the Spanish Civil War (Fernando Fernan Gomez). Her gentle and wise handling of these two fragile hearts gives this story its focus. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1974
Video art by Willoughby Sharp. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1973
In this Spanish Gothic romance/thriller, based on a story by Villiers d'Isle-Adam, Count Alfredo is grief-stricken in the worst way after the death of his French bride. Alfredo announces that he intends to mourn his dead wife for a while, and then join her in death in a crypt next to hers. Their butler encourages this scheme by every means at his disposal. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
Widely regarded as a masterpiece of Spanish cinema, this allegorical tale is set in a remote village in the 1940s. The life in the village is calm and uneventful -- an allegory of Spanish life after General Franco's victory in the Spanish Civil War. While their father (Fernando Fernán Gómez) studies bees in his beehive and their mother (Teresa Gimpera) writes letters to a non-existent correspondent, two young girls, Ana (Ana Torrent) and Isabel (Isabel Telleria), go to see James Whale's Frankenstein at a local cinema. Though they can hardly understand the concept, both girls are deeply impressed with the moment when a little girl gives a flower to the monster. Isabel, the older sister, tells Ana that the monster actually exists as a spirit that you can't see unless you know how to approach him. Ana starts wandering around the countryside in search of the kind creature. The film received critical accolades for its subtle and masterful use of cinematic language and the expressive performance of the young Ana Torrent. ~ Yuri German, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fernando Fernán Gómez, Teresa Gimpera, (more)
- 1972
This Spanish drama verges on parody as it explores the convoluted, repressed personalities of a family dominated by a powerful mother. The mother's frustrations have warped the men. The three men's foibles are revealed during the visit of a young English woman. Director Saura has used intensified, heightened symbolism to tell this story in the somewhat surreal manner of his better-known film Garden of Delights. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1971
This Spanish-language detective story investigates the death of a lovely young woman (Conchita Velasco). The film begins with the discovery of her body on a beach in southern Spain. A vagrant tinker (Fernando Fernan Gomez) who is implicated in her death investigates it alongside the police. Also suspected are a local fisherman (Alfredo Mayo) and his son, whom the deceased had been living with. Through flashbacks we discover that the fisherman and his son had some jealous conflicts because of her. Perhaps she was the lover of both of them. Certainly she had a flirtatious way about her, which is how the tinker has become a suspect. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
A taxi driver and a failed actor accept an underworld job that could make them rich in this madcap crime comedy from director Antonio del Real. Down-on-his-luck Augusto drives a cab for a living, and his best friend, Julio, just can't seem to land any good roles. When a local crime kingpin offers the pair one million euros to execute a daring crime, Augusto and Julio eagerly accept. With Augusto's senile father-in-law, a beautiful hooker, and the girl of Julio's dreams along for the ride, Augusto and Julio must carry out their mission before a vengeful group of local drug dealers catchs wind of the plan and puts the pair out of business permanently. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1967
This dark comedy directed by Fernando Fernan Gomez concerns a trio of secluded, childish siblings with a very bizarre lifestyle. Ignacia (Tota Alba) is a vicious harridan who mercilessly berates her younger sister Paquita (Rafaela Aparicio), eventually beating her severely. Outraged brother Venancio (cult director Jesus Franco) kills Ignacia with a bottle, burying her in the cellar with the help of her ex-lover Fernando (Carlos Larranaga). The second half of the film is a clever, albeit peculiar farce, as Fernando impersonates Ignacia to prevent detection of the crime. Lina Canalejas and Sara Lezana co-star. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- 1963
Wily police officials set a trap for corrupt Central American politician Maurice Leprince (Jean Servais) in this rare thriller from director Jesus Franco. Leprince's gang murders all those who stand in their way, including a bartending informant (Manuel Gas), but they are soon murdered as well. Fernando Fernan Gomez stars as the prime suspect, Lt. Miguel Mora, who had been the informant's police contact. With the aid of dedicated Inspector Stevens (Antonio Prieto), Leprince is brought to justice in the end. American director Orson Welles was so impressed with this dark, stylish film that he hired Franco to be his assistant on the 1965 Falstaff variant Chimes at Midnight. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
