Pedro Lazaga Movies
One of Spain's most prolific and popular filmmakers, Pedro Lazaga entered the film industry as one of the screenwriters for Serrano de Osma's film Abel Sánchez (1946). Two years later, Lazaga made his directorial debut with Campo Bravo/Wild Range (1948) in collaboration with noted director Jacinto Esteva. Lazaga had his first critical success with Cuerda de Presos/Chain Gang in 1955. Though the film performed poorly at the box office, Lazaga continued to direct films steadily through the late '70s. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Ridley Scott directed this epic-scale historical drama inspired by the events of the Crusades of the 12th century. Balian (Orlando Bloom) is a humble French blacksmith who is searching for a reason to go on after the death of his wife and children. Balian is approached by Godfrey of Ibelin (Liam Neeson), a fabled knight who has briefly returned home after serving in the East. Godfrey informs Balian that he is his true father, and urges the blacksmith to join him as he and his forces journey to Jerusalem to help defend the holy city. Balian accepts, and he and Godfrey arrive during the lull between the Second and Third Crusades, in which the city is enjoying a fragile peace. Both Christian and Muslim forces are temporarily in retreat, thanks to the wisdom of the Christian monarch King Baldwin IV (Edward Norton), his second-in-command Tiberias (Jeremy Irons), and Muslim potentate Saladin (Ghassan Massoud). Violent agitators on both sides are foolishly eager to end the peace in a bid for greater power, and Saladin bows to pressures from Muslim factions; Godfrey is one of a handful of brave knights who has thrown his allegiance behind Baldwin IV and his community of diversity, and Balian joins him as they use their skills as warriors in a bid to build a lasting peace. Kingdom of Heaven also stars Eva Green as the princess Sibylla, David Thewlis as Hospitaler the priest, and Brendan Gleeson as Reynald. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, (more)
- 1978
The Spanish Mil Millones Para Una Rubia whisks the viewer from Vegas to Monte Carlo, then from Paris to Monaco. The scenery is gorgeous enough to take one's mind off the film's occasional dead spots. The plot concerns a gang of clever thieves who plan major heists in all the fleshpots of the Rich and Famous. Analía Gadé, José Luis López Vázquez and Jean Sorl head the cast, while Hollywood's Stephen Boyd makes a token appearance or two. The film keeps the viewers on their toes throughout its 90 minutes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Chosen by the leaders of his political party to stand for election, in this satire, Gundisalvo is a building developer with next to no interest in politics. He prefers eating well and making love with his mistress to the hurly-burly of campaigning. Still, duty is duty, and he methodically practices his cliche-filled speeches at home, at first afflicting his maid and butler with them and later reciting them to groups gathered on the street who are paid to listen. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Antonio Ferrandis, Emilio Gutiérrez Caba, (more)
- 1977
Fortunately, the engineer in this movie never gets around to marrying his pregnant American girlfriend in the church or her their subsequent divorce would have left him in no position to remarry. Ironically, when he proposes to his new girlfriend, a nurse, she confesses to being separated from her spouse, and he must -- as both a loving man and a good Catholic -- live in sin with her. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- José M. Sacristán, Maria Luisa San Jose, (more)
- 1975
In this melodramatic science-fiction romance, an architect finally finds his true love after a lifetime of searching. They marry, and soon afterward discover that the woman has an incurable disease. She is frozen until the day her condition is curable. That day does not come until 40 years later. The architect is now quite old, and though their love is as strong as ever, he dies soon afterwards. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Burns, Lynne Frederick, (more)
