Tacones lejanos (1991)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Pedro Almodóvar

Writers:

Pedro Almodóvar (screenplay)
Pedro Almodóvar (story)

Release Date:

20 December 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

a mother, a daughter, a lover. relationships can be murder.

Plot:

A girl's mother returns after 15 years to find her daughter has married one of her (the mother's) old boyfriends...

Plot Keywords:

Lover | Female Nudity | Theater | Extramarital Affair | Sex

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 9 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Victoria Abril	...	Rebeca Giner
Marisa Paredes	...	Becky del Páramo
Miguel Bosé	...	Juez Domínguez / Hugo / Letal
Anna Lizaran	...	Margarita (as Ana Lizaran)
Mayrata O'Wisiedo	...	Madre del Juez Domínguez (as Mairata O'Wisiedo)
Cristina Marcos	...	Paula
Féodor Atkine	...	Manuel (as Feodor Atkine)
Pedro Díez del Corral	...	Alberto
Bibiana Fernández	...	Susana (as Bibi Andersen)
Nacho Martínez	...	Juan
Miriam Díaz Aroca	...	Isabel
Rocío Muñoz	...	Rebeca niña
Lupe Barrado	...	Luisa
Juan José Otegui	...	Capellán Hospital (as Juan Jose Otegui)
Paula Soldevila	...	Enfermera Hospital

Also Known As:

High Heels (USA)
Talons aiguilles (France)

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

Spain | France

Language:

Spanish

Colour:

Colour (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Netherlands:AL | Iceland:12 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Germany:16 | New Zealand:R13 | Spain:18 | Sweden:11 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Elche, Alicante, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain

Company:

Canal+

Trivia:

The pink Chanel dress that Rebecca (Victoria Abril) wears in a part of this film is the same one worn by La Agrado (Antonia San Juan) in "Todo Sobre Mi Madre".

Quotes:

Becky del Páramo: [during Interrogation] You don't kill a daughter's husband two days before your theatrical debut!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Full Frontal (2002)

Soundtrack:

Pecadora

Nice Almodóvar film

I like the films made by director Pedro Almodóvar and 'Tacones Lejanos' ('High Heels') is no exception. Even his lesser film ('Kika') have something to enjoy, most of all because they are so very different from other films you have seen. Like a Tarantino-film, an Almodóvar-film is sort of like a genre on itself. Although Almodóvar reached greatness with 'Todo Sobre Mi Madre' and especially 'Hable Con Ella', his earlier films like 'Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios' and this one are a lot of fun. He mixes so many genres here, uses symbolism in such an effective way, the least thing it does is being original. I guess there is nothing wrong with that.

The story involves a daughter Rebeca (Victoria Abril), her famous mother Becky (Marisa Paredes) who returns to Spain after fifteen tears, a murder that could have been committed by Rebeca, Becky and a third suspect, Judge Domínguez (Miguel Bosé) who is on the case, and a lot of colorful supporting characters. I could tell you more but the plot is not really the issue here. Although this films sounds like a drama, maybe a detective or a thriller even, it is closer to a comedy because of the way Almodóvar handles the absurd situations. There is a scene where Rebeca, an anchorwoman, tells something about the murder where she herself is one of the suspects. Next to her sits a woman who does the news in sign language. The whole scene, which is dramatic in what it tells us, is one of the best moments of comedy I have seen.

Of course the themes here are really dramatic. Not only we have the murder, we also have Rebeca who has wanted to impress her mother her entire life. It is just that Almodóvar creates a world that reminds you of a soap opera that can bring comedy out of every dramatic event. That his film is more serious than you might think is proved by the symbolism he uses. Scenes where Rebeca is temporarily in prison show her in a symbolic way how she feels. In another beautiful scene we see Rebeca driving her car, but it is the wall on the background that draws her attention. It is like her entire life is written on the wall. Almodóvar who loves to use bright colors finds an effective way here to use them, representing the state the character is in. It is not only effective it is quite beautiful to look at as well.