La vida en un hilo (1945)

Director:

Edgar Neville

Writers:

Edgar Neville (screenplay), Edgar Neville (story)

Stars:

Conchita Montes, Rafael Durán, Guillermo Marín

2 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Conchita Montes	...	Mercedes
Rafael Durán	...	Miguel Martínez de la Rivera
Guillermo Marín	...	Ramón
Julia Lajos	...	Madame Dupont
María Brú	...	Doña Encarnación
Alicia Romay	...	Isabel Puerto
Eloísa Muro	...	Doña Purificación
Juana Mansó	...	Escolástica (as Juanita Mansó)
Julia Pachelo	...	Mariana
Joaquina Maroto
María Saco
Joaquín Roa	...	Contacos
Manuel París	...	Marchante
Kurt Dogan	...	Violinista (as Kurt Dogan y su Orquesta)

Storyline

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

26 April 1945 (Spain)

Box Office

Gross:

ESP 25,821 (Spain)

Company Credits

Production Co:

E. Neville, Exclusivas Salete-Jimeno

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Remade as Una mujer bajo la lluvia (1992)

User Reviews

Sliding Doors meets Preston Sturges

One of the better films of Edgar Neville, and one that should be more well-known, "La vida en un hilo" tells the now classic story of a woman that, in a certain time of her life, takes a decision that defines the rest of her fate completely, and at the same time we see the what-ifs of the other decision. What makes this movie different from Sliding Doors is that the what-if is told by a fortune-teller that our main star meets in a train.

The movie itself has another quality that sets it apart from many Spanish movies: the well known fascination of Edgar Neville with Hollywood classic film-making. He treats this story in a screwball fashion, very similar in tone to Mitchell Leisen or (and) Preston Sturges, laughing with all the characters but not being very cruel with them, and leaving them talk with intelligent dialogs. Gags are funny, the editing is sharp, the cast is wonderful, and it is still the best of the films with this premise. Very recommended, though, as usual with sought-after Spanish films of that era, it is preserved in a pitiful state.