Mad Love (2001)
"Juana la Loca" (original title)

The love story who transformed Juana, Queen of Spain, into Juana "The mad". A story of passions, lies and jealousy with a politic fight behind.

Director:

Vicente Aranda

Writers:

Vicente Aranda (screenplay), Antonio Larreta (screenplay),

Stars:

Pilar López de Ayala, Daniele Liotti, Rosana Pastor

14 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Pilar López de Ayala	...	Juana
Daniele Liotti	...	Felipe
Rosana Pastor	...	Elvira
Giuliano Gemma	...	De Veyre
Roberto Álvarez	...	Admiral
Eloy Azorín	...	Álvaro de Estúñiga
Guillermo Toledo	...	Capitán Corrales
Susi Sánchez	...	Reina Isabel (as Susy Sánchez)
Chema de Miguel	...	Don Juan Manuel
Andrés Lima	...	Marqués de Villena
Cipriano Lodosa	...	Marliano
Manuela Arcuri	...	Aixa-Beatriz
Carolina Bona	...	Inés
Jorge Monje	...	Hernán
Sol Abad	...	Mucama

Storyline

Juana is married off by her pious parents, the Catholic kings Ferndinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castille, to ally Spain, united by their marriage, to the Burgundian and other Habsburg heritage of archduke Maximilian's son Philip. When they meet, it's love at first sight, for her all-consuming, for him one of many happy bed partnerships as she later discovers. Deaths in her family soon make Juana Isabella's heir, but Ferdinand suggests she inherited her grandmother's madness and supports Philip's ambition to rule instead, which becomes the stakes of political maneuvering in the Cortes (nobility-dominated parliament). Combined with Philip's incurable infidelity, which includes a Moorish whore-princess, multiple drama is inevitable, and worse follows.

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Plot Keywords:

king | queen | spain | love | queen of spain | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality/nudity

Details

Official Sites:

juanalaloca.com (Spanish) Sony Pictures Classics

Country:

Spain Italy Portugal

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

30 August 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Madness of Joan

Filming Locations:

Barajas, Madrid, Spain

Box Office

Budget:

€4,800,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$31,417 (USA) (30 August 2002)

Gross:

$279,605 (USA) (13 December 2002)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Canal+ España, Enrique Cerezo Producciones Cinematográficas S.A., Eurimages

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Remake of Locura de amor (1948)

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Soundtracks

"Danza del Vientre"
Composed by José Nieto

User Reviews

Beautiful setting, shrill movie

What starts out as a sumptuous setting, with intricate period pieces and soft light cinematography, is quickly tainted by a very poor script. True, Pilar López de Ayala does give an envigorating rendering of this misfortunate queen, but after the first scene, it's all the same shrillness, over and over again. Even though the movie takes place over 10 years, the roles don't mature, either outwardly or inwardly, and the result are wooden characterizations that don't give any depth (or generate interest, for that matter) to the roles. The result is an inane, one-dimensional film that could have easily resembled similar period pieces such as La reine Margot or Elizabeth. Instead, it wallows in its own misery.