Quintaessential Dance film features brilliant and frenetic choreography and embellished thanks to its chromatic aesthetic and a high-caliber Flamenco score , adding sensual re-creations , rural and urban sightseeing and other social manners . Enjoyable film very moving in its style with a superb Flamenco soundtrack and unique photography style , though being really necesary a perfect remastering because of the film copy is washed-out . At the same time , watching several Spanish locations , showing a real sightseeing of the marvellous cities and villages . The dazzling and devastating dancing set new standards for this splendid and wildly successful fim. An Andalusian musical movie of the late Fifities , being essentially a ballet , that's why it is musically riveting , it is almost , also, perfect and laced with glimmer cinematograph in Cinefotocolor by Heinrich Gärtner as Enrique Guerner . Heading the glorious cast are the mythical dancer Antonio , the veteran Pilar Lopez and the young Maria Luz Galicia , three of Spain's foremost dancers at the time , along with gypsy dancers , and other contributions as the members of the Ballet Espanol . All of them dancing fabulous Flamenco music , Bulerias , Seguidillas , Boleros de Panaderos , Sonatas composed by Father Antonio Soler, Intermedio from the opera Pepita Jimenez composed by Isaac Albeniz , Spanish dance number 11 composed by Enrique Granados and many others . Special mention for the fascinating dances performed by Antonio on attractive background location , in El Escorial and Ronda Bridge , the latter he plays an impressive Martinete at the end.
The motion picture was competently written and directed by Edgar Neville and narrated by the known actor Fernando Rey . Director Edgar Neville , Count of Berlanga de Duero , was considered to be one of the best filmmakers in the Francoist time . He was a notorious playwright , screenwriter and director , Edgar opted for a humor not politically compromised , which he cultivated in all the artistic genres : theatrical stage , poetry, novels, cinema, painting and others . From their privileged position he criticized without harshness the customs of the bourgeoisie at that time , in which Neville belonged himself as well as the kitsch and the absurd manners . Together with Tono, Antonio Mingote and Mihura, he wrote for the humor magazine La Codorniz , successor to the weekly La Ametralladora, which Mihura published in San Sebastián. Neville stood out above all as a good filmmaker . ¨La vida en un hilo¨ or ¨Life in a thread¨ was a great success both, the public and critic . It was first conceived as a film and later it was turned into a musical comedy by his son Santiago . It is a smiling reflection on the mechanisms of chance, as well as a plot against the bourgeoisie , being understood as a disease of the soul , against corniness and narrow-mindedness disguised as common sense . The play ¨El baile¨, which ran for seven years on stage , it was also a big hit , and reviewing social habits, as well . It is about a loving trio that triumphs over time and generations . Adapted to the cinema, it was distinguished for its agile and brilliant dialogues , in which tenderness and nonsense alternate here and there . Edgar directed a large number of films , some of them written along with his sweetheart actress Conchita Montes , who usually played too. In Edgar Neville's prestigious cinematic work stand out the following movies : La torre de los siete jorobados 1944 , La vida en un hilo 1945 , El crimen de la calle de Bordadores 1946 ,El traje de luces 1946 , Nada 1947 , El marqués de Salamanca 1948 , El último caballo 1950 , La ironía del dinero 1955 , El baile 1957 , Mi calle 1959 . He also made documentary , such as : La Ciudad Universitaria , Juventudes de España , Cante Jondo, and this Duende y Misterio del Flamenco, among others . Rating : 8/10. Above average . Essential and indispensable watching for Flamenco aficionados.
