Fedra, the Devil's Daughter (1956)

Estrella, a wild young woman, is lusted after by every man and therefore hated by the female community.

Director:

Manuel Mur Oti

Writers:

Manuel Mur Oti, Lucio Anneo Seneca (play)

Stars:

Emma Penella, Enrique Diosdado, Vicente Parra

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview:
Emma Penella	...	Estrella
Enrique Diosdado	...	Don Juan
Vicente Parra	...	Fernando
Manuel de Juan	...	Mathias
Raúl Cancio	...	Vincent
Rafael Calvo	...	Pierre
Porfiria Sanchíz	...	Rose
Alfonso Rojas	...	Souto
Ismael Elma	...	Ismael

Storyline

Estrella, a wild young woman, is lusted after by every man and therefore hated by the female community.

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Plot Keywords:

based on play | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

20 November 1957 (Portugal)

Also Known As:

Fedra, the Devil's Daughter

Filming Locations:

Estepona, Málaga, Andalucía, Spain

Company Credits

Production Co:

Suevia Films - Cesáreo González

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

User Reviews

An attractive recounting of the Greek myth of Phaedra , freely based on Lucio Anneo Seneca play

This is an agreeable and excessive melodrama about Greek mythology transferred to a seacoast village , plenty of human passions . Estrella/Phaedra (Emma Penella) is a beautiful woman , hated by the female community , who lives along with his father at a seaside cliff , next to a fishing village . The powerful shipowner Don Juan (Enrique Diosdado) in infatuated for her beauty and proposes to marry Phaedra . Soon after , there appears Fernando (Vicente Parra) , but his return home brings problems for all ; he has left previous destination to dedicate himself to his horses and Estrella/Fedra learns that he is his estranged son from his first marriage . Then , the extremely wealthy shipping magnate marries the younger , fiery Phaedra . When Estrella meets Fernando , she falls in love with her stepson and seduces him . When Fernando meets his stepmother , they immediately begin a steamy affair , but Estrella is rejected . Their doomed love affair leads the family to a tragedy.

This is a tragic portrayal of the known myth , an immortal tragedy about Phèdre , Hyppolyte , Théramène , Thésée , adapted on Spanish names : Estrella , Fernando , Don Juan and others . Loose and updated retelling of Fedra's Lucio Anneo Seneca play with interesting screenplay by Antonio Vich and the same director Manuel Mur Oti . The picture is an intense melodrama with extreme passions , a nutty love story , and really exaggerated denouement . As the final scenes bear remarkable resemblance to ¨Duel in the Sun¨ by King Vidor and ¨Queen Kelly¨ by Erich Von Stroheim . The movie is well paced in harsh and violent manner , including a twisted and unexpected ending . Thrilling set pieces when the sea storm takes place , including obvious and ridiculous ship maquettes . Nice acting by Emma Penella as Estrella , a wild young woman who is lusted after by every man and therefore hated the villagers women . Here she delivers enough sexiness and seductiveness , and , of course , an acceptable interpretation . Excellent performance from Enrique Diosdado as the good-natured shipping owner who falls in distress . And fine acting by Vicente Parra as the good-looking and dyed in platinum blonde young of homosexual trending . Very good support cast , including brief appearances of prestigious secondaries , such as : Raúl Cancio , Alfonso Rojas , Rafael Calvo , Xan Das Bolas and uncredited José Riesgo . Evocative cinematography in black and white filmed by the famed Manuel Berenguer , being shot on location in Estepona , Málaga, Andalucía and interiors in Chamartín studios .

The motion picture was compellingly written/directed Manuel Mur Oti who had several problems with the Spanish censorship . In fact , this movie was really censored , that's why to be prohibited a suicide scene and other erotic and sadist images . Director Mur Oti was a professional craftsman who obtained a great prestige in Cinema Festivals , he started writing scripts for filmmaker Antonio Del Amo . Mur was a dramas expert , his film debut was ¨Un Hombre Va Por El camino¨(1949) , following an awesome melodrama : ¨Cielo Negro¨(51) and ¨Orgullo¨ (55) which he writes , produces and directs . Mur Oti went on shooting the reputed neighborhood drama ¨El Batallón De Las Sombras¨ (56) and ¨El Escuadron Del Panico¨. He , then shoots comedies as ¨Guerra Empieza En Cuba¨, ¨Una Chica De Chicago¨ and ¨Pescando Millones¨. Mur , subsequently , directs a religious drama : ¨Milagro a Los Cobardes¨ (61) and two films with international cast , such as : ¨La Encadenada¨ with Marisa Mell , Richard Conte and ¨Morir , Dormir , Tal Vez Soñar¨(75) with Jane Seymour .

Others films dealing with this notorious Greek myth were the followings : The best vest version was ¨Fedra¨(1961) by Jules Dassin with Melina Mercouri , Raf Vallone and Anthony Perkins ; ¨Phèdre¨ (1968) by Pierre Jourdan with Marie Bell , Jean Chevrier Jacques Dacqmine , Claude Giraud ; and ¨Fedra West¨ (1968) by Joaquin Romero Marchent , Greek mythology transferred to the old spaghetti west with James Philbrook , Norma Bengell and Simón Andreu .