Cotolay is an enjoyable religious picture about faith and sacrifice . It deals with a group of priests named San Juan De Florencia (Conrado San Martin) , Bernardo De Quintanar (Bastida) and led by Francisco De Asis (Vicente Parra) in pilgrimage at the famous city of Santiago De Compostela . Stationed with an impoverished society must decide whether to leave or stay , as the priests are living a severe existence , begging charity , working and praying and while help by various means to people , as Francisco heals ills , and other teaches and the hunk Juan De Florencia cuts trees as a great lumberjack. It starts showing how the locals and the Christian community coexist in harmony . They are very much appreciated by the local population and some woodcutters when Francisco has a vision and God assigns him building a Catholic Monastery , being helped by Cotolay (Didier Haudepin) who convinces to Abad ( Santiago Ontañon) to give them a terrain . After that , he bets with the notorious sculptor Maese Mateo (Jose Bodalo) author the ¨Facade of Glory¨ from the Cathedral about some piles of rocks . Meanwhile , Cotolay befriends a deer , seeks a treasure of Almanzor and finally takes place an amusing race carrying the rocks from the quarry until the convent .
This spiritual film is full of good feeling , stern life , touching sacrifice and enjoyable relationship among monks and Cotolay . It describes their simple and austere existence only threatened by a wolf though early Francisco befriends , but they will have to decide whether to stay or go back to Italy , when then have a holy vision and they all decide to stay . Sensational performances from main cast as Vicente Parra , Conrado San Martin and the sympathetic kid Didier Haupedin along with the remaining cast as Francisco Camoiras , Santiago Ontañon as Abad , Cris Huerta as stonemason , Roberto Rey as grandfather , Xan Das Bolas , Ramon Centenero , Miguel Palenzuela , and of course , special mention to the great Jose Bodalo , a veteran secondary actor continuously working from the 40s . Sensible and religious music score by Angel Arteaga . Very good and extraordinary cinematography by Mario Pacheco filmed on location in Bandeirao, Pontevedra,Carboeiro, Pontevedra, Lugo, Melon, Ourense, Merza, Pontevedra, Ribadavia, Ourense, Galicia, Santiago De Compostela, A Coruña , Santuario De Lerez, Pontevedra ,Ávila, Castilla y León.
This is an acceptable film with fine sets by Enrique Alarcon and well directed by Jose Antonio Nieves Conde , a director of great quality . He's expert on thought-provoking and brooding dramas (Surcos , El Inquilino) , religious cinema (Balarrasa, Cotolay) , passionate story (Casa Manchada , Mas Alla del deseo , Marta , Historia una Traicion) , Comedy (Don Lucio and Hermano Pio) and even Terror (Sounds of horror) . Rating : Passable and entertaining film , well worth watching , because it is plenty of luminous sensibility , brotherhood , love , holy feeling and faith .
