Drama intelligently adapted based on the novel ¨Bearn or La Sala De Muñecas¨ by Llorenc Villalonga , considered to be one of the best books in Catalan language . It deals with Juan Mayol , Imanol Arias , a priest of an aristocratic marriage , Don Antonio : Fernando Rey and Doña Antonia : Amparo Soler Leal . Then , there appears their niece , Xima nicely played by Angela Molina , and events go wrong . Some years earlier , Xima escaped with Don Antonio to go París to watch the famous opera ¨Faust¨ by Gounod .
This is a luxurious and splendidly set drama , including glamorous gowns and great production design . The plot bears remarkable resemblance to ¨El Gatopardo¨ by Giuseppe Di Lampedusa in which there is also a tarnished aristocrat and concerning the fall of the rural aristocracy of the Ancient Regime , a period filled with social revolutions , and here is set during the fall of the queen Isabel II . Well adapted about a prestigious novel whose first part titled : ¨Under influence of Faust¨ is formed by 20 chapters and a second part titled : ¨Peace rules at Bearn¨ , and finally an epilogue . The main cast gives very good interpretations as Imanol Arias , Fernando Rey and Amparo Soler Leal . Special mention for Angela Molina who appears very brilliant and attractive.
Evocative and glimmer cinematography by Hans Burmann . Lush costumes by Yvonne Blake , present-day is President of the Spanish Academy. Impressive sets and production design by recently deceased Gil Parrondo . Atmospheric musical score by Francisco Guerrero , including Mallorca dances and regional score . The motion picture was professionally directed by Jaime Chavarri , a good professional who has directed good films . His first movie was ¨Los Viajes Escolares¨ (1974), with an autobiographical touch but it was misunderstood by most critics . Later he worked with the producers 'Elías Querejeta' in prestigious documentary titled ¨El Desencanto¨ (1976)) and Alfredo Matas in this successful costumer titled ¨Bearn¨ (1983) . With the last mentioned film he also had success in terms of the numbers who saw the film . He also directed intense dramas such as ¨Dedicatoria¨ and ¨A un Dios Desconocido¨ . To change the genre he also filmed the musical , ¨Las Cosas del Querer¨ (1989) , being followed by ¨Cosas Del Querer 2¨ (1995) , along with a Tango film as ¨Tangos Are for Two¨ . And adapted from the theatre play by Fernando Fernán Gómez in his most popular film titled ¨Bicicletas Son Para Verano¨ . His last picture was a biography about ¨Camarón¨ (2005) .
