A Walk in the Clouds (1995)

A married soldier returning from World War II poses as a pregnant woman's husband to save her from her father's anger and honor.

Director:

Alfonso Arau

Writers:

Robert Mark Kamen (screenplay), Mark Miller (screenplay)

Stars:

Keanu Reeves, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Anthony Quinn

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Keanu Reeves	...	Paul Sutton
Aitana Sánchez-Gijón	...	Victoria Aragon (as Aitana Sanchez-Gijon)
Anthony Quinn	...	Don Pedro Aragon
Giancarlo Giannini	...	Alberto Aragon
Angélica Aragón	...	Marie Jose Aragon (as Angelica Aragon)
Evangelina Elizondo	...	Guadelupe Aragon
Freddy Rodríguez	...	Pedro Aragon, Jr. (as Freddy Rodriguez)
Debra Messing	...	Betty Sutton
Febronio Covarrubias	...	Jose Manuel
Roberto Huerta	...	Jose Luis
Juan Jiménez	...	Jose Marie (as Juan Jimenez)
Ismael Gallegos	...	Jose's Musical Son
Alejandra Flores	...	Consuelo
Gema Sandoval	...	Maria
Don Amendolia	...	Father Coturri

Storyline

A young married US military soldier, Paul, returns home after World War II and meets a girl, Victoria, along the way. Victoria is pregnant and terrified of returning home to her Mexican family where her strict over protective father will surely disapprove of her out of wedlock pregnancy. Wanting to help, Paul offers to pose as her husband to calm things over until such time he is free to leave again but as they spend time together, they start falling in love with each other. However, Paul is still married and they have to hold themselves back before fate would intervene and tragedy would ensue and they would finally be together.

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Plot Keywords:

falling in love | 1940s | aftermath of world war ii | war aftermath | helping someone | 

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Taglines:

A man in search. A woman in need. A story of fate.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for moments of sensuality and war action

Did You Know?

Trivia

Of the actors who portray the Aragon family, which is said to be Mexican, not all are actually of the heritage. While Angélica Aragón (mother), Evangelina Elizondo (grandmother) and Anthony Quinn (grandfather) are/were all Mexican-born, Quinn was also 1/4 Irish and portrayed many different heritages throughout his career. Giancarlo Giannini (father), known for his ability to speak different dialects, is Italian. Aitana Sánchez-Gijón (daughter) is Italian-Spanish. And Chicago-born Freddie Rodríguez (son) is of Puerto Rican descent.

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Goofs

As Paul is hitchhiking home south to San Francisco, a driver said he can take him as far as San Rafael. San Rafael is north of San Francisco. The car is also driving south (ocean to its right), which is correct. However, the coast is at least an hour out of his way to the west of Napa, and he would not have gone that way.

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Quotes

Don Pedro Aragon: Talking between men and women never solves anything. Where we think, they feel. They are creatures of the heart.

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Connections

Referenced in Filmography: Keanu Reeves (2005)

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Soundtracks

Cancion Mixteca
Written by José López Alavés (as Jose Lopez Alavez)
Performed by Ismael Gallegos

User Reviews

Stunned

Who are you and what have you done with the real Keanu Reaves? This guy's come a long ways since Bill & Ted.

I was floored by the cinematography, the story itself, and the way the family was portrayed, capturing the way so many of the wine-growing families of the day were in California--not to mention the traditions and mores that existed at the time.

Anthony Quinn also turns in a stellar performance, as always, as the eccentric grandfather that really isn't quite as odd as he'd like everyone to believe he is, spots Reeves for what he really is early in the story, and pretty much drives him to face what should be his destiny--but lets him think that he's making up his own mind. All in all, I have to say this flick is a major winner, despite the fact that there's no sex, no one is gunned down, no one is blown to bits, and there are no computer generated graphics of meteorites plowing into gasoline refineries. See it.

Details

Country:

USA Mexico

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 August 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Walk in the Clouds

Filming Locations:

Napa, Napa Valley, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,526,010, 13 August 1995

Gross USA:

$50,008,143

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$50,008,143

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox, Zucker Brothers Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1