Director
Pedro Almodóvar
Leading Actors/Actresses
Carmen Maura, Ángel de Andrés López
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Verónica Forqué, Gonzalo Suárez
Genre
Black Comedy, Drama
Language
Spanish
Awards
1985 Winner, Fotogramas de Plata for Best Movie Actress; FIPRESCI Prize and Silver Palm Winner, Mostra de València-Cinema del Mediterrani; 1985 Winner, Sant Jordi Awards for Best Film; 1986 Winner, Premio ACE for Best Supporting Actress.
Date of Release
25 October 1984
Producer
Hervé Hachuel
Setting and Context
Post-World War II in Madrid, Spain
Narrator and Point of View
No narrator and from the perspective of multiple characters.
Tone and Mood
Grim and Darkly Humorous
Protagonist and Antagonist
Gloria is the protagonist who tries to navigate her chaotic life, the antagonist is poverty, and patriarchy – partially embodied by Antonio – that haunt her reality.
Major Conflict
Gloria has to cope with the frustrations from her dysfunctional family that comprises of an irritable and chauvinistic husband and troublesome sons. Moreover, she is weighed down by her cleaning job trying to make ends meet and have to find solace in taking uppers.
Climax
The climax happens when the argument between Gloria and Antonio escalates, and she murders him with a leg of ham.
Foreshadowing
In the opening scene, Gloria engages in an abortive sexual encounter at the gym shower which foreshadows the frustrations and addictions that hound her life.
Understatement
During the visit to the dentist Gloria asks whether he likes children, though the statement is vague, what she implies is rather understated considering its weight and perverted nature.
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
Almodóvar utilizes the lack of adequate resources and space to his advantage in constructing the mise en scene of the film. He dwells on medium shots rather than close-ups or long shots with characters moving in and out of shots. This gives the film a realistic aesthetic that goes hand in hand with its themes. Moreover, with the restricting nature of the sets, there are no tracking shots which accentuates the fact that the characters are desperate and confined.
Allusions
The film alludes to the period during the Spanish transition to democracy after the fascist trappings of the Francoist dictatorship. It showcases the capitalist forces in post-World War II that altered the moral and economic conditions of the lower working class.
Paradox
N/A
Parallelism
The film parallels Gloria’s misadventures with those of her neighbors in the same apartment block including Cristal, the kind-hearted prostitute, and Juani with her daughter Vanessa.
