Fin de semana (1964) Poster

(1964)

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6/10
Entertaining flick about some office employees during a long weekend , his successes and failures
ma-cortes9 September 2019
This is an anthology movie dealing with different characters , it starts with actor Fernando Rey as a presenter who praises the free weekend and the necessary rest . Introducing a series of roles at an office with clerks and management staff , regarding various amusing sketches . As the office chief Don Alberto Durán (José Luis López Vázquez) who attempts to get together his lover (Vicky Lagos) , but a flat flood , his wife (Laly Soldevilla) and his superior boss (Ismael Merlo) impede it . A young bellboy (Manuel Manzaneque) fakes a check-book , robbing 600 pesetas, but he feels guilt and remorses . Another office chief , Don Joaquin (Jose Orjas), spends his time playing cards along with his wife (Lola Lemos) and two old friends (Mercedes Muñoz Sampedro , Guadalupe Muñoz Sampedro) , while gossip and talking about servants . Three office clerks (Manolo Gómez Bur, Venancio Muro , Angel Ter) set out to meet girls but only find letdown and flops . While a secretary , Angela (Elvira Quintilla) , meets again an old friend Enrique (Jesús Puente) and they rekindle their old flame , as both of them fall in love while dancing , and , hearing songs sung by Antonio Machin (himself) . A handome clerk (Enrique Ávila) gets together his sweetheart (Angela Bravo) walking and then they go to the cinema to watch ¨Sangre en el rancho¨ 1957 by Jack Arnold . And Bernardo (Antonio Ozores) joins his girlfriend (cult-star Soledad Miranda) to go an excursion , along with her smaller brother (7-year-old Quique San Francisco) , but the latter annoying everywhere and Bernardo imagining his fianceé has been taken by a gorilla and he rescue her (like Walter Mitty) .

The flick packs love stories , silly incidents , funny comical sketches , tongue-in-cheek , grotesque situations and above all , it especially contains catching touches of humor and irony . Dealing with a group of interesting roles from an office attempting to enjoy weekend in anyway , some of them get hits, but most fail their attempts , and ending up boring and frustrated . Sitting in a strange middle ground between the completely absurd and the stylishly agreeable , being an agreeable comedy with very brief dramatic elements . There are some nice jokes in the film and the cast , playing eccentric characters , make a cosy fit . Being well set by that time , during the sixties when Spain was developing iself.This hilarious as well as enjoyable film is full of humor , brief drama , touching scenes , good feeling and narrating the conflict between the traditional Spanish society and modernity . It is a simple , and humorous portrait of a time when the Spain was progressing and social rights developing themselves . It's a nostalgic look and it has some great moments that reflect a Spain of the sixties : a poor country in evolution during the years when the action takes place .

It displays an evocative cinematography by Federico G. Larraya who shows splendidly the ambient by that time . Evocative as well as atmospheric soundtrack by Antón Garcia Abril , including the wonderful and classical song sung by Antonio Machin himself :¨Besame Mucho¨. The motion picture was professionally directed by Pedro Lazaga , though it has some flaws and gaps . Pedro was a technically skillful filmmaker , but with no much deepness . Lazaga was a Spanish craftsman who directed various film with the popular comic player Paco Martinez Soria . Pedro was a prolific director and writer, known for Los Chicos Del Preu (1967), Cuerda De Presos (1956) and María Morena (1951). He directed all kind of genres such as Peplum : Siete Espartanos , Wartime : Cuerda De Presos , Posicion Avanzada , Torrepartida , La Patrulla ; Drama : Rostro De Asesino , Otro Arbol De Guernica , but especially known for comedies in low budget . Director Pedro Lazaga made , during the fifties and early sixties , eight films , mostly comedies : ¨Muchachas De Azul¨, Ana Dice Si¨. ¨Luna De Verano¨, ¨Económicamente Debiles¨ , ¨Trio Damas¨ for screenwriter and producer Jose Luis Dibildos and his ¨Agata Films Productions¨. The best of all them results to be ¨Los Tramposos¨. He continued making comedies such as Patrulla De Los Once , Los Tramposos , Sabian Demasiado , El Vikingo , ¡No Firmes Más Letras, Cielo! , Vente a Ligar Al Oeste , Hasta El Matrimonio Nos Separe , La Amante Perfecta , Fulanita y Sus Menganos , among others . His most known films were with the popular comic player Paco Martinez Soria such as : Abuelo Made in Spain , Padre De La Criatura , Alegre Divorciado , Estoy Hecho Un Chaval , Vaya Par Gemelos , among others . As well as others produced by Vicente Escriba and starred by Alfredo Landa, such as : Vente a Alemania Pepe , Vente a Ligar a Oeste and No Firmes Mas Letras Cielo .
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