ericquirin This film is about an old aristocrat who returns to his hometown in northern Spain to find out who his real granddaughter is, to define an heir.(he has two granddaughters one of which is an illegitimate child). He loves both of them, but becomes more greatly attached to the older child (Dolly) who he feels is the image of his late wife.When he finds out that Dolly is not his granddaughter; he is unhappy, and considers suicide; The girl's mother is in the process of taking them to live with her in Madrid, but Dolly wants to stay in town to take care of her grandfather.Almost at the point of jumping to his death, Dolly arrives at the scene and the grandfather realizes that although she is not in his bloodline, he loves her very much and decides to stay and live with her and a friend.

dtello Oscar winner Jose Luis Garci repeats his classical formula in this adaptation from a novel by Perez Galdos. The story is set in Asturias, in the north of Spain, in the 1900's. The film is about honor, reputation, friendship, love and hate.As many films by Garci, the cinematography and the score makes the film more comfortable to follow, although there are scenes that can be so slow, that they can bore a bit.But all the cast, including Fernan Gomez and Rafael Alonso, the landscape and the story itself, make this film so attractive to those who love classical films, that it must be seen.And pay attention to the magnificent first 7 minutes, with no cuts, and the camera following calmly to the characters. ¡It is genial!

George Parker Or does one have to? The matter is posed to an old man (El Abuelo aka the Grandfather) returning penniless from intrigues abroad to the village where he was once a respected aristocrat. In search of the truth about his two beautiful granddaughters, the sometimes bitter, sometimes sweet old man is met with insincerity and chicanery.Some may view the film as plodding and uneventful. However, those with an understanding of the importance family honor to an old world aristocrat or the meaning of love to a disenfranchised old man will likely be captivated by its subtle charms. The old Spanish architecture, pastoral beauty, and sumptuous cinematography should appeal to all.

daveyo Wonderful, lovely, warm, rich story of an impoverished, very old, Spanish aristocrat (El Abuelo - the grandfather) whose son is dead, and whose daughter-in-law has two daughters. One of these granddaughters is the son of El Abuelo, and one is the product of an affair - which has highly affronted the old man's honor. And he wants to find out which is which. Ultimately, he discovers he loves them both, and with a little help from another wonderful character, decides that love is more important than honor. Absolutely terrific. Leisurely pace, good cinematography complement story line and excellent performances. (In Spanish with subtitles).****