Belle Epoque

R

Released Feb 25, 1994

1h 48m

Comedy

Romance

List

95%

Tomatometer

22 Reviews

78%

Audience Score

5,000+ Ratings

As Spain sits on the precipice of civil war in 1930, Fernando (Jorge Sanz) opts to go AWOL from the army. He soon happens upon the country home of the rich Manolo (Fernando Fernán Gómez), who invites Fernando to stay with him. Fernando is then introduced to Manolo's daughters -- Clara (Miriam Díaz-Aroca), Violeta (Ariadna Gil), Rocio (Maribel Verdú) and Luz (Penélope Cruz) -- and has close encounters with each of them, but a problem arises when he cannot decide which beauty to marry.

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David Parkinson

Empire Magazine

A deceptively sharp satire on religion, politics and family morality.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 4, 2018

Full Review

Kevin Thomas

Los Angeles Times

Even though Spanish audiences are unquestionably at an advantage in regard to the film's political context and its literary allusions, "Belle Epoque" surely possesses a warm, universal appeal.

Dec 4, 2018

Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

It's fairly inoffensive and intermittently charming.

Apr 3, 2014

Full Review

Malcolm Johnson

Hartford Courant

Even for movie-goers untutored in European culture and politics between the wars, Belle Epoque provides sensual pleasures, moments of exaggerated humor and a seductive feeling for a now vanished time of innocence and free love.

May 23, 2018

Full Review

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Manages to turn what could have been a lowbrow sex farce into something at once funny and sweetly innocent.

Rated: 5/5

Dec 2, 2008

Full Review

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Rated: 4/5

Jan 10, 2006

Full Review

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Peter H

this is a great movie , it is foreign movie so anyone who can't read sub titles does not want to watch it , but for people who want to see great movies , you must see it .

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/22/24

Full Review

Audience Member

I loved the locations, the light-hearted story, and Penelope Cruz 🥰

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Wish I could find somewhere to see it. Wonderful, charming, nostalgic (for a time I never actually lived under). It is a very simple tale, but simplicity isn't a bad thing.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

Full Review

renaldo d

it's a film that makes us participate in a soap opera, the performances are exaggerated, but everything is charming

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

david l

Only Spaniards could make such a sexually charged farce that is certainly Belle Epoque. It's a very entertaining, charming movie in its own right which has its amusing comedic situations and is memorable in its fun characters, but it's also implausible and simply too silly in most of its plot points.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

"??????? ?????" ? ??????????? ????????? ???? - ????? ? ??????? ???????????? ???? ? ????????? ???????. ??????? ??????????? ?????, ? ?????? ????? ????????? ?????? ?????????????? ??? ?????????."?????" 1994 ???? ?? ?????? ??????????? ?????. ?????????? ? ?????????????.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/29/23

Full Review

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Fernando Trueba

Director

Fernando Fernán Gómez

Manolo

Jorge Sanz

Fernando

Penélope Cruz

Luz

Miriam Díaz-Aroca

Clara

Gabino Diego

Juanito

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Synopsis

As Spain sits on the precipice of civil war in 1930, Fernando (Jorge Sanz) opts to go AWOL from the army. He soon happens upon the country home of the rich Manolo (Fernando Fernán Gómez), who invites Fernando to stay with him. Fernando is then introduced to Manolo's daughters -- Clara (Miriam Díaz-Aroca), Violeta (Ariadna Gil), Rocio (Maribel Verdú) and Luz (Penélope Cruz) -- and has close encounters with each of them, but a problem arises when he cannot decide which beauty to marry.

Director: Fernando Trueba
Screenwriter: Rafael Azcona
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: Lolafilms S.A.
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Original Language: Spanish (Spain)
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 25, 1994, Original
Box Office (Gross USA): $943.5K
Runtime: 1h 48m
Sound Mix: Stereo