The Flower of My Secret [La Flor de mi Secreto] **** (1995, Marisa Paredes, Juan Echanove, Carme Elias, Rossy de Palma, Chus Lampreave) – Classic Movie Review 3574

The Flower of My Secret [La Flor de mi Secreto] from 1995 is one of Pedro Almódovar’s best, smartest, and most mature movies. It boasts a serious, intelligent screenplay by him that explores his characters and situations rather than satirising them as he usually does.

Marisa Paredes stars as unhappily married middle-aged housewife Leo Macias. She is the frustrated writer of Spanish-type sentimental Mills & Boon-style novels. But she has a secret. She writes under a pseudonym, Amanda Gris. And she is unhappy – both with her working life and with her private life as her husband is a soldier always away abroad. She plans to change her life.

The sympathetic, appealing Paredes is outstanding as a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She really does make you care about her predicament and her bid to change her life. It also stars Juan Echanove, Carme Elias, Rossy de Palma and Chus Lampreave. It is very smartly shot by cinematographer Affonso Beatto.

Also in the cast are Kiti Manver, Joaquin Cortés, Manuela Vargas, Imanol Arias, Gloria Muñoz and Juan José Otegui.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3574

Link to Derek Winnert’s home page for more reviews: http://derekwinnert.com/