Yo, la peor de todas (1990)

Director:

María Luisa Bemberg

Writers:

María Luisa Bemberg (writer)
Antonio Larreta (writer)

Release Date:

24 November 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Plot:

A viceroy and an archbishop take their posts in Mexico. A local nun, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1651-1695)...

Plot Keywords:

Nun | Abbess | Based On True Story | Based On Novel

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Assumpta Serna	...	Juana Inés de la Cruz
Dominique Sanda	...	La Virreina
Héctor Alterio	...	The Viceroy
Lautaro Murúa	...	Archbishop
Graciela Araujo	...	Sister Ursula
Alberto Segado	...	Father Miranda
Gerardo Romano	...	Siguenza
Franklin Caicedo	...	Santa Cruz
Hugo Soto
Margara Alonso
Lidia Catalano
Margarita Padín
Alejandra Colunga		(as Alejandro Colunga)
Rosario Blefari
Felisa Rocha

Also Known As:

I, the Worst of All (UK) (USA)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

Argentina

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Germany:12 | Austria:14 | UK:15 | Poland:15 | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

Company:

GEA Cinematográfica

Trivia:

Argentina's official selection for the 1990 Oscar Awards, Foreign Language film category.

An exceptionally fascinating film that has been deceivingly packaged

When I picked up this DVD, I thought this was a movie whose main theme was Lesbianism--at least that's what many would assume about it judging by the DVD cover. And while this might have made a very interesting subject for a film, this was not at all what the film was about in the least!! Apart from a rather innocent kiss between Sister Juana and her lady friend, there is NOTHING about this film that could be construed as a gay or even straight picture. The women MIGHT have been in love with each other, but they never acted upon this and this really wasn't the main message of the film.

Instead, its a story about a real-life nun, poet and scholar and the difficulties encountered by being all these during the days of the Spanish Inquisition. Juana is a brilliant and very accomplished woman who was not allowed to enter the university because women simply weren't allowed to do this. A woman either needed to marry and make babies or become a nun--and she chose to become a nun because she believed she could pursue her studies of space, the word, philosophy, and especially poetry this way. And for a while, this was the case--until an overzealous new Mexican Archbishop saw her curiosity about the world as a sign of wickedness! Instead of Lesbianism, the film is actually about wasted talent and misogyny--a super-talented lady who was despised for being different! This movie would be excellent fair for teens and young adults--especially young women daring to walk their own path. As a father of two very accomplished girls, I would hope that this real-life story would inspire them.

As far as the technical merits of the movie go, it is very well acted, written and produced. It was a bit slow-going at times, but considering it was reality, this can't be helped. And despite this, the film could have been scored a 9 by me--it was very, very close.