Todo sobre mi madre (1999)

Director:

Pedro Almodóvar

Writer:

Pedro Almodóvar (writer)

Release Date:

16 April 1999 (Spain)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Part of every woman is a mother/actress/saint/sinner. And part of every man is a woman. (English trailer)

Plot:

Young Esteban want to become a writer and also to discover the identity of his father, carefully concealed by the mother Manuela.

Plot Keywords:

Transvestite | Love | Actor | El Salvador | Pregnancy

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 47 wins & 31 nominations

Cast

Cecilia Roth	...	Manuela
Marisa Paredes	...	Huma Rojo
Candela Peña	...	Nina
Antonia San Juan	...	Agrado
Penélope Cruz	...	Hermana Rosa
Rosa Maria Sardà	...	Madre de Rosa (as Rosa María Sardá)
Fernando Fernán Gómez	...	Padre de Rosa
Toni Cantó	...	Lola
Eloy Azorín	...	Esteban
Carlos Lozano	...	Mario
Fernando Guillén	...	Doctor en 'Un tranvía llamado Deseo'
Manuel Morón	...	Doctor 1
José Luis Torrijo	...	Doctor 2
Juan José Otegui	...	Ginecólogo
Carmen Balagué

Also Known As:

All About My Mother (Europe: English title) (UK) (USA)
Tout sur ma mère (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality including strong sexual dialogue, language and some drug content.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

Spain | France

Language:

Spanish | Catalan | English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Italy:T | Spain:18 | Canada:14+ (Ontario - 2006) | Iceland:12 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Québec) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:12 (DVD rating) | Netherlands:16 (original rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:R(A) | South Korea:18 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

A Coruña, Galicia, Spain

Company:

El Deseo S.A.

Trivia:

Agrado's monologue was based on a real life event. When the electronic system of an Argentinian theater failed, the director suspended the show. Actress Lola Membrives decided to give the news to the audience and make them an offer: if they'd stay, they could listen to the narration of her life.

Quotes:

Agrado: Well, as I was saying, it costs a lot to be authentic, ma'am. And one can't be stingy with these things because you are more authentic the more you resemble what you've dreamed of being.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Man yan (2004)

Soundtrack:

Tajabone

One of the most compelling movies I've ever seen.

I've watched this masterpiece by Almodovar four times. Each time I unearth new sequences of pure unadulterated truth, beauty, and genius. It is just a totally compelling and amazingly insightful comedy-tragedy that works on so many levels.

Cecilia Roth is an Almodovar favorite, and there's no mystery as to why this is the case. She can express tragedy, wisdom, and an appreciation of dark humor only with her eyes and facial positioning, and express all three vividly at the same time. Her voice also is as commanding of respect as it is sexy and fragile.

Almodovar eye for visual poems of incongruity reaches a new pinnacle in this masterpiece. First, there is the haunting by-play of darkness and light preceding Roth coming to the rescue of El Agreado. Much later, we are treated to the brightness of the upscale restaurant Roth where Roth waits for her ex-husband Lola juxtaposed with a merciless exploration of the vast dark despair of Lola's eyes. Between these bookend-style frames, the profound dualities abound.

If you see one foreign language film per year, make this your next one.