La hora de los valientes (1998)

After the Spanish Civil War breaks out, the Prado Museum is being evacuated. One of the guards finds a painting by the master, Goya, and takes it to prevent damage to the work of art. In ... See full summary »

Director:

Antonio Mercero

Writers:

Antonio Mercero, Horacio Valcárcel

Stars:

Gabino Diego, Leonor Watling, Adriana Ozores

7 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gabino Diego	...	Manuel
Leonor Watling	...	Carmen
Adriana Ozores	...	Flora
Luis Cuenca	...	Melquíades
Héctor Colomé	...	Lucas
Ramón Agirre	...	Portero
Aten Soria	...	Filo
Juan José Otegui	...	Professor Miralles
Josep Maria Pou	...	Heliodoro (as José María Pou)
Txema Blasco	...	Cuñado Professor
Ramón Langa	...	Director Bellas Artes
Joan Gadea	...	Perez Rubio
Charo Zapardiel	...	Jefa Economato
Rafael Martín	...	Secretario Sindicato
Paco Sagarzazu	...	Jacinto

Storyline

After the Spanish Civil War breaks out, the Prado Museum is being evacuated. One of the guards finds a painting by the master, Goya, and takes it to prevent damage to the work of art. In the interim, he meets a young lady with whom he falls in love. Assisted by her and her family members, the soldier attempts to save Goya's masterpiece intact amidst the war and violence.

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Plot Keywords:

spanish civil war | painting | artist | painter | francisco de goya | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

18 December 1998 (Spain)

Also Known As:

A Time for Defiance

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Spain

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Especial Antonio Mercero (2002)

User Reviews

Tragicomedy with historical and romantic elements ; including enjoyable performances and adequate set design

Drama/comedy about unhappy events happened during Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) in which a museum guard becomes involved into difficulties and problems when he takes a Goya painting . After the Spanish Civil War breaks out, the Prado Museum is being evacuated . One of the janitors (Gabino Diego) encounters a painting being left by the operators , it is a wonderful auto-portrait , a real work of art , which was painted by the great master, Francisco De Goya Lucientes who was born in Fuentetodos , Zaragoza , and takes it to prevent damage by bombing . In the interim , he finds a young woman (Leonor Watling) with whom he falls in love . Assisted by her and family members, aunt (Adriana Ozores) , her son and grandfather (Luis Cuenca) , the museum guard tries to save Goya's masterpiece intact amidst the fights , shots and blow-up .

¨Hora De Valientes ¨(1998) results to be other of the innumerable stories to deal with dramatic deeds regarding the Civil War background . A familiar topic about the global horrors of a fratricide war , impossible to forget to our cinema . Dramatic picture about Spanish civil war and its consequences , including some comic touches in charge of likable Gabino Diego as a young curator and the old secondary Luis Cuenca as a veteran anarchist . The picture has been defined by Mercero himself as a 'realistic tragicomedy, a romantic history, a historic fresco and a socio-political fable'. Supporting cast is frankly excellent such as Jose Maria Pou , Juan Jose Otegui , Ramon Langa , Hector Colome , among others . Good production design by Gil Parrondo , considered to be one of the best Set designers from Spanish cinema . Atmospheric as well as evocative musical score by Bingen Mendizabal . Colorful and appropriate cinematography by Jaime Peracaula .

The motion picture was professionally written (along with Horacio Valcarcel) and directed by Antonio Mercero though has some flaws and resulted to get a moderated success at Spanish Box office . Mercero is a author of great hits TV series and several award-winning films . In 1970 he started working for TV as he shot several documentaries and some chapters for the series "Crónicas Un Pueblo" or ¨Chronicles of a village¨(1971) , a big hit in Spain despite its deep ideological content, risky for the period it was made in ; and specially successful was ¨the phone booth¨ (1970) (TV), which won 10 national and international awards, including the Emmy Award in 1973. Then he realized ¨Los Pajaritos¨ (1973), ¨Gioconda is sad¨ (1975), the series "Ese Señor De Negro" or ¨That man in black¨ (1975), La Noche del Licenciado (1978), and his three biggest hit smashes : ¨Turno Oficio¨ TV series about advocates in law , "Blue summer , Verano Azul" (1978) which became a sociological phenomenon and "Farmacia de Guardia" (1990) about an Apotheke . Other important film directed by Mercero was ¨Don Juan Querido Fantasma¨ , an amusing comedy well performed by recently deceased Juan Luis Galiardo . Today, he still works for TV as ¨Manolito Gafotas¨ series and some of his latest work in cinema have been ¨Guerra De Papa¨, ¨Esperame en Cielo¨ a parody about a Franco's double , ¨The treasure¨ and ¨Floor 4ª¨ (2002) a film about children with cancer treated with a touch of humor . His last film was ¨? Y Tu Quién Eres?¨ about Alzheimer illness and starred by Manuel Alexandre . Rating : Acceptable and passable , 6 . Well worth seeing .