Talk of Angels (1998)

TALK OF ANGELS -- starring Polly Walker (ENCHANTED APRIL, EMMA), Vincent Perez (QUEEN OF THE DAMNED, I DREAMED OF AFRICA), and Academy Award(R)-winner Frances McDormand (FARGO, Best Actress, 1996; ALMOST FAMOUS) -- tells the powerful story of passion and forbidden desire set in a country boiling at the brink of civil war! A beautiful young Irish governess, Mary (Walker), leaves home and travels to Spain to work in the residence of a wealthy family strained by conflicting political allegiances. Swept away by her new surroundings while being threatened by the turmoil of the times, Mary eventually finds a different kind of danger: the inescapable attraction she shares with the fiery, handsome ... and married ... son (Perez) of her employer! In an unforgettable motion picture acclaimed by critics for its vivid storytelling and superb cast, Mary must ultimately face a difficult choice where following her heart means betraying a family she has grown to love!

Beautiful Story

I was deeply touched by this movie. It was well made and beautifully written. The casting was excellent. I think no other could have played Mary and Fransisco better that Polly Walker and Vincent Perez. You could feel the attraction between them and the chemistry was amazing. I was so moved by the story that I ordered the book that it was based on...Mary Lavelle by Kate O'Brien. June 8, 2007

I love this movie

I have watched this movie several times and love it each time. However, I have showed it to some friends and none of them liked it. You really need to love history, romance, and period pieces to fully appreciate this movie. August 5, 2006

A Thoughtful Film about Revolutions - Political and Personal

TALK OF ANGELS is a beautifully photographed, well written, and sensitively acted story about how political upheavals alter our interpersonal relationships. The time is 1936 and the place is Spain in the throws of Fascism and Franco. A wealthy family (Marisa Paredes is the mother, Franco Nero the father with three daughters the eldest of whom is Penelope Cruz) in an unnamed Spanish city has just hired a governess from Ireland to teach their children proper English. The governess, Lavelle, (Polly Walker) has taken the job to put distance between her Irish activist betrothed and herself, finding the need to explore the world before settling for what she has. In her new Spanish home Lavelle encounters other Irish expatriots who have fled Ireland's upheavals only to find those of Spain. Among these eccentric women is one (Frances McDormand) who falls in love with Lavelle. The family for whom Lavelle works attempts to stay outside the political upheaval that fills the streets at night. All proceeds smoothly until the son Francisco (Vincent Perez) visits with his wife and family in tow. Francisco supports the Spanish activists, and Lavelle slowly falls in love with him - the embodiment of the ideals of her own betrothed. Sides are drawn and defined in the political arena and in the personal arena, and it is the resolution of both that provides an open end to the story.

The acting is first rate with Polly Walker incandescently beautiful and delivering a character role with great sensitivity. Vincent Perez is her perfect foil and the rest of the fine cast draw unforgettable characters. There is much to be learned here about the political milieu in Spain in the 1930s. And there is even more to experience in the beauty of the conversations, the dancing, the vistas of Spanish landscapes. The musical score is lush and wisely orchestrated. This is a little sleeper of a film that deserves repeated viewings to catch all the levels of meaning. Recommended. February 21, 2004

A Great Film for Romantics

The scenery and the story are beautiful as our the lovers Polly Walker and Vincent Perez. Candace Serviss April 28, 2002

Excellent.

This wonderfully acted tale takes place in the mist of the Fascist's rise to power in Spain. The movie tells the story of an Irish nanny, how she contends with her peers and the family she works for. She falls in love with the married son of the family--but while a theme in the movie, it is not the major one. Instead, the movie focuses in on the family dynamic and how different members of the family contend with the social and political strife around them, told through the eyes (to use a cliche) of the nanny.

Sadly, because this movie doesn't rely on nude scenes, things blowing up every five minutes are cursing every other word, few have heard of this movie. My recommendation would be that you get a copy of this movie ASAP. March 16, 2002

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