If you aren't already into silent films, this one probably won't be the one to convert you. But for anyone who likes seeing a world that just doesn't exist anymore, you should definitely give it a look. 🌊
It’s basically for people who enjoy
regional history and don't mind a plot that moves at the speed of a horse-drawn cart. If you want fast action, you're gonna hate it.
So, the whole thing is about Josetxu. He’s the heir to this big, beautiful farmhouse called Basterretxe, but he’s just...
not into it.
He spends his time staring at the ocean. You can tell he’s thinking about boats and waves instead of whatever you’re supposed to do on a farm in 1929. 🚜
I honestly felt for the guy. Imagine everyone telling you that your only job is to stay in one spot forever because your dad did it.
Then there is his sister, Mirentxu. She is in love with the town's main dancer, which is a very 1920s thing to be famous for.
Their life seems pretty okay until these three bad guys show up. Don Timoteo is the leader, and he’s one of those "Indians"—which back then meant a Spaniard who went to America, got rich, and came back to be a jerk.
He wants the coastline where the farmhouse sits. He looks exactly like a villain should, with a suit that’s a little too sharp for a rural village. 🐍
The Bad Guys are Kinda Funny
Don Timoteo has these two henchmen, Lizard and Pakito. Lizard is just out here spreading rumors like a middle schooler, trying to make everyone in town nervous.
And Pakito? He’s just
constantly following Mirentxu around. It’s supposed to be menacing, but it mostly just looks like he’s lost and hoping she has a map.
There’s this one scene where they are all plotting in a dark room. The lighting is so heavy and dramatic, it reminded me a bit of the shadows in
The Wheel, but maybe a bit more low-budget.
I kept waiting for someone to trip over the furniture because it’s so dark. The
visuals are actually pretty great when they get outside, though.
The Dancing and the Dirt
One thing you notice immediately is how much the filmmakers loved their culture. There are these long sequences of traditional dancing.
I mean, they really
linger on the feet. It’s cool for about two minutes, and then you start wondering when the plot is coming back.
But it gives the movie a soul. It doesn't feel like a studio product; it feels like a home movie made by people who really love their town.
It’s much more grounded than something like
Ramona which feels like a big Hollywood production. This feels like you’re actually standing in the mud with them.
Random Things I Noticed
- The hats are incredible. Everyone has a very specific hat for their social status.
- There is a dog in one scene that looks like it has no idea why there is a camera there.
- The "villainous" office of Don Timoteo is surprisingly messy. I guess even bad guys have paperwork issues.
- The way Josetxu looks at the sea is actually quite moving. He’s got this longing in his eyes that feels real.
I did find myself getting a bit bored during the middle part. There is a lot of walking. Like,
a lot of people walking from one side of a field to the other.
It makes you realize how much we take fast editing for granted today. Back then, they just let the camera run.
If you've seen
The Explorer, you know that slow-burn feeling. This is like that, but with more sheep.
Is it actually good?
I think so. It’s not a masterpiece, and some of the acting is a bit... stiff? Everyone stands very straight and looks directly at who they are talking to like they’re in a play.
But the ending feels right. It’s got that classic silent film resolution where everything kind of clicks into place, even if it feels a bit rushed compared to the slow beginning.
Don Timoteo gets what’s coming to him, and you feel a little bit of relief. 😌
It’s a movie about
home. Even if you want to leave it, like Josetxu does, you still care about who tries to take it away from you.
I’d say watch it on a rainy Sunday when you have nothing else to do. It’s a nice window into a different time.
Just don't expect it to change your life. It’s just a story about a farm, a dancer, and a really mean guy in a suit. 🎩
