Hay que casar al príncipe: A Quaint Royal Romp, If You've Got the Patience

Look, straight up, Hay que casar al príncipe isn't for everyone in 2024. If you love digging into classic movies, especially those with a kind of sweet, old-fashioned charm, you might just find something here. But if you need fast pacing, deep character arcs, or modern special effects, you’ll probably be bored stiff. 😴

It's a pretty simple setup, really: a prince, who seems perfectly content, is told he needs to get married. You know, for the dynasty and all that. So begins the parade of potential princesses, each one a little more… something.

I particularly loved the scene where the prince, played by Francisco Moreno, has to endure yet another tea party. You can practically see him counting the minutes. His little eye rolls, subtle as they were for the camera back then, really sold it.

And the way one of the potential brides, I think it was Conchita Montenegro, kept adjusting her hat? It was such a small, repetitive gesture, but it kinda said everything about her nervousness.

There's this one moment during a royal ball, the music gets so dramatic, almost over the top, for what's essentially just people waltzing. It made me smile, honestly. Like they really wanted you to feel the grandeur.

The sets are exactly what you'd expect from the era. Quaint, sometimes a bit too perfectly symmetrical, almost like a stage play just filmed directly. You could almost touch the painted backdrops.

The editing feels… deliberate. Long takes, then a sudden cut. Not a lot of fancy transitions, which makes certain scenes feel a tad abrupt.

The pacing too, it's a slow burn. You gotta settle in. It’s not trying to rush you anywhere, just letting things unfold at their own speed. Some might call it leisurely, others, well, slow.

Manuel Arbó, who played the exasperated advisor, honestly, he was a highlight. Every time he sighed or adjusted his monocle, it felt real. He carried a lot of the comedic heavy lifting without saying much.

The prince, he's charming enough, but he's more reactive than proactive. Which, thinking about it, makes sense for a prince being told what to do. Not a lot of big emotional swings, just a steady 'oh dear, another princess' vibe.

I kept thinking about the costumes, how heavy they must have been. Especially those formal gowns. Imagine doing all those dances in that get-up! 💃

There's a scene with a very persistent pigeon outside the palace window. It just kept pecking. I wonder if that was planned or just a happy accident they kept in.

One reaction shot, I forget exactly who, just lingered a moment too long after a joke. It went from funny to almost uncomfortable, then back to funny again because of the awkwardness. A real rollercoaster of a pause.

It’s not a film that’s going to change your world. But it's a sweet little artifact. A glimpse. If you approach it with the right mindset, a quiet evening, maybe some tea, it has a certain appeal.

You know, for an early film trying to figure out its own language, it does a pretty good job telling a simple story. Simple being the key word there.