Mild spoilers ahead
Blancanieves retells the story of Snow White in a way you have never seen the story told. This Spanish film is a tribute to the black and white silent films of yesteryear. Set in the 1920s against the backdrop of Seville, Spain, we are introduced to an intriguing interpretation of the classic story from the Grimm brothers. If you are expecting the Disney version, you will be sorely disappointed. This film elevates the story with artistic flair.
My first impression of Blancanieves, from the trailers, was that writer/director Pablo Berger was looking for an opportunity to capitalize on the success of the silent film, The Artist which won an Oscar the year before. While the look of the film mirrored The Artist, and the story is based on a classic fairy tale, this film is anything but a knockoff. It is an intelligent, artistic interpretation of Snow White that pays tribute to the period in which it is set.
Antonio Villalta (Daniel Gimenez Cacho) is a famous and wealthy bullfighter who is badly gored when distracted by an errant photographer during a bullfight. His pregnant wife, Carmen de Triana (Inma Cuesta) goes into labor while Villalta fights for his life in another room within the same hospital. Carmen de Triana dies giving birth to Carmencita (Sofia Oria). Villalta lives, but is paralyzed. During his recovery, Villalta is tended to by a “gold digger” nurse, Encarna (Maribel Verdu) who sees her opportunity to live the high life. Villalta is unable to embrace his newborn daughter, who is left in the care of her maternal grandmother, Dona Concha (Angela Molina).
Carmencita has a close relationship with her grandmother and her chicken, Pepe. Her father is not in the picture, although she senses him lurking at special events. When Dona Concha dies, Carmencita is sent to live with her invalid father and “evil stepmother.” Encarna banishes Carmencita to a dank basement, forbidding her to visit the second floor of their exquisite mansion. With gleanings from Cinderella, Snow White is forced to do menial labor, while suffering at the hands of Encarna for even the mildest of infractions. The vibrant girl eventually blossoms into a beautiful young woman. She drops the “little” indicator from her name, going simply by Carmen (Macarena Garcia).
Carmen has developed a secret relationship with her kind father, who she learns is also mistreated by Encarna. She relishes every moment she can spend, as they bring joy to each other during their brief opportunities to visit. When Villalta passes away, Encarna attempts to remove Carmen completely from the picture. After a botched attempt to dispatch the young beauty, Carmen is discovered by six dwarf bullfighters who call themselves the Seven Dwarf Bullfighters. Carmen is introduced to the art of bullfighting and quickly excels. Her newfound fame propels her into a collision course with her step-mother, complete with poison apple. The details of her fate are best saved for the film, where happy endings are not always in the cards.
Berger did an exceptional job casting Blancanieves. Carmencita has a vibrancy that is easily captured in high definition black-and-white. Her charisma provides a depth and charm to her character that makes it easy for the audience to fall in love. Verdu is an able antagonist, providing Cruella deVille wickedness exhibited with Clara Bow sensuality. Garcia is beautiful as the adult Carmen, while managing to capture some of Carmencita’s youthful innocence. Facial expression and nuance is imperative in silent film, placing a higher burden on the cast to deliver emotion and substance in the absence of dialogue. The casting was impeccable on this count. The depth of the film succeeded on the incredible performances that conveyed the story with passion and visual acuity.
As a silent film, Blancanieves had a great balance of qualities beyond the performances. The dialogue boxes (intertitles) were limited, to avoid distraction. However, there was enough dialogue to effectively hold the story together and convey meaning. The film also conveys mood through an awesome soundtrack that enhanced the experience. The filming locations and sets were well chosen, adding further visual quality to the film. The story is interesting, with deep characters, but also interspersed with unexpected humor. This often comes in the form of mild visual gags that add some levity to a darker interpretation of the classic.
As a dark telling of the fairy tale, Blancanieves received a PG-13 Rating from the MPAA. The rating addresses interesting sensuality and adult themes tied primarily to the role of Encarna. The closet dominatrix has some interesting outfits that we are treated to through a keyhole view. The film also includes violence, to include the bullfighting, which has more human gore than animal cruelty. The dark themes are prevalent, but contextual and intriguing. Because of the artistic qualities in this film, it is hard to set a hard “age,” but I would probably go with ten and above.
Blancanieves builds on the success of The Artist in bringing back the artistry of silent film. Director Pablo Berger gives us a new twist on the classic story of Snow White, complete with an alternative ending. Snow White as a bullfighter is a refreshing, intriguing way to convey the classic story in a fresh context. Berger accomplishes this with incredible success. His endeavor is aided by an exceptional cast (to include the vibrant young Oria), visually appealing backdrops, great costumes and an awesome soundtrack. I was impressed. What I thought might be a quick knockoff of The Artist was anything but. It is a successful, unique and original film that is well worth watching. Find it streaming and watch it today. This should go to the top of your queue. 9/10.
