Demonios en el Jardín
Encyclopedia
Demonios en el Jardín is a 1982 Spanish film directed by Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón
, starring Ángela Molina
, Ana Belén
and Imanol Arias
. The film is about a dysfunctional family
living in rural Spain during the first years of Franco
's dictatorship.
Years later, Óscar and Ana remain childless. Gloria wants to bring her illegitimate grandson and only heir, into the family circle. When Juanito is stricken with rheumatic fever while searching for his father, Ángela agrees to let him stay at el Jardin. Everyone spoils the boy, and he becomes close to Ana. However, he misses his mother and she returns to live with the family. One day Juanito hears that his father will pass with Franco’s retinue; he finally meets him and discovers he is only a waiter in the service of Franco’s personal bodyguard.
The years move on and Juanito has recovered from the rheumatic heart condition, he is totally disenchanted with his father. He learns that his father is visiting Ana, Óscar’s wife. Because Juan now needs money, Ana steals one thousand pesetas from the family safe, the profits from the black-marketing the family practiced to survive during the war.
Gloria discovers the theft but blames it upon Ángela, who is dragged off to jail by the local Civil Guards. Gloria discovers the truth and urges Juan to return home to marry Ángela so that the family will have a legitimate heir. Ángela, however, refuses to marry the callow Juan, who is still in love with Ana. Meanwhile, Óscar and Juan's sibling rivalry continues, and they fight fiercely in their own love–hate relationship, first over Ana, then Ángela.
The following day is Juanito’s "saint's day," celebrated by the entire family. During the festivities, Juan tries to seduce first Ángela and then Ana in the hay barn. But Ángela is so enraged by Juan's behavior that she shoots him in the shoulder with a hand gun. The scene is discovered by a shocked Gloria, but in the middle of the tumult, the entire family is gathered by the local photographer for a family portrait in front of el Jardín. They throw a jacket over Juan's shoulders to cover up the blood from the bullet wound, and the film ends in a freeze frame of the photograph, offering no conclusions, but exposing all the hidden hypocrisy within this petite bourgeois family.
Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón
Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón is an award-winning Spanish screenwriter and film director. His 1973 film Habla, mudita was entered into the 23rd Berlin International Film Festival. In 1977, he won the Silver Bear for Best Director for Camada negra at the 27th Berlin International Film Festival...
, starring Ángela Molina
Ángela Molina
Ángela Molina is a Spanish actress, and a daughter of Antonio Molina, Spanish singer and actor.Molina studied dance and theater art in the Escuela Superior de Madrid. She rose to international prominence after starring in Luis Buñuel's last movie That Obscure Object of Desire...
, Ana Belén
Ana Belén
Ana Belén is the artistic name of María del Pilar Cuesta Acosta, a Spanish actress and singer. She was born on 27 May 1951 in Madrid.- Biography :...
and Imanol Arias
Imanol Arias
Imanol Arias born Manuel María Arias Domínguez , is a Spanish actor and one off film director.Imanol Arias began his career with a travelling theatre group in Spain performing in the Basque Country of northern Spain. He debuted on TV in 1976 and his first film was in "Cecilia " of 'Humberto Solas'...
. The film is about a dysfunctional family
Dysfunctional family
A dysfunctional family is a family in which conflict, misbehavior, and often abuse on the part of individual members occur continually and regularly, leading other members to accommodate such actions. Children sometimes grow up in such families with the understanding that such an arrangement is...
living in rural Spain during the first years of Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
's dictatorship.
Plot
In a small Spanish village, Gloria, the imperious head of a troubled family, is devoted to her two sons. The brothers, Óscar and Juan, have frequent violent disputes. Óscar, the oldest, and his steel-willed mother run the family's grocery store called el Jardín (The Garden), which does a brisk business in the black market. When Óscar marries Juan's lover, Ana, Juan, the beloved handsome second son decides to better his fortunes in Madrid joining the Nationalist Army. Ana, who loves him, is heartbroken. Juan also leaves behind his impoverished cousin, Ángela, pregnant with his child. She moves to the countryside and gives birth to a boy, Juanito.Years later, Óscar and Ana remain childless. Gloria wants to bring her illegitimate grandson and only heir, into the family circle. When Juanito is stricken with rheumatic fever while searching for his father, Ángela agrees to let him stay at el Jardin. Everyone spoils the boy, and he becomes close to Ana. However, he misses his mother and she returns to live with the family. One day Juanito hears that his father will pass with Franco’s retinue; he finally meets him and discovers he is only a waiter in the service of Franco’s personal bodyguard.
The years move on and Juanito has recovered from the rheumatic heart condition, he is totally disenchanted with his father. He learns that his father is visiting Ana, Óscar’s wife. Because Juan now needs money, Ana steals one thousand pesetas from the family safe, the profits from the black-marketing the family practiced to survive during the war.
Gloria discovers the theft but blames it upon Ángela, who is dragged off to jail by the local Civil Guards. Gloria discovers the truth and urges Juan to return home to marry Ángela so that the family will have a legitimate heir. Ángela, however, refuses to marry the callow Juan, who is still in love with Ana. Meanwhile, Óscar and Juan's sibling rivalry continues, and they fight fiercely in their own love–hate relationship, first over Ana, then Ángela.
The following day is Juanito’s "saint's day," celebrated by the entire family. During the festivities, Juan tries to seduce first Ángela and then Ana in the hay barn. But Ángela is so enraged by Juan's behavior that she shoots him in the shoulder with a hand gun. The scene is discovered by a shocked Gloria, but in the middle of the tumult, the entire family is gathered by the local photographer for a family portrait in front of el Jardín. They throw a jacket over Juan's shoulders to cover up the blood from the bullet wound, and the film ends in a freeze frame of the photograph, offering no conclusions, but exposing all the hidden hypocrisy within this petite bourgeois family.
Cast
- Ángela MolinaÁngela MolinaÁngela Molina is a Spanish actress, and a daughter of Antonio Molina, Spanish singer and actor.Molina studied dance and theater art in the Escuela Superior de Madrid. She rose to international prominence after starring in Luis Buñuel's last movie That Obscure Object of Desire...
– Ángela - Ana BelénAna BelénAna Belén is the artistic name of María del Pilar Cuesta Acosta, a Spanish actress and singer. She was born on 27 May 1951 in Madrid.- Biography :...
– Ana - Encarna Paso – Gloria
- Imanol AriasImanol AriasImanol Arias born Manuel María Arias Domínguez , is a Spanish actor and one off film director.Imanol Arias began his career with a travelling theatre group in Spain performing in the Basque Country of northern Spain. He debuted on TV in 1976 and his first film was in "Cecilia " of 'Humberto Solas'...
– Juan - Eusebio Lazaro – Óscar
- Alvaro Sánchez Prieto – Juanito