Displaying items by tag: Maribel Verdu

THE GOYA MURDERS/ EL ASESINO DE LOS CAPRICHOS

Spain, 2019, 95 minutes, Colour.

Maribel Verdu, Aura Garrido, Roberto Alamo, Gines Garcia Millan, Daniel Grao.

Directed by Gerardo Herrera.

The tone of the title suggests a murder mystery. And, it is, a Spanish murder mystery and investigation – which could be remade in any culture, the chosen artist being different.

There are several murders in the film, the victims made to pose in the manner of paintings by Goya. Which leads to suspects in the art world, collectors, restorers, experts on the history of art.

The central characters are the police, a tough investigator played by veteran Maribel Verdu, single-minded, harsh, a past, completely dedicated to work, looking down on the assistant who has been appointed to her, finding fault, limitations, but also relying on her for the investigation. In the background there is a police Commissioner, secret relationships, and also a journalist investigating the case, betraying the investigator, becoming a victim.

The enjoyment is in the mystery, the investigation, the backgrounds of the victims, the connections to Goya, the betrayal by the journalist and giving out information, the secret life of the central character, the ordinary life of her assistant and her family, the final revelation of the murderer and the motivations.

1. Popular murder mystery and investigation, in the context of the art world, and prints by Goya?
2. The Madrid setting, the crime settings, the world of art and auctions, collectors, police investigations? The musical score?
3. The focus on Carmen, her personality, her past, relationships, pregnancy and termination, complete commitment to her work, her relationship with the Commissioner, her relationship with the journalist, working with Eva, looking down on her, treatment, ignoring her, travelling the car, Eva wanting respect? The work, detection, personal life, her drinking?
4. The murders, the posing of the victims like Goya Prints, investigating the victims and their lives, the art connections, the parents of the murdered woman? The further murders and posing is? The consultation with the art expert, his explanations, willing to assist?
5. The police methods, keeping the information from the press, the Commissioner, his private life, family, the relationship with Carmen? Men and her relationship with the journalist, giving him leads? Her sense of betrayal and his television interview, the need to change police tactics, victims, context, the Goya connections?
6. The journalist, his own investigations, the relationship with Carmen, the TV interview, tracking down the potential murderer, his own death?
7. Eva, the contrast with Carmen, enjoying the night out, but asking for respect from Carmen, her relationship with her husband, the children, Carmen’s impatience with them? The lead, the art expert, the stealing of a Goya painting, the auction, his presence, the bids, his arrest?
8. Murder mystery, investigation, differences?

A DEADLY INVITATION/ INVITACION A UN ASESINATO

Spain, 2023, 93 minutes, Colour.

Regina Blandon, Maribel Verdu, Stepaanie Cayo, Manolo Cardona, Aaron Diaz.

Directed by J.M.Cravioto.

A Mexican entertainment, Hispanic/Latin style, characters, locations, situations, motivations… It is the lightest of murder mysteries. And a short running time – with memories of similar tales by popular authors from Agatha Christie on.

The film focuses on a middle-aged pod cast maker, Agatha, Regina Blandon, investigating unsolved mysteries, working with her life-partner. Along with others, she receives an invitation from her half sister, Olivia (Maribel Verdu) to come to visit. The group all arrives, a mixture, Carlos Olivia’s ex-husband, a doctor, a film star who has been a lover, a rival involved in the perfume industry, her partner a yoga instructor. At the house there is an elderly woman who has managed everything as well as a man employed for various tasks, who has lost the use of one eye in an industrial accident.

The film spends time introducing the audience to the characters, indicating some of their backgrounds, the links to Olivia, yet atmosphere of mystery. They sail out into the ocean, different police authorities. Olivia talks the group, indicates how each of them could have murderous intentions towards others, has friendly conversations with Agatha – and then Olivia falls to her death on the deck of the boat.

The police arrive, communications have been cut from the mansion owned by Olivia and Carlos, a young officer put in charge – admiring Agatha’s pod casts and asking her to assist him in the investigation. Which means that it is Agatha’s solving the mystery, searching the house, interrogating, phoning her partner to investigate the backgrounds of the characters.

All kinds of links become clearer, the motivations, the alibis, and the opening up of all kinds of possibilities, especially as regards the younger instructor and the death of his sister in childbirth, a racket concerning the illegal adoption, often in high places, of children taken from single mothers, those responsible for the racket. And the revelations about Olivia’s own health, the death of her own daughter five years earlier in an accident, the identity of her daughter, and the links with Carlos at his hospital and the manager of the estate. And the money given to the blinded man for a transplant.

And, just as we assume that Olivia killed herself, there is a further detail about her health and her death.

The film moves fairly briskly, has a range of characters, twists and unmasking is, and a 93 minutes.