6/10
So-so Lola's biography focusing her loving relations with several lovers and rising to stardom
9 December 2014
Passable biography about María Dolores "Lola" Flores Ruiz (21 January 1923 – 16 May 1995) nicknamed ¨La Faraona¨ , she was a known Spanish singer, dancer, and actress . The movie describes her early life, starting in 1931 until 1958 . Lola Flores (Gala Évora who bears strong Andalusian accent) , a native of Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz (Andalusia, Spain) was an icon of Andalusian folklore and Spanish Gypsy culture, recognized throughout Spain as well as internationally . Flores was not a gypsy herself but identified strongly with the Roma people and culture and eventually married into a Gitano family . She did, however, acknowledge that she had been told her maternal grandfather was of Romani extraction . She became a famous dancer and singer of Andalusian folklore at a very young age , performing flamenco , Copla , Bulerias and Chotis and appearing in films from 1939 to 1987 . Her notorious career ran half a century . She experienced her greatest success performing in folklore shows with Manolo Caracol (Jose Luis Garcia Perez gives nice acting) , who was her artistic partner until 1951 . Her numbers space the plot that has her leaving the gypsy camp for the big city, where her talent gets to be show cased in TV studio as theater , getting a big hit . Lola achieved a great international success shooting as Spanish pictures (Embrujo , Morena Clara , Niña De La Venta , Estrella De Sierra Morena , Maria De La O , El Balcón De La Luna) , as Hispano-American movies (La Faraona , Maricruz ,La Gitana y El Charro) . In 1958, she married Antonio González el Pescaílla (Alfonso Guevara) , a guitarist from Cataluña Spain who was gypsy . She had three children : Dolores (singer and actress Lolita Flores); rock musician, singer and actor Antonio Flores; and singer and actress Rosario Flores. Lola Flores died of breast cancer in 1995, aged 72, and was buried in the Cementerio de la Almudena in Madrid . Shortly after her death, her distraught 33-year-old son, Antonio Flores, committed suicide by overdosing on barbiturates and was buried beside her.

¨Lola La Pelicula¨ results to be other of the innumerable stories to deal with dramatic deeds regarding famous characters . This is an enjoyable biopic including a loving triangle , Flamenco shows and the typical Spanish clichés . The story is extremely melodramatic and plenty of songs , musical spectacle and atmospheric scenarios . Colorful story of love and jealousy in which a gorgeous gypsy seduces several men , being partially based on facts . Quite ambitiously staged vehicle for Signora Lola Flores, who has a strong singing voice , here stunningly interpreted by Gala Evora who sings wonderfully ¨Ay Pena , Penita , Pena ..¨ . It packs drama , emotion , some real biographical events about Lola and other brief fictitious elements . It has various dancing numbers perfectly choreographed by expert dancer Cristina Hoyos , Carlos Saura's ordinary . In the picture appears famous directors and producers who shot with Lola such as the Mexican Miguel Morayta , the powerful producer Cesareo Gonzalez of Suevia Film , the most important production company during Franco era and Ramon Torrado , known for directing some vehicles of known Folkloric stars such as Peret , Manolo Escobar , Paquita Rico , Carmen Sevilla and Lola Flores . The film seems not to be approved by any of the Flores family , due to its dark remarks . Since very young she is famous as a dancer and Singer of Andalusian folklore ; however the works of Miss Flores appear to be known only in the Hispanic world . In 1939 she debuts in cinema in the role of a gypsy . Her greatest success is in folklore shows with Manolo Caracol , very good played by Jose Luis Garcia Perez , as artistic partner till 1951 . She marries in 1958 to Guitarrist Antonio González "El Pescaílla" . The picture relies heavily the stormy relationship with a wealthy antiques dealer splendidly performed by Carlos Hipolito , who finances her first attempt at a revue show with Manolo Caracol , but then she breaks up with him and takes place the classic triangular drama , turning into a ¨Soap Opera¨ . But anyway, its is compensated with the great performances from Gala Evora , Ana Fernández , Alfonso Guevara , interpreters who provided a considerable boost to the result . Miguel Hermoso is a great director of actors and the main players are complemented by a good cast of secondaries such as Kiti Manver , Antonio Morales and Jose Antonio Ceinos .

Competent all studio filming in the hands of a good filmmaker , as the motion picture was well directed by Miguel Hermoso , being filmed in his usual formal and stylistic scholarship , without leaving a trace the thought-provoking issues , in terms of dramatic and narrative excitement . Miguel Hermoso is an expert on comedy as proved in ¨Loco Veneno¨, ¨Truanes¨, ¨Marbella¨ and drama such as ¨Como Un Relampago¨, this biopic ¨Lola¨, ¨Luz Prodigiosa¨ and his greatest hit was ¨Fugitivas¨ . Rating : 6 , decent movie . The picture will appeal to Lola Flores enthusiasts .
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