Saturday, 18 September 2021 19:00

What did I do to deserve this?






WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS?

Spain, 1984, 101 minutes, Colour.
Carmen Maura, Cecilia Roth, Luis Hostalot.
Directed by Pedro Almodovar.

What Did I Do To Deserve This? is an offbeat and bizarre domestic comedy set in Spain. It is satirical, spoof - the kind of outrageous tongue-in-cheek comedy that does say a great deal about contemporary lifestyle and values. It was written and directed by Pedro Almodovar who went on to direct Matador and The Law of Desire. Many commentators have seen the influence of celebrated Spanish director Luis Bunuel in Almodovar's films.

1. The work of Pedro Almodovar? His Spanish sensibility? Realism and surrealism? Satire?

2. Contemporary Spain, the city, family, values, traditions - and the ridiculous?

3. The wife as the focus of the film: her work as cleaning the martial arts centre, the man in the shower and the sexual encounter, going home, her husband and relating to him, her criticising mother-in-law, the son involved with drug deals, the son with the homosexual behaviour? Her friendship with Cristal next door? Her work, her clients, preparing meals, putting up with the family? Taking her son to the dentist and oblivious to the man's advances? Then quite practical about adopting her son? Jealousies? Her fight with her husband, killing him, the cover-up? The police - and the man from the shower? The lizard and its death? The rest of the family, the funeral, the police? The truth about her life? Her values and life? The final contemplation of suicide or not? The comment on the lifestyle of the housebound woman?

4. The husband, his taxi, his time in Germany, his clients? His skill in forging? Hitler's letters? At home, relating with his wife, children - and not noticing them? His macho attitudes and his being pampered by his mother? The proposal about the forging and his refusal? The phone call to Ingrid Muellet and his change of heart? The fight with his wife and his death?

5. The drug boy, at home, study, getting all the wrong answers from his grandmother? Dealing with Cristal? The homosexual son, with the frightening of his friend? Going to the dentist, his advances, agreeing to be adopted, returning after a disagreement with the dentist? His compassionate attitude towards his mother-in-law - looking at her as she contemplated killing herself?

6. The mother-in-law and her diabetes, eating cakes, interfering, the lizard, at the film with her grandson? At the end with her son's death?

7. Cristal as the good-natured prostitute, the range of her clients, needing a whip and borrowing the stick, the macho exhibitionist and getting the wife to sit and watch, her clothes, dresses? Her relationship with the mother-inlaw, with her neighbour? The film's comment about prostitutes and their clients? Men using women? Women exploiting men?

8. The dressmaker, her place in the building, complaints? her little girl and, her telekinetic powers and wreaking destruction on people?

9. The client, his project about Hitler, the plan, going to Berlin and discussing with Ingrid? The husband's phone call? The irony of interrupting Ingrid's suicide attempt? Her death, his death and the abandonment to the project?

10. The macho man in the shower and his being a policeman? The mocking of the clients?

11. Cinema of the absurd with the blend of the real and surreal and insights into human nature?


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