TO BEGIN AGAIN

Spain, 1982, 93 minutes, Colour.
Antonio Ferrandis, Encarna Paso.
Directed by Jose Luis Garci.

To Begin Again won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film of 1982. In retrospect, this may seem rather surprising given the strength of serious films made by the world's cinema. This film apparently appealed to the American judges because of its romantic tone, its American link and its strong and warm performances. With a very brief running time, the film is a nostalgic look by ageing Spaniards at the past and their lost lives during Franco's fascist regime. The film pays tribute to this generation.

As an entertainment, the film has a stereotyped plot which is transformed by the superb performances ? even to the manager of the hotel who gives an excellently comic touch to the proceedings. There is an over-strong reliance on Cole Porter's Begin the Beguine.

1. An entertaining film? Warm humanity? For Spanish audiences? The tribute to the generation of the '30s? To universal audiences? A film of the 20th. century? Its winning an Oscar in 1982?

2. The impact of the film because of its brevity? Spanish setting and locations? The climax in San Francisco and Berkeley? Visual impact? The contrasting environments of the new world and the old? As symbolised by the contrasting score?

3. The importance of the music and the moods? The continuous use of the music? Integrated into the text of the film? As commentary? The importance of the Fred Astaire-Ginger? Rogers record at the end?

4. The film as a film of age and dying? Its appeal to older audiences? A memoir? A review of life? An interpretation of life and its meaning? The importance of the title ? in the ironic contrast of Antonio's impending death?

5. The strength of the performances? Antonio and Elena holding the film? The importance of Mr. Losada and the humorous and ironic touches? The strong qualities of humanity pervading the film?

6. The structure: Antonio's arrival, his being unknown, the search for his past life, his discovery as a celebrity, his encounter with his friends and the telling of the truth, the re-living of the past with Elena and regretting lack of fulfilment, strength to return to the United States, strength to die? The return to America?

7. The portrait of Antonio: the dignity of his appearance, his age? The arrival in Spain? Losada's receiving him? The boy at the door and the giving of tips with Spanish and American money? The importance of his walk through the city? His rediscovering the town, the theatre, the sea, the gallery? Elena not recognising him? The renewing of the bonds? The shared experiences and their joy? The discussion with Roxiu and the discovery that he was to die? His memories? His devices for avoiding celebrity status? The long trip with Elena? The photos as souvenirs? The love and the sexual encounter? The visit to the football match with its memories? His leaving and signing of the books? The airport sequence and Elena's farewell? The return? His lecturing, walking around Berkeley? opening the parcel and the importance of the record? Audiences experiencing the character, his life? Getting to know and understand him, his feelings? The story of his expulsion from Spain, concentration camp. escape work, the United States. Frances and his children? His career and his prize? Portrait of a 20th. century Spaniard?

8. Elena and the gallery? Talking on the phone, the discovery of Antonio? The regrets of her life? Her memories? Her continued love for him? The importance of the drive, the joy of visiting old places, the beauty of the scenery? Her re-living a lifetime in his presence? The airport farewell, her knowledge of his death, the gift of the record and its significance?

9. The sketch of Roxiu: the contemporary. the memories of the past, his sympathetic listening to Antonio’s story and reading the doctor's account, his grief? The joy of watching the football match together and remembering? His telling Elena the truth? His farewell?

10. The expert comic performance of Mr. Losada: fussiness, obsequiousness, his mannerisms, smoking, the television people and the phone calls, his condemnation of the foreigners, the food, his pleasure in the autographs in the book and his reading them aloud, his smoking? The portrait of a bureaucrat? cruel and kind at the same time? The sketch of the porter?

11. The insight of the film into Spain and the '30s generation? The reassessment of the fascist period? The dedication of people ousted by the regime? Their interrupted lives? The changed directions of their lives? The hurt? The return in old age to recapture the past? Spanish politics, religion, freedom, creativity?

12. A humane film of universal values?