THE MAN WITH A THOUSAND FACES/ EL HOMBRE DE LAS MIL CARAS

Spain, 2016, 123 minutes, Colour.
Eduard Fernandez, Carlos Santos, Jose Coronado, Marta Etura.
Directed by Alberto Rodriguez.

This film declares that it is based on a true story, a 1980s and 1990s story in Spanish politics. However, it makes the ironic comment that there are some lies – because the central character is a liar.

The film involves a middle-aged man who had been something of a spy for the Spanish government, involved in raids on ETA, but was a mixture of the apt and inept. He was promised a great deal of money but was not paid. However, drawing on his talents, he tried to set up a finance company but was exposed as a fraud and not having enough capital.

However, he had a reputation and the former chief of police in Spain, accused of corruption, consults him for the security of his wife and himself, pays a great deal of money, the conman investing, withdrawing it, reinvesting it, covering his tracks, from France to Switzerland to Singapore.

Eduard Fernandez is very good as Paco, the conman, always very well-dressed, calm in manner, but, despite his invitations to people to trust him, he cannot be trusted. He is assisted by a number of people over whom he has a hold, especially a pilot, Jesus, Jose Coronado. There is a very good performance by Carlos Santos as the police chief.

The audience has to pay a great deal of attention because there is rapid movement from one date to another, backwards and forwards, to one place and another, always captioned.

The ex-chief of police undergoes a personal crisis, is in hiding, is thought to be in different places around the world but is in Paris, finally decides that he would prefer to go back to Spain and be with his wife and son. All kinds of deals are done again, especially about his money, sending him to Laos with fake papers for his arrest – which fails and he is sentenced to a long-term in jail.

Eventually, Paco disappears but the are rumours about where he can be found, especially since after the report of his death, he has a phone number with an answering machine…

1. A piece of Spanish history? The 20th century? The 1980s and 1990s? Based on fact? The ironic comment that it included some lies?

2. The framework of the film? Jesus and Paco, the conversation, the key? The film in flashback?

3. Dates and times and indication? The range of places, Spain, France, Switzerland, Singapore, Bangkok? The swift editing and pace, the musical score?

4. The portrait of Paco, age, experience? The indication that he was a con man, the villain? A liar? The initial encounter with Jesus, his going off with the key?

5. His background, espionage, seeing him in action, photographed, ETA, working for the Spanish government? Apt and inept? The money promised him, the delays by years, his not being paid? The influence on his behaviour? At home, Madrid, his wife, the separation, contact over the years? His staying in the house, the portrait?

6. His money set ups, the meeting with the three men, the planned company, his statements about finance? Their offering him documents, proving that he was a fraud and had no capital?

7. The Minister of police, his career, making money, justifying himself that this was what everyone was doing, his betrayal of the minister and the minister resigning? His going to Paco, with his wife? The money, the plans? Paco in his suit, appearing supremely confident, asking people to trust him? His reliance on his associates, on Hans, on Jesus the
pilot?

8. The complexities of his dealings with the former minister and his wife? The meetings, the discussions, the financing payments, the bank accounts? His advising them to leave the country? The driving out of Spain? His setting them up in Paris, the wealthy apartment, the dinner, the anniversary and his buying the gift of the earings and commenting on the meaning?

9. His appearing and disappearing? Hans the bodyguard? His contacts in money deals? Using his niece? Going to Switzerland, the lawyer in his control, the financial – and his drinking? Ultimately sabotaging the plan by his drinking at the airport? Jesus as a pilot, his indiscreet remarks about Paco’s presence?

10. The ex-police chief’s wife, pregnant, the decision to go back to Spain, the conditions, her going to prison? Later contact with her husband, his arriving in prison, the second child? The divorce?

11. The ex-police chief? His personality? His disappearing, staying in Paris? The rumours that he was in all kinds of countries around the world? The approach to the Spanish minister and his ambitions? The deal for the arrest of the chief? Conditions for lenient imprisonment? Back on the deal is, double-dealing?

12. The personality of the ex-police chief and his loneliness, agreeing to disappear, but the phone call to his wife and his changing his mind, the elaborate setup for his arrest, disguised as a pilot, going to Bangkok, the Laotian authorities, the documents and fake documents, the Spanish minister, his return, the elaborate arrest, trials, his long sentence to prison?

13. Paco, the money, his niece in Singapore, withdrawing, investing? Jesus and his role in Paco’s deals, the pilot to Thailand, the money deals?

14. Government corruption, scandal, ambitions? A portrait of a corrupt police chief and the consequences? The portrait of the conman – his getting the money, his disappearance, being sighted, his alleged death, his and sing machine on the phone…?