LA LEY DES DESEOS/LAW OF DESIRE

Spain, 1987, 102 minutes, Colour.
Eusebio Poncelo, Carmen Maura, Antonio Banderas, Miguel Molina, Manuela Velasco, Bibiana Fernandez.
Directed by Pedro Almodovar.

This is a Pedro Almodovar film from the second half of the 1980s. During the first part of the 80s, he emerged as something of an enfant terrible in the Spanish film industry, bringing it to international consideration after the death of Franco in the 1970s.

Almodovar’s early films were provocative, satiric, targeting a wide range of subjects, including a strange community of nuns in Dark Habits. After Law of Desire, Almodovar would step onto the international stage with his Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, consolidating his reputation during the 1990s, beginning to win more and more international awards and even an Oscar for Talk to Her.

This film is highly melodramatic, highlighting Almodovar’s interest in gay themes. It features a homosexual director, infatuated with a young man, encountering another, a rabid fan (played by Antonio Banderas) who seems to be devoted but is quite dangerous. The director’s sibling is transgender woman (Carmen Maura) who gets caught up with the Antonio Banderas character.

Confrontations, family bickering and concerns, melodramatic and dangerous climaxes.

1. An Almodovar film? From his early period? The 1980s? Seen as an Enfant Terrible? The 1980s and his transition?

2. Madrid settings? Fostered by Almodovar? The city, filmmaking, the theatre, socials, the apartments, the coast of the beach, the lighthouse, atmosphere?

3. The bright colours, despite the dark themes? Songs, dances, musical score?

4. The title, desire, what laws? Sexuality, marriage, birth, siblings, gay relationships, affairs, transsexuals? Childcare? Protective mothering? Generous love? Psychopathic behaviour?

5. The prologue, the pornographic, sexual scene? Its place in the film?

6. Pablo, making the film, his success, acclaim, at the social, his relationship with Juan? Leaving the party, with Juan, the sexual relationship, Juan and his needing time, Pablo and his typing the letters? Antonio, the encounter, Pablo eyeing him? Antonio’s approach, the relationship, demands? Tina, the talk about their father, their situation? Tina living with her brother? Ada, her age, the mother in New York, the mother’s return? Preparing for the theatre, directing Tina, the play, Tina’s impassioned performance? Juan going away, Pablo following, the encounter with Antonio, Juan’s death, Pablo crashing the car, losing his memory, in hospital, Tina’s visit, the telling the stories? Ada loving him? Regaining his memory, caution, suspicious of Antonio, at the apartment, his intervention? The sex, smashing the typewriter, Antonio’s suicide?

7. Tina, her story, Carmen Maura and her flair, presence in Almodovar films? The transsexual story, relationship with their father? Meeting the priest playing the organ, remembering Tina as a boy, refusing to allow her to sing in the choir? Mothering Ada? Intense performance, Ada as part of it, the Jacques Brel’s song? Her response to Pablo? The later relationship with Antonio, not knowing who he was? Pablo’s accident, going to the hospital, talking? The searching of his apartment? The drugs? The dramatic view of life? Its effect on her and others?

8. Antonio, Antonio Banderas, his aims, watching Pablo, the approach, using sex, desire, the intense affair? The letters to Laura P? Jealousies? Wanting to know about Juan, following him to the countryside, talking with him on the beach, the confrontation, pushing him off the cliff? With his mother? The police, the interrogations? The mysteries of the letters to Laura P? The finale after his encounter with Tina? His demands, the police, the sexual behaviour? His suicide?

9. Ada, her mother in New York, Tina caring for her, religious, prayer, devoted to Pablo? The end with the policeman?

10. Ada’s mother, in New York, not caring for her daughter, the return and her behaviour and attitudes?

11. The police, the range of personnel, the search, the apartment, cocaine, the typewriter and the letters? The straight up-and-down policeman and his homophobia? The contrast with the easy-going veteran, the drugs? The encounter with Tina, the search? The issue of guns? The policeman hit by Antonio in the apartment? The police in action, the confrontation below the apartment building?

12. Almodovar, sexual orientation, explorations of themes – by drama and melodrama?