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Join UsStar cast: Barbara Mori, Christian Meier, Manolo Cardona.
Director: Ricardo De Montreuil
Plot: Barbara is bored and frustrated with her marriage as the spark has gone out of it. She is not sure whether her husband (Christian Meier) finds her attractive enough anymore. She has an affair with her husband’s best friend (Manolo Cardona) and gets pregnant. A lot of secrets then tumble out of the cupboard.
What’s Good: Some love-making scenes.
What’s Bad: The script; the acting.
Verdict: A Beautiful Wife is anything but beautiful.
Loo Break: Plenty.
The Stan Jakubowicz Company’s A Beautiful Wife is the story of a woman who has an affair outside her marriage.
Zoe (Barbara Mori) is married to Ignacio (Christian Meier) but the spark has gone out of their marriage. They have been trying for a child but to no avail. Bored and frustrated, Zoe has an extra-marital affair with Gonzalo (Manolo Cardona), the best friend of her husband but with whom her husband has had a misunderstanding.
To their horror, Zoe and Gonzalo realise that she is pregnant because of the adulterous relationship. While Gonzalo wants to wash his hands off the unborn child, Zoe wants to give birth to it. Meanwhile, Ignacio learns of the affair. Zoe confronts Ignacio to know why he was no longer interested in her and whether he was attracted towards men. What is the truth about Ignacio? Does Ignacio confront Gonzalo? Does Gonzalo regret his act? Does Ignacio forgive Zoe? How the mess is sorted out is revealed in the end.
Script & Screenplay
The film has an apology of a story line (Jaime Bailey) and a very sketchy screenplay (by Jaime Bailey). Since all the three main characters – Zoe, Ignacio and Gonzalo – are grey, the audience is at sea about whom its sympathy should lie with. The film seems to have been made with the sole purpose of titillating the viewers but since there aren’t too many love-making scenes (courtesy, the Indian censors), even that purpose is not served.
Star Performances
Performances are mediocre. Barbara Mori does an average job but exposes her body quite uninhibitedly. Christian Meier is very ordinary. Manolo Cardona gives a fair performance. Others lend ordinary support.
Direction
Ricardo De Montreuil’s direction is dull. He has neither been able to create an engaging drama nor succeeded in extracting decent performances out of his cast members. Camerawork (Andres E. Sanchez) and other technical aspects are okay.
The Last Word
On the whole, except for a bit of titillation value, A Beautiful Wife doesn’t have much to hold the audience interest.
The Hindi version of ‘A Beautiful Wife’, called Spanish Beauty, has also been released simultaneously in India.
