# Lengua de las mariposas, La (1999)

### reviewed by
Laura Clifford

    BUTTERFLY
    ---------

1936 Spain is on the brink of a civil war that will pit fascists against communists and Loyalists against Republicans. Little Moncho (Manuel Lozano) is just coming of age at this critical juncture in his country's history when he enters school for the first time. Frightened by the stories told to him by his older brother, Andre, of the mean old teacher, Don Gregorio (Fernando Fernan Gomez), poor little Moncho wets himself at his first confrontation with the man and runs away from school. But, Don Gregorio's patience, kindness and understanding take hold as he opens up the wonderful world of nature to the boy in "Butterfly."

    ROBIN:

Director Jose Luis Cuerda takes on a big effort as he tries to mix a sensitive tale of a little boy and a kindly old man with one of political intrigue in pre-Franco Spain. At first, Moncho's story takes the lead as he and Don Gregorio form a relationship, with the old professor teaching the boy the wonders of nature and life. His teachings are exemplified with the don's description and eventual close-up look at a butterfly's tongue - the probiscus the delicate creature uses to collect the nectar of life.

Where the latter is a sometimes melancholy, often thoughtful, look at the cross-generational relationship, the politics depicted take on a harsher, more sinister tone. Right from the start of the film there is an undercurrent of the conflict between those who seek the freedom of a Spanish republic and those who want to retain the safe haven of the monarchy. The conflict builds steadily through the film to its final culmination - civil war. In the end, Don Gregorio and other liberal thinkers are rejected and the power of fascism takes hold of the country. The innocent betrayal by Moncho of the old man is both sad and abruptly handled, wrapping the story up in an unsatisfying manner.

Director Cuerda is virtually unknown in the US and "Butterfly" doesn't have the appeal or coherence to change this status. The bond between Moncho and Don Gregorio is sweet and holds an attraction for the viewer, but the politics of the film are too simply drawn with its "liberal is good, conservative is bad" message.

If you have a desire to see a foreign language film, I recommend, instead, the wonderful Iranian film, "The Color of Paradise." I give "Butterfly" a C.

    LAURA:

In the five years between the fall of the Spanish monarchy and the Spanish Civil War, a small, shy boy, Moncho (Manuel Lozano) makes a rocky transition to the local school which is eased when his elderly teacher Don Gregorio (Fernando Fernan Gomez, "The Grandfather") comes to his home to 'apologize.' Moncho becomes fast friends with the nature loving teacher as well as other children at school who expose him to the adult world of love. Unfortunately, Moncho will be more than exposed to the adult world of politics, which divides even his Republican father and devoutly religious mother in "Butterfly."

"Butterfly" is perhaps most successful in capturing the feel of life in a rural Spanish town in the 1930's, where merchants are visitted not only for their wares, but for advice (a young farmer purchases a bottle for the mother of country girl Carmina while complaining about her ever present mutt Tarzan) gossip (a group of schoolchildren listen to his tale) and more (Carmina visits Moncho's father for funeral expenses when her mother dies). The town's band, which practices in an old chocolate factory, recruits Moncho's older brother Andres (Alexis de los Santos) but unbeknownst to him, he's wanted as bait for the young ladies rather than his musical ability. The town's wealthiest man has two fresh capons delivered to Don Gregorio during class so that Don Gregorio will work his son harder in math (the capons are returned). Don Gregorio leads his class outdoors to inspire them with thoughts of the marvel of a butterfly's tongue (Butterfly's Tongue was the film's original, and better, title) and is found by Moncho picking apples from a neighbor's tree.

"Butterfly" is also a coming of age story, in which Moncho gets his first kiss (after some guidance from Don Gregorio) and Andres finds his heart broken after a band visit to another village. Innocence is damaged when Carmina's drunken lover takes harsh measures against Tarzan (foreshadowing another act of human cruelty) while the children watch hidden in bushes.

Spanish acting institution Fernando Fernan Gomez is the teacher everyone wishes they'd had as Don Gregorio. He's a complex man - older, yet promoting liberal politics. His unorthodox methods for keeping control of his class are a study in human psychology. Manual Lozano is well utilizied as Moncho, with his face reflecting the perplexing world around him (some of his nonactorly facial expressions are a hoot!). Alexis de los Santos lends an air of naive romance to older brother Andres. Uxio Blanco is the strong mother Rosa, whose protective maternal influence is stronger than her husband Ramon's (Gonzalo Uriarte) idealism.

The film is shot lovingly, nostalgically all aglow, yet editted oddly, with scenes feeling cut off, too abruptly ended. The film's climatic ending, where politics harshly divide the Galician town's inhabitants is also jarring, which would be fine if the filmmakers had laid the groundwork for accepting Moncho's final action - they don't and the effect is alienating.

"Butterfly" has been praised for its resistance to sentimentality, yet even given its downer of an ending, this played like a favorite of older Foreign Language Film Academy voters , a group criticized for their sentimentality, to me.

    B-

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    robin@reelingreviews.com

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