Spanish Fly (1998 film)
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Toni Cantó
Martin Donovan
Danny Huston
Marianne Sägebrecht
Antonio Castro
| Spanish Fly | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Daphna Kastner |
| Written by | Daphna Kastner |
| Produced by | Juan Alexander |
| Starring | Daphna Kastner Toni Cantó Martin Donovan Danny Huston Marianne Sägebrecht Antonio Castro |
| Cinematography | Arnaldo Catinari |
| Edited by | Caroline Biggerstaff |
| Music by | Mario de Benito |
Production company | Portman Productions |
| Distributed by | Miramax Films |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 91 minutes |
| Countries | France Spain United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $15,503[1] |
Spanish Fly is a 1998 French comedy film written and directed by Daphna Kastner and starring Daphna Kastner, Toni Cantó, Martin Donovan, Danny Huston, Marianne Sägebrecht and Antonio Castro. It was released in France on June 30, 1999, by Miramax Films.[2][3][4]
Zoe, an American writer, arrives in Madrid to research Spanish machismo. Struggling with the language, she hires Antonio as a translator. His dismissive attitude and tendency to fabricate answers frustrate her, sparking tension as she sees him embodying the machismo she's studying. Zoe's brief romance with an American bookseller further complicates her views on men.
Cast
- Daphna Kastner as Zoe
- Toni Cantó as Antonio
- Martin Donovan as Carl
- Danny Huston as John
- Marianne Sägebrecht as Rosa
- Antonio Castro as Julio
- Maria de Medeiros as Rossy
- Vernon Dobtcheff as Carl's Friend
- Mary McDonnell as Zoe's Mother
- Rossy de Palma as Interviewee
Production
Reception
Spanish Fly received generally mixed reviews from critics. Variety labelled it a "sexy comedy",[6] but wrote in their August 1998 review that "Kastner's mannered acting style is better suited to supporting roles".[4] In December 1999, Stephen Holden of The New York Times had a mixed review, writing "imagine a shrill, charmless 94-minute episode of Sex and the City set in Madrid with a central character who, like Carrie in that series, is a journalist writing about sex, and you have Daphna Kastner's abrasive comedy, Spanish Fly".[7] Francis Rizzo of DVD Talk also gave the film a negative review, writing in November 2004, "it's truly a waste of your time to watch this confusing mess. The ridiculous philosophies, the questionable character motivation, the awful dialogue... it all adds up to an insult to your intelligence."[8]
