Gitano

Joaquín Cortés plays the husband of Laetitia Casta in this flick and we see him get out of prison after two years for something he didn't do. Turns out that he was framed by his wife. They're all gypsies too, so they apparently have to do some things to save their honor and so on. The film is set completely in the gypsy world where unfamiliar and unexplained values rule, and there's no place for outsiders.

NUDITY REPORT

Laetitia Casta and Christina Pena reveal their essential frontal body parts. See the main commentary for details.

Marta Belaustegui as his sister-in-law has a good see-through on stage singing.

not available on Region 1 DVD

The plot is too thin and new elements are introduced too scarcely. All this results in a slow paced film with no cross-over appeal at all. Only worth watching for the beautiful night shots of Granada, the music and songs, and of course the love scene of Laetitia Casta and Joaquín Cortés on the tones of an enjoyable song.

After Joaquín's release from prison he spends the night with a prostitute, played by Cristina Peña.

TUNA's THOUGHTS

Gitano (2000), or Gypsy is a film with several very strong points, hopelessly marred by a weak plot.

Joaquín Cortés, a Gypsy, returns to Granada after two years in prison. We learn very little about why he was there, other than the fact that he was in a band with his wife and two friends, and on the verge of making it big, when one of the friends was killed, his wife ran off with a record producer, and he was left to take the rap. His first order of business is to avenge the death, then he tries to find out exactly what happened, and attempts to get his wife back. The police, who don't like gypsies anyway, harass him at every turn. There is no dark mystery that he sleuths cleverly to unravel, just a matter of his bothering those whom he thinks are guilty until the truth comes out.

On the plus side, the film is dripping with atmosphere largely due to the DP, Hans Burman, and a wonderful flamenco score. We also have three very hot sex scenes with extended nudity in two of them. I suggest ordering the sound track and skipping the film. C-

Scoops note:

That's good advice from Tuna, especially if you like the sensuous Spanish-Gypsy music. The movie is nothing special, and the transfer is not impressive at all.

I was disappointed that Laetitia Casta's face doesn't photograph as well in movies as in her modeling gigs. She has kind of a crooked mouth, with a pronounced overbite. Her body, however, is spectacular by any definition, and I thought that the sexiest scene had nothing to do with sex. It was the one in which she runs away from Cortés. Laetitia Casta running in a low-cut gown is truly a sight to behold.

The Critics Vote

none online in English

The People Vote ...

With their votes ... IMDB summary: IMDB readers say 4.5/10.

with their dollars ... did about $1.5 million in Spain

IMDb guideline: 7.5 usually indicates a level of excellence, about like three and a half stars from the critics. 6.0 usually indicates lukewarm watchability, about like two and a half stars from the critics. The fives are generally not worthwhile unless they are really your kind of material, about like two stars from the critics. Films under five are generally awful even if you like that kind of film, equivalent to about one and a half stars from the critics or less, depending on just how far below five the rating is.