The Flower of My Secret

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The Flower of My Secret ★★★ La Flor de My Secreto 1995 (R)

Emotional yet restrained story about middle-aged Leo (Paredes), whose longtime marriage is fast ending (and it's not her idea). Leo writes hugely popular romance novels under a pseudonym but her current work is so bleak it's unpublishable. So, Leo gets a job at a newspaper where editor Angel (Echanove) immediately falls for her, and indeed, lives up to his name as her guardian. Willfully myopic about her own life, Leo undergoes further trials until she slowly realizes the mess she's in and becomes willing to change. Surprisingly subdued given Almodovar's usual flamboyance but it's a welcome change of pace. Spanish with subtitles. 107m/C VHS, DVD . SP FR Marisa Paredes, Juan Echanove, Imanol Arias, Carmen Elias, Rossy de Palma, Chus (Maria Jesus) Lampreave, Joaquin Cortes, Manuela Vargas; D: Pedro Almodovar; W: Pedro Almodovar; C: Alfonso Beato; M: Alberto Iglesias.