This was a beautifully made film, with excellent acting, direction and writing. It was a real visual treat. However, despite this the movie had a fatal flaw that prevented it from achieving greatness.
The heroine in the movie (Tita) is someone you really care about and your heart breaks when her selfish mother refuses to allow her to marry Pedro BUT agrees to let this man marry her older sister, Rosaura. It seems there is a stupid and self-serving family tradition where the youngest girl CANNOT marry until mom dies, as it's her duty to care for mom like a slave! And, Tita reluctantly agrees but is heart-broken.
However, at the wedding feast that Tita was forced to prepare for everyone (wow--what a terrible injustice), apparently Tita's emotions magically transform the food to reflect her own joy or sorrow. This happens several times throughout the movie. In this case, her tears that fall into the cake batter apparently make the cake taste delicious BUT also makes you dreadfully ill! Later, when Tita appears to be feeling rather "frisky", and makes a meal with rose petals, the meal become a super aphrodisiac and literally makes flames come off her other sister's body!! The shower she is is catches fire and she runs naked across the fields until a passing bandit grabs her and she isn't seen again for several years! During all this time, Pedro and his wife live with the family. There are a lot of glances and longing expressions, but nothing occurs between them. However, here comes injustice #2. When Rosaura gives birth, she is unable to produce milk, so the baby is nursed by Tita! Later, when Mama thinks there COULD be something going on between Tita and Pedro, Pedro and Rosaura are sent away and the baby soon dies.
Soon afterward, Tita experiences SEVERE depression and Mama calls her crazy and sends her off to get treatment. It is amazing to see that Tita is blamed for this and so real love or concern motivates Mama--she just wants her slave to get better. But, while away from home, Tita slowly returns to normal and finally admits that Mama is an evil person--so a great burden is lifted from her. In addition, soon after this Mama is murdered, thus apparently freeing Tita.
HOWEVER, the ghost of Mama haunts her because Tita finally gives in and has sex with Pedro--even though he and his wife just had another baby. And, this is a major conflict and felt so very very unsatisfying to me. Will she try to take the weak Perdo from her ungrateful sister or will she marry the decent doctor who has fallen for her? Well, inexplicably, she chooses neither course--but stays with Perdo and Rosaura to help raise their child. Then, after Rosaura dies, she sleeps with Pedro for the second time and apparently the sex is so wonderful and perfect that it kills him. So, Tita kills herself and the film ends.
The depressing ending and Tita's inexplicable devotion to the very weak and annoying Pedro were major strikes against the movie. You really like and respect Tita through most of the film. Even when she finally gives in and sleeps with him the first time, she is repentant and seems ready to marry the much better man (the doctor). BUT, in a nod to love self-esteem and stupidity, she remains with him and Rosaura like a martyr. This helped destroy much of the respect I had originally found in her character. Plus, I just found Pedro whiny and weak--why would any woman wait that long for such a wuss?
The heroine in the movie (Tita) is someone you really care about and your heart breaks when her selfish mother refuses to allow her to marry Pedro BUT agrees to let this man marry her older sister, Rosaura. It seems there is a stupid and self-serving family tradition where the youngest girl CANNOT marry until mom dies, as it's her duty to care for mom like a slave! And, Tita reluctantly agrees but is heart-broken.
However, at the wedding feast that Tita was forced to prepare for everyone (wow--what a terrible injustice), apparently Tita's emotions magically transform the food to reflect her own joy or sorrow. This happens several times throughout the movie. In this case, her tears that fall into the cake batter apparently make the cake taste delicious BUT also makes you dreadfully ill! Later, when Tita appears to be feeling rather "frisky", and makes a meal with rose petals, the meal become a super aphrodisiac and literally makes flames come off her other sister's body!! The shower she is is catches fire and she runs naked across the fields until a passing bandit grabs her and she isn't seen again for several years! During all this time, Pedro and his wife live with the family. There are a lot of glances and longing expressions, but nothing occurs between them. However, here comes injustice #2. When Rosaura gives birth, she is unable to produce milk, so the baby is nursed by Tita! Later, when Mama thinks there COULD be something going on between Tita and Pedro, Pedro and Rosaura are sent away and the baby soon dies.
Soon afterward, Tita experiences SEVERE depression and Mama calls her crazy and sends her off to get treatment. It is amazing to see that Tita is blamed for this and so real love or concern motivates Mama--she just wants her slave to get better. But, while away from home, Tita slowly returns to normal and finally admits that Mama is an evil person--so a great burden is lifted from her. In addition, soon after this Mama is murdered, thus apparently freeing Tita.
HOWEVER, the ghost of Mama haunts her because Tita finally gives in and has sex with Pedro--even though he and his wife just had another baby. And, this is a major conflict and felt so very very unsatisfying to me. Will she try to take the weak Perdo from her ungrateful sister or will she marry the decent doctor who has fallen for her? Well, inexplicably, she chooses neither course--but stays with Perdo and Rosaura to help raise their child. Then, after Rosaura dies, she sleeps with Pedro for the second time and apparently the sex is so wonderful and perfect that it kills him. So, Tita kills herself and the film ends.
The depressing ending and Tita's inexplicable devotion to the very weak and annoying Pedro were major strikes against the movie. You really like and respect Tita through most of the film. Even when she finally gives in and sleeps with him the first time, she is repentant and seems ready to marry the much better man (the doctor). BUT, in a nod to love self-esteem and stupidity, she remains with him and Rosaura like a martyr. This helped destroy much of the respect I had originally found in her character. Plus, I just found Pedro whiny and weak--why would any woman wait that long for such a wuss?