Captain Pantoja and the Special Services (film)

{{about|the 2000 film|the 1973 comic novel it is based on|Captain Pantoja and the Special Service}}

{{Infobox film

| name = Captain Pantoja and the Special Services

| caption =

| native_name = {{Infobox name module|es|Pantaleón y las visitadoras|nolink=yes}}

| image = Captain Pantoja and the Special Services FilmPoster.jpeg

| director = Francisco José Lombardi

| producer = José Enrique Crousillat

| screenplay = {{ubl|Giovanna Pollarolo|Enrique Moncloa}}

| based_on = {{Based on|Captain Pantoja and the Special Service|Mario Vargas Llosa}}

| music = Bingen Mendizábal

| cinematography = Teo Delgado

| editing = Danielle Fillios

| starring = {{ubl|Angie Cepeda|Salvador del Solar}}

| country = {{ubl|Peru|Spain}}

| language = Spanish

| released = {{film date|1999|10||Peru|2000|06|30|Spain|df=yes}}

| runtime = 137 minutes

}}

Captain Pantoja and the Special Services ({{Langx|es|Pantaleón y las visitadoras|links=no}}) is a 1999 Peruvian-Spanish film directed by Francisco J. Lombardi. It is based on the eponymous comic novel by Mario Vargas Llosa. The film was chosen as Peru's official Best Foreign Language Film submission at the 72nd Academy Awards, but did not manage to receive a nomination.{{cite press release | title = Record 47 Countries In Oscar Contention | publisher = Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences | date = 1999-11-22 | url = http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/1999/99.11.22.html | accessdate = 2008-08-20}}

Plot

The plot follows Captain Pantaleón Pantoja, a straitlaced army captain put in charge of creating a brothel for the army, in order to reduce the incidence of rape surrounding army bases and outposts. The first half of the movie focuses on the humor of the situation, as Pantaleon runs the brothel like an efficient branch of the army. The second half is more dramatic as the captain is changed by running the army brothel and focuses on his relationship with the prostitute Olga "the Colombian".

Cast

{{Cast listing|

Salvador del Solar as Pantaleón Pantoja
Angie Cepeda as Olga Arellano "the Colombian"
Mónica Sánchez as "Pochita"
Pilar Bardem as "Chuchupe"
{{ill|Gianfranco Brero|es}} as General Collazos{{Sfn|Vásquez Arana|2009|p=103}}
{{ill|Tatiana Astengo|es}} as "la Pechuga"
{{ill|Norka Ramírez|es}} as Vanessa{{Sfn|Vásquez Arana|2009|p=103}}
Víctor Ángeles as Sargento Panduro{{Sfn|Vásquez Arana|2009|p=103}}

}}

Production

The film is a Peruvian-Spanish co-production,{{Cite book|url=https://red.uao.edu.co/bitstream/handle/10614/14300/El%20cine%20de%20Lombardi%20como%20estrategia%20did%E1ctica%20en%20la%20ense%F1anza%20de%20la%20%E9tica.pdf?sequence=3|page=103|title=El cine de Lombardi como estrategia didáctica en la enseñanza de la ética|first=Diana Margarita|last=Vásquez Arana|publisher=Universidad Autónoma de Occidente|year=2009|issn=1692-2832|location=Cali}} by América Producciones alongside Inca Films and Tornasol Films, with the participation of {{ill|Vía Digital|es}}.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2000/film/reviews/captain-pantoja-and-the-special-service-1200461247/|website=Variety|date=12 March 2000|first=Eddie|last=Cockrell|title=Captain Pantoja and the Special Service}}

Release

The film premiered in Peru in late 1999.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lanacion.com.ar/espectaculos/pantaleon-la-pelicula-nid32226/|website=La Nación|date=9 September 2000|title=Pantaleón, la película}} Its Spanish theatrical release was scheduled for 30 June 2000.{{Cite web|date=20 June 2006|url=https://elpais.com/diario/2000/06/20/cultura/961452005_850215.html|website=El País|first=Elsa|last=Fernández-Santos|title=Lombardi insiste en la obra de Vargas Llosa y lleva al cine 'Pantaleón y las visitadoras'}}

The North-American release features a runtime of 119 minutes.{{cite web|title=Captain Pantoja and the Special Services AKA Pantaleón y las visitadoras (2000)|url=http://www.dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=8124|publisher=DVD Compare| accessdate = 2010-07-12}}