The Anonymous Queen
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox film
| native_name = {{Infobox name module|es|La reina anónima|nolink=yes}}
| image = The Anonymous Queen poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Gonzalo Suárez
| screenplay = Gonzalo Suárez
| starring = {{ubl|Carmen Maura|Marisa Paredes|Juanjo Puigcorbé}}
| cinematography = Carlos Suárez
| editing = Pablo del Amo
| music = Mario de Benito
| studio = {{ubl|Ditirambo Films|Lola Films}}
| distributor = United International Pictures
| country = Spain
| language = Spanish
| released = {{Film date|1992|09||Zinemaldia|1992|10|16|Spain|df=yes}}
}}
The Anonymous Queen ({{langx|es|La reina anónima|links=no}}){{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nUxICM1X0rAC&pg=PA286|page=286|title=The A to Z of Spanish Cinema|first=Alberto|last=Mira|publisher=The Scarecrow Press, Inc.|location=Lanham|year=2010|isbn=978-0-8108-7622-4}} is a 1992 Spanish fantasy drama film directed by Gonzalo Suárez starring Carmen Maura and Marisa Paredes.
Plot
Upon meeting a strange woman claiming to be her neighbor, the anodine life of housewife Ana Luz takes a wild turn,{{Cite web|url=https://www.audiovisual451.com/carmen-maura-es-la-actriz-del-mes-de-julio-en-8madrid-tv/|website=Audiovisual451|date=2 July 2021|title=Carmen Maura es la actriz del mes de julio en 8madrid TV}} experiencing a series of surrealist and crazy situations that she is unable to control, with a further set of bizarre characters breaking into her residence.{{Sfn|Benavent|2000|p=496}}
Cast
{{Cast listing|
- Carmen Maura as Ana Luz{{Sfn|Benavent|2000|p=495}}
- Marisa Paredes as desconocida ('stranger'){{Sfn|Benavent|2000|p=495}}
- Juanjo Puigcorbé as marido ('husband'){{Sfn|Benavent|2000|p=495}}
- Jesús Bonilla as pintor ('painter'){{Sfn|Benavent|2000|p=495}}
- Cristina Marcos as amante ('lover'){{Sfn|Benavent|2000|p=495}}
- {{ill|Pepa López|es}} as amiga ('friend'){{Sfn|Benavent|2000|p=495}}
- Kiti Manver as profesora ('teacher'){{Sfn|Benavent|2000|p=495}}
- El Gran Wyoming{{Sfn|Benavent|2000|p=495}}
- {{ill|Clara Sanchís|es}}{{Sfn|Benavent|2000|p=495}}
- Nancho Novo{{Sfn|Benavent|2000|p=495}}
}}
Production
The screenplay was penned by Gonzalo Suárez. Produced by Ditirambo Films and Lola Films,{{Cite web|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1992/11/16/cultura/721868409_850215.html|website=El País|date=16 November 1992|first=Javier|last=Cuartas|title=Gonzalo Suárez inicia el rodaje de 'El detective y la muerte'}} the film boasted a 250 million ₧ budget. Filming began on 25 May 1992.{{Cite web|website=El País|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1992/06/10/cultura/708127211_850215.html|title=Gonzalo Suárez cambia el misticismo por el vodevil|first=Regina|last=Valenzuela|date=10 June 1992}} Regarding the labelling of his film, Suárez stated that he was "not interested in discussing what La reina anónima is. I usually say it is a tragedy disguised as a comedy, or a psychological drama. But in the end they are nothing more than jests".{{Cite web|website=El País|first=Casimiro|date=16 October 2022|last=Torreiro|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1992/10/16/cultura/719190002_850215.html|title=Gonzalo Suárez: "No me interesa discutir qué es mi película"}}
Release
The film screened in the Golden Shell competition of the 40th San Sebastián International Film Festival in September 1992.{{Cite web|website=El País|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1992/09/16/cultura/716594409_850215.html|first=José Luis|last=Barbería|title=El Festival de San Sebastián acentúa este año su compromiso con el cine independiente|date=16 September 1992}} It was released theatrically in Spain on 16 October 1992.{{Cite book|title=Cine español de los 90. Diccionario de películas, directores y temático|first=Francisco María|last=Benavent|year=2000|isbn=84-271-2326-4|location=Bilbao|publisher=Ediciones Mensajero|pages=495–496}}
Reception
Ángel Fernández-Santos of El País assessed that despite the film boasting certain assets such as "expressionist sets", "excellent craft on the part of the cast", and "a dense and brilliant literary base", it has "little, if any, sense of ellipsis", thus damaging the whole.{{Cite web|website=El País|first=Ángel|last=Fernández-Santos|author-link=Ángel Fernández-Santos|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1992/09/22/cultura/717112818_850215.html|date=22 September 1992|title=Gonzalo Suárez no logra en 'La reina anónima' convertir una pesadilla en comedia}}
Accolades
{{Awards table|5}}
|-
| {{center|1994}} || 7th Goya Awards || Best Costume Design || Yvonne Blake || {{nom}} || {{Citation |url=https://www.accioncultural.es/virtuales/premiosgoya/pdf/catalogo_expo_Goya_1987_2013.pdf|title=Viaje al cine español. 25 años de los Premios Goya|isbn=978-84-9785-791-8|year=2011|publisher=Lunwerg|pages=275}}
|}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anonymous Queen, The}}
Category:1990s Spanish-language films
Category:Spanish fantasy comedy films
Category:Spanish fantasy drama films
Category:Spanish comedy-drama films