- Director: Vicente Aranda
- Genre: Historical Film
- Movie Type: Biopic, Historical Epic
- Themes: Fall From Power, Crowned Heads
- Main Cast: Pilar Lopez de Ayala, Daniele Liotti, Manuela Arcuri, Eloy Azorín, Rosana Pastor, Giuliano Gemma
- Release Year: 2001
- Country: ES
- Run Time: 118 minutes
- MPAA Rating: R
Plot
This lavish historical drama was inspired by the true story of Juana the Mad, who became Queen of Spain before her willfulness and jealousy robbed her of her power. During the late 15th century, Juana (Pilar Lopez de Ayala) was born to the Spanish royal family, and as a teenager her mother, Queen Isabella (Susy Sanchez), arranged for her to marry Archduke Philip (Daniele Liotti) of Brussels. The marriage is a matter of politics more than anything else, and Juana is upset that she must leave behind Alvaro de Estuniga (Eloy Azorin), the boy she loves, but from the first time she sees Felipe, she's passionately attracted to him, and he soon awakens her to the joys of lovemaking. While Juana is happy with her new husband, Philip soon reveals himself to be an incorrigible womanizer (and rapidly loses sexual interest in her), leading to much tension between
Philip and Juana. To complicate matters further, her sexual appetite and desire to possess her husband only build, and soon, she is completely out of control on an emotional level - throwing tantrums in the rain, lapsing into arousal while she breast feeds and evincing a spectrum of equally questionable behavior that leads others (including Philip) to dub her "Juana the Mad."In time, Juana becomes the Queen of Spain, but her rise to power is tempered by Felipe' s behind-the-scenes machinations to have her dethroned once and for all. Lo and behold, she falls into the trap of missing this - as she's too distracted by Philip's continued infidelity. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Cast
Pilar Lopez de Ayala - Juana la Loca, Queen of SpainDaniele Liotti - Archduke PhilipManuela Arcuri - AixaEloy Azorín - Don Alvaro de EstunigaRosana Pastor - Elvira- Giuliano Gemma - De Veyre
