This tragic picture deals with Antonia (Concha Velasco) who is coerced to marry herself to violent Lucas Sánchez Parrondo (Pedro Armendáriz) . Lucas has a brother called Pedro (Manuel Monroy) who helps and falls for Antonia . Later on , there takes place a killing and Lucas is detained , judged and condemned for several years . But Lucas seeks vengeance against his wife Antonia and things go awry .
This is an interesting drama full of passions , vendettas , obsession and tragic events . Based on a novel by the famous Galician writer Emilia Pardo Bazán , though the original book was set in 1893 , being published by that time , the film is developed during Alfonso XIII kingdom and , in fact , is faithfully recreated the spectacular wedding between king Alfonso XIII and queen Victoria Eugenia . The prestigious author Emilia Pardo Bazán had some cinematic renditions , such as : ¨Viaje De Novios¨ by Gonzalo Delgras and ¨Sirena Negra¨ by Carlos Serrano De Osma , but especially the notorious ¨Los Pazos De Ulloa¨ directed by Gonzalo Suarez with Charo López . Magnifent main cast , outstanding Pedro Armendariz , one of the best Mexican actors who formerly played in Spain : ¨The tyrant of Toledo¨ , and performed for great filmmakers as John Ford , Indio Fernández and Luis Buñuel ; and , of course , Conchita Velasco in one of his first dramatic roles , though prior had detached in ¨Crimen Para Recien Casados¨ and ¨La Paz Empieza Nunca¨. Support cast is frankly excellent , plenty of prestigious and familiar faces , such as José María Caffarel , Antonio Garisa ,Rafael Bardem , José Calvo ,Eulália del Pino Guadalupe Muñoz Sampedro , Mercedes Muñoz Sampedro , Angel Del Pozo , Adriano Domínguez , Erasmo Pascual , Francisco Bernal , Jose Maria Lado , José Riesgo , Rafaela Aparicio and many others .
It contains an evocative and original music score by Salvador Ruiz De Luna . Expressionist and Neo-realist cinematography in black and white by one of the best Spanish cameramen , Cecilio Paniagua . Excellent and adequate production design by the veteran designer Sigfredo Burmann shot in Estudios Orphea, Barcelona, Catalonia, and Estudios C.E.A., Ciudad Lineal, Madrid . The motion picture was professionally directed by José Luis Sáenz De Heredia , it was a box office flop ; but , nowadays , it turns to be very well considered . Controversial figure in Spain because of his strong and unabashed support of dictator Francisco Franco , Heredia made a lot of films : dramas and comedies , especially . He was a writer and director, known for : ¡¡Se Armó El Belén!! (1970) , Historias De La radio (1955) , La Verbena De La Paloma , Todo Es Possible En Granada , Faustina , Mariona Rebull , El Escandalo , Las Aguas Bajan Negras , Franco Ese Hombre and Raza (1942) whose screenwriter was Francisco Franco .
