What a great film! It puts the Spanish Civil War in perspective and shows how awful living under "el franquismo" was going to be. You can feel the exhilaration of living under the Republic and the darkness the country begins to slide into. Spanish film, overshadowed by Pedro Almodovar's quirky film, is really coming into its own and, unfortunately, is often overlooked and undervalued. The settings are true to the era, capturing the feel of Spain in the 1930s. The acting is superb, and the script is great. Plus, there is no overdone drama. The child actor is adorable without being made the object of cuteness, and Fernando Fernan Gomez is lovable without being sappy or sentimental. All I can say is "Wow!"