At his first own picture, Bardem compiled some anecdotes of his parents life and took the exceptional Mankiewicz’s “ALL ABOUT EVE” as an inspiration reference to certified and effusive document of affability and admiration to those mobile theater companies, that used to cross the wither Spain of forties and fifties with his modest performance. Emphasizing the longing of triumph that afflicts a young and slack actress, the film narrates with enviable intensity and a pompous visual formalism (with a foregrounds profusion), the miserable and competitive daily task that implies this kind of work; in an interesting social description that allows to think over some delicates themes, such as the dignity, the hope or the vocational doubt. In 1970, Bardem realized a musical version of the same story, “VARIETÉS”, to display the downcast beauty of Sara Montiel. —IMDb
Juan Antonio Bardem (2 June 1922, Madrid – 30 October 2002, Madrid) was a Spanish screen writer and film director. He was best known for Muerte de un ciclista (1955) which won the FIPRESCI Prize at the 1955 Cannes Film Festival, and Calle Mayor (1956). In 1993, he was a member of the jury at the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival. Bardem is the uncle of actor Javier Bardem. —Wikipedia