Bathtub Scene


Fascinating movie. Ana Torrent is terrific.

In the scene where the aunt undresses the youngest daughter and places her in the tub, the little girl screams the water is too hot and tires to climb out. At that moment, everyone in the shot starts giggling, including the adult actress, and looks to their left (possibly at the director?). The scene continues,but did anyone else notice this? I wonder what occurred that was not rehearsed and made everyone lose focus?

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Yes, I noticed this too & clearly, the whole thing was not set up.

The bathwater filled for the scene was just too hot for little Abuela; she reacts 100% naturally.
If you watch closely, you see her cry *for real* when the aunt mixes some more cold water in the tub...

Funny moment for Ana and Irene, who can not stop laughing.

Normally, when actors fall out of character this way, a director gives the order to stop filming;
reason why they look next to camera (where Carlos Saura is standing), waiting for a reaction.

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I thought that scene was odd & why would you put the girl back in the tub if it was too hot?



http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lumddup0q51ql42aoo1_500.gif

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It probably wasn't that hot. Small children can be oversensitive and whiny.

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It didn't even occur to me that they were breaking character. Don't you think it makes sense for them to giggle in the context of the scene?

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Oh yeah, they were. watch it again and you see everyone falling out. Then they all look at the camera direction, waiting for instructions, or a retake. But Carlos Saura probably waived them to continue and so they did.
Luckily, European cinema wasn't Hollywood in those years, and goofs were acceptable, the idea rather was the generation of a mood, or emotion, than that of perfect staging. Nothing was really wrong, and a litte giggle well understood, because the small girl fell out first for expressing 'it is too hot!'. Why not giggle then?

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There's also another scene in which Ana is called over by her aunt while sewing, and the piece of clothing she attempts to place on the table falls off. Many directors (and certainly most in this era) would have cut, but it was just ignored. It's so refreshing when directors are open to their films being loose and non-stilted.

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