Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Michael Kennedy

How are Spanish speaking women interactions with men within the same culture?
It seemed to me that both the men and women in the film were very comfortable with each other. Even though some of them are strangers to one another they seemed to interact as if they knew each other. I guess it’s kind of a hard thing to describe but easier just to observe. I would assume that it is just the culture that we are seeing in the film. Carlos starts to kiss Candela as if it was no big deal. In a America he would have been lucky to have been able to walk out of the apartment. It’s not like she welcomed him kissing her but she wasn’t all that upset either.
As far as feelings of the characters go I think they were right on. Again it was their culture that came through on screen. From the discussion in class the other day I would have to say that Spain is definitely a “Hot Climate” country and the interaction between the characters would be expected I think.

Do you find any differences between women in the film and today’s American women?

In one respect maybe and that being the woman seemed to be in more control. Pepa was the one pursuing and was running the show. Actually female character had a certain – how can I put this – hardness to them I guess. An in your face attitude at times. They seemed to be the ones pursuing instead of being pursued.

What could have been different in the film if the context was in the U.S.?

Not much different I think except for some of the culture differences. The characters would have had different personalities due to the culture differences. The men would have been not as forward and the women more reserved I think.
My impressions of the film plot – Well as comedy film I think it was a little slow. And maybe because I am from a different culture that could be the reason I saw it this way. This was the first “comedy” film of a different culture that I have ever seen so it is hard to critique the plot at this time. I did like the movie but it was too slow for me as a comedy goes.

Do you think there is a difference among women from Spanish America and women from Spanish Europe?

Yes I think there would be a little bit of a difference because I think the Spanish American women would adopt American cultures at some point. They would not forget where they came from but they would change how they do certain things – culturally speaking.