Quite disappointing. Sometimes the Spanish confuse smut for art and this is a case in point. This movie was probably the point in time where Penelope Cruz's beauty and talent started to become a thing of exploit. I having been watching her films back to back for the past few months because I recently became a devoted fan and I have to say this is one of the worst films I am seen her in next to 'Don't Tempt Me' and 'Sahara', I honestly don't get the point of all soft porn scenes, I mean I know this film was shot in a era (15th century) when stuff like that was as normal and inconsequential as tying ones shoe laces but come on the point was made when it was shown once or twice. That said, it's nice to see that Ms. Cruz has blossomed as an actor since then.

LA CELESTINA was written in 1499 by Fernando de Rojas and is considered to be second only to Cervantes' DON QUIXOTE as the greatest work of Spanish literature. Here the novel is adapted for the screen by Rafael Azcona, Francisco Rico, and Gerardo Vera, the last contributor serving as director of this sadly uneven film. Despite boasting a cast of some of the finest actors in Spain, the dialogue is such a mishmash of old rhythms and contemporary expressions that much of the magic is lost.

But then the story is a bit on the 15th century wild side: a handsome young knight Calisto (Juan Diego Botto) is obsessively in love with the beautiful Melibea (Penélope Cruz) yet it takes the love potions of the bruja Celestina (Terele Pávez),enlisted by Calisto's conniving servant Sempronio (Nancho Novo),to effect the magic. Calisto's faithful and humble servant Pármeno (Jordi Mollà) fails in his attempts to block the spells delivered by Celestina but to no avail. Once the magic is in effect the worlds of each person fall apart. The human passions of love, greed, lust, revenge, and desire interplay in a manner that brings destruction in the path.

Made in 1996 before many of the actors involved became famous, the film 'looks' magical with radiant costumes and sets and spot on music. But the dialogue is clumsy, the English translations even clumsier, and the whole story fails to work its spell on the audience. Instead of a fiery climax the film just sort of fizzles. But it is interesting to see Penélope Cruz, Juan Diego Botto, Maribel Verdú, Jordi Mollà and Nancho Novo in their early stage of development. This is an escapist period piece that could have been so much better, but even in this state it is entertaining. Grady Harp

Based on the novel considered to be one of the greatest works of Spanish literature, and traditionally marks the end of medieval literature and the beginning of the literary renaissance in Spain . It deals with a young nobleman , Calisto (Juan Diego Botto) , who falls in love for Melibea (Penélope Cruz) , the daughter of a rich trader . Calisto's servant Sempronio suggests they get the intriguing Celestina (Terele Pavez) to further the romance . As he uses the old procuress Celestina to start an affair with Melibea , an unmarried girl kept in seclusion by her parents . The sorceress Celestina is the owner of a brothel and in charge of two young employees . She uses people's greed, sexual appetite which she helps create , then provides means to satisfy , and love to control them . She was once a prostitute, and now she dedicates her time to arranging discreet meetings between illicit lovers, and at the same time uses her house as a brothel for the prostitutes Elicia (Candela Peña) and Areusa (Maribel Verdu) . However Calisto's other servant Parmeno is suspicious of Celestina , as he knows about her tricks. After Celestina convinces Melibea of Calisto's love and manages a brief clandestine meeting between them , Calisto gives Celestina a valuable gold chain . Both servants -Pármeno (Jordi Mollà) and Sempronio (Nancho Novo)- are not satisfied with the rewards supplied by Celestina and demand more from her . As when the weary Calisto returns home at dawn to sleep, his two servants go round to Celestina's house to get their share of the gold . Celestina tries to cheat them and in rage fight and events go awry .

The rich as well as perverse roles of this film based on famous book ¨La Celestina¨ by Fernando De Rojas are inspired by the meddling characters of the comedies of Plautus and in works of the Middle Ages such as The Book of Good Love by Juan Ruiz ¨Arcipreste De Hita¨ and Italian works like The Tale of the Two Lovers by Enea Silvio Piccolomini and Elegía de Madonna Fiammeta by Giovanni Boccaccio and other usual archetypes of medieval literature . La Celestina was written during the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella , whose marriage took place in 1469 and lasted until 1504 , the year of Isabella's death, which occupies the last phase of the Pre-Renaissance for Spain and when took place major events in the history of Spain as the discovery of the Americas , the conquest of Granada and the expulsion of the Jews . The film relies heavily on the intrigues of the nasty servants plenty of nudism and sexual scenes in which the couples of whores and villains are usually making love . One common feature of all of the characters result to be their individualism , their egoism, and their lack of altruism . The private benefit of the lower-class characters forms a substitute for the love/lust present for the upper class . The character development is carried out through relationships between complementary or opposing roles , as in general there are two opposite groups of characters, the servants and the nobles, and within each group are characters divided into pairs . At the end take place a dramatic sequence of happenings , thus setting off treason , deaths and executions . Nice acting by Terele Pavez as Celestina , she gives a colorful and vivid character , hedonistic , miserly , and yet full of life. She has such a deep understanding of the psychology of the other characters that she can convince even those who do not agree with her plans to accede to them . Celestina represents a subversive element in the society, by spreading and facilitating sexual pleasure . As the name Celestina has become synonymous with Procuress , especially an older woman used to further an illicit affair , and is a literary archetype of this character , the masculine counterpart being Pandarus . Celestina is the element that catalyzes the tragedy, and represents a life lived with wild abandon . Acceptable main cast formed by young actors as Juan Diego Botto and Penélope Cruz . They are supported by a magnificent secondary cast , such as Nathalie Seseña , Carlos Fuentes , Anna Lizaran , Ángel Andrés López , Lluís Homar and Ana Risueño , among others .

Colorful and brilliant cinematography by José Luis López-Linares . Atmospheric and evocative musical score full of Middle Age music and classical soundtrack . The motion picture was regularly shot by Gerardo Vera , being filmed in his usual formal and stylistic scholarship , without leaving a trace the thought-provoking issues , in terms of dramatic and narrative excitement . It was notorious screen-writer Rafael Azcona who encouraged director Gerardo Vera to make this movie . Gerardo Vera was born in Madrid , where he often shoots his films . He is a good filmmaker , production designer and costume designer , known for Deseo (2002) , Tattoo (1999) , Segunda Piel (1999) and especially this , La Celestina (1996). Gerardo Vera is particularly famous as a prestigious Production designer , being known for El Pecador Impeccable , Fuego Eterno , Mitad del Cielo , Tasio , Feroz and La Niña De Tus Ojos (1998).

They are several renditions about ¨La Celestina¨, although usually regarded as a novel , it is written as a continuous series of dialogues and can be taken as a play , having been staged as such and filmed . These are the followings : 1969 year by Cesar Fernández Arvadin with Julián Mateos as Calisto , Elisa Ramírez as Melibea and Amelia de la Torre as Celestina ; TV miniseries with Miguel Ayones , Gemma Cuervo , Cándida Losada and Tony Soler as Celestina and Mexican version (1976) with Isela Vega , Ofelia , and Ana De Sade