Spanish Fly (1998 film)
| Spanish Fly | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Daphna Kastner |
| Written by | Daphna Kastner |
| Produced by | Juan Alexander |
| Starring | Daphna Kastner Toni Cantó Martin Donovan Danny Huston Marianne Sägebrecht Antonio Castro |
| Cinematography | Arnaldo Catinari |
| Edited by | Caroline Biggerstaff |
| Music by | Mario de Benito |
Production company | Portman Productions |
| Distributed by | Miramax Films |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 91 minutes |
| Countries | France Spain United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $15,503[1] |
Spanish Fly is a 1998 French comedy film written and directed by Daphna Kastner and starring Daphna Kastner, Toni Cantó, Martin Donovan, Danny Huston, Marianne Sägebrecht and Antonio Castro. It was released in France on June 30, 1999, by Miramax Films.[2][3][4]
Plot
Zoe, an American writer, arrives in Madrid to research Spanish machismo. Struggling with the language, she hires Antonio as a translator. His dismissive attitude and tendency to fabricate answers frustrate her, sparking tension as she sees him embodying the machismo she's studying. Zoe's brief romance with an American bookseller further complicates her views on men.
Cast
- Daphna Kastner as Zoe
- Toni Cantó as Antonio
- Martin Donovan as Carl
- Danny Huston as John
- Marianne Sägebrecht as Rosa
- Antonio Castro as Julio
- Maria de Medeiros as Rossy
- Vernon Dobtcheff as Carl's Friend
- Mary McDonnell as Zoe's Mother
- Rossy de Palma as Interviewee
Production
The film was shot in Spain, in the town of Mojácar and in Madrid.[5][6]
Reception
Spanish Fly received generally mixed reviews from critics. Variety labelled it a "sexy comedy",[6] but wrote in their August 1998 review that "Kastner's mannered acting style is better suited to supporting roles".[4] In December 1999, Stephen Holden of The New York Times had a mixed review, writing "imagine a shrill, charmless 94-minute episode of Sex and the City set in Madrid with a central character who, like Carrie in that series, is a journalist writing about sex, and you have Daphna Kastner's abrasive comedy, Spanish Fly".[7] Francis Rizzo of DVD Talk also gave the film a negative review, writing in November 2004, "it's truly a waste of your time to watch this confusing mess. The ridiculous philosophies, the questionable character motivation, the awful dialogue... it all adds up to an insult to your intelligence."[8]
Home media
Buena Vista Home Entertainment (under the Miramax Home Entertainment banner) released Spanish Fly on VHS in the United States on April 6, 1999. In approximately late 2001, it also received an Australian VHS release from Roadshow Entertainment, who had an Australian distribution agreement with Miramax at the time.[9] On November 9, 2004, Buena Vista Home Entertainment/Miramax Home Entertainment released it on DVD in the United States.[8]
In December 2010, Miramax was sold by The Walt Disney Company, their owners since 1993. That same month, the studio was taken over by private equity firm Filmyard Holdings.[10] In 2011, Filmyard Holdings licensed the Miramax library to streamer Netflix. This deal included Spanish Fly, and ran for five years, eventually ending on June 1, 2016.[11]
In March 2016, Filmyard Holdings sold Miramax to Qatari company beIN Media Group.[12] Then in April 2020, ViacomCBS (now known as Paramount Skydance) bought a 49% stake in Miramax, which gave them the rights to the Miramax library.[13][14] Spanish Fly is among the 700 titles they acquired in the deal,[15][16] and since April 2020, the film has been distributed on digital platforms by Paramount Pictures.[16]
References
- ^ "Spanish Fly (1999)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2017-10-27.
- ^ "Spanish Fly (1998) - Overview". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on October 27, 2017. Retrieved 2017-10-27.
- ^ Bhob Stewart (1999-12-01). "Spanish Fly (1998) - Daphna Kastner". AllMovie. Retrieved 2017-10-27.
- ^ a b Leonard Klady (1998-08-10). "Spanish Fly". Variety.com. Retrieved 2017-10-27.
- ^ Closing credits for Spanish Fly, 1997.
- ^ a b https://variety.com/1999/film/news/kastner-will-create-chaos-as-pic-caroms-to-new-line-1117758494/
- ^ https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/film/120199spanish-film-review.html
- ^ a b https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/13357
- ^ https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/spanish-fly-1
- ^ "Disney Completes Sale Of Miramax Films To Filmyard Holdings LLC". The Walt Disney Company. 2010-12-03. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
- ^ "Miramax Deal With Netflix Ends on June 1st - Over 400 Movies Leaving". What's on Netflix. May 21, 2016.
- ^ Smith, Nigel M. (March 2, 2016). "Iconic film studio Miramax sells to Doha-based beIN Media Group" – via The Guardian.
- ^ "ViacomCBS Makes an Investment in MIRAMAX | Paramount". www.paramount.com.
- ^ "ViacomCBS Closes Acquisition of Miramax Stake in $375 Million Deal". www.hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
- ^ "Spanish Fly". Park Circus.
- ^ a b https://www.primevideo.com/dp/amzn1.dv.gti.ca8d0ba9-2a95-4920-84a3-d2ab4266bb66?autoplay=0&ref_=atv_cf_strg_wb
External links