Although Butterfly teeters on the brink of becoming one of those sentimental movies about a young boy’s introduction to the world beyond his doorstep through his friendship with a wise old man, this Spanish movie never crosses that delicate line. In fact, during its closing moments, the film’s young boy utters something so disturbing that it will cause you to leave the theatre pondering deep questions about the ultimate fate of humankind. Set in the Galician countryside of Republican Spain in 1936 during the brief spate of time between the fall of the monarchy and the beginning of the Spanish Civil War, its historical context is an ever-present but muted element of Butterfly until near the end. The film’s drama is developed from a series of short stories by Manuel Rivas. Young Moncho (Lozano) is befriended by the compassionate and liberal-minded teacher Don Gregorio (Fernán Gomez). Through his teacher, the boy’s eyes are opened to the wonders of the natural world and other curiosities. Nicely performed and beautifully shot, Butterfly flutters lightly across the screen, which is why the disturbing ending packs such a punch.
This article appears in November 17 • 2000.
