It's been some time since I posted anything to this blog - a criminal underuse, if I'm honest. And in the same vein, it's important not to expect regular posts from me, as I'll usually either not remember to write something, not bother to finish it, or not have anything really to write about. However, today there is a post, for what it's worth. Today, I'm going to present the key events of the film "Talk to Her" ("Hable con Ella") in a sort of timeline.
Talk to Her is a 2002 film by the Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar, which won several awards. Starring Darío Grandinetti as Marco Zuloaga, Javier Camára as Benigno Martín, Leonor Watling as Alicia Roncero, and Rosario Flores as Lydia González, it tells the story of two men and their comatose lovers (I use the term loosely - the events which unfold throughout the story mean it's not entirely certain that either woman cares for one of the men). To my knowledge, the date is only given at one point in the film, and this comes after a non-specific time-jump. This means that a timeline needs to be created from an arbitrary starting point. In this respect, I'll consider the opening scene of the film to take place on the day the film was released, but one year earlier - March 15th, 2001.
Enjoy the timeline! :)
several years before 2001 Ángela (Elena Anaya) runs from the tent she shares with Marco to escape from a snake.
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| Marco (L) remembers Ángela (R) |
29th July 1997 Benigno watches Alicia being taught to dance by Katerina Bilova (Geraldine Chaplin), though he is reprimanded for it by his mother.
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| Alicia (L) takes a dance lesson |
29th October 1997* Alicia drops her purse leaving a dance lesson. Benigno returns it to her, and walks her home. She makes it clear that she loves dancing and silent cinema. Benigno notes where she lives.
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| Alicia confronts Benigno (L), who is following her |
30th October 1997 Benigno spends a day watching for Alicia, but she does not go to a dance lesson. He books an appointment with her father, Dr. Roncero (Helio Pedregal).
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| Benigno books an appointment with Doctor Roncero |
31st October 1997 Benigno's appointment with Dr. Roncero. Afterwards, he makes his way to Alicia's bedroom and takes a hairclip. He runs into her as she comes from the shower, but manages to bluff his way out of trouble.
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| Benigno explains himself after walking into Alicia as she leaves the shower |
6th November 1997** Alicia is involved in a car accident. Katerina finds out and enlists a substitute to finish her class.
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| Katerina (R) asks one of her pupils (Ana Sanz, L) to finish the class |
7th November 1997 Benigno's scheduled second appointment with Doctor Roncero.
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| Benigno rings the doorbell for Doctor Roncero, who isn't there |
15th March 2001 Marco Zuloaga and Benigno Martín attend the Pina Bausch ballet Cafe Müller independently of one another, though they happen to have adjacent seats.
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| Benigno and Marco watch 'Cafe Müller' |
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| Benigno and Rosa (R) clean away Alicia's period blood |
17th March 2001 Marco watches Lydia's interview with the television presenter (Loles Léon) and calls his agent to get a piece on her.
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| Lydia is on Marco's television |
19th March 2001*** The first bullfight, watched by Marco. After the fight, he drives Lydia to Madrid - after she refuses an interview en route, having learnt that he doesn't want to write on the bullfighting itself. Lydia finds a snake in her house, which Marco kills (causing him to recall Ángela). Marco takes Lydia to the Eurobuilding hotel.
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| Marco returns to his car, having killed the snake |
21st March 2001 Benigno and Rosa wash and cut Alicia's hair. Lydia agrees to a profile, and Marco drives her to Sevilla.
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| Benigno cuts Alicia's hair |
20th May 2001**** Cucurrucucú Paloma. Marco explains the incident with Ángela and the snake to Lydia.
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| Caetano Veloso sings "Cucurrucucú Paloma" |
27th September 2001***** Ángela marries Benjamin (Ben Lindbergh), with Marco and Lydia in attendance. Marco and Lydia drive to the second bullfight. Lydia is gored by the bull.
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| Ángela greets Marco on her way to marry Benjamin |
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| The moment Lydia is gored by the bull |
18th October 2001 Lydia's sister leaves the hospital. A nurse (Beatriz Santiago) explains Lydia's injuries to Marco.
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| El Niño (Adolfo Fernández) enters as a nurse explains Lydia's injuries to Marco |
19th October 2001 Marco first sees Alicia, who opens her eyes. This prompts him to question Dr Vega on the subject. Returning to Lydia's room, Marco is caught peeping by Benigno, who tells him to enter Alicia's room. Benigno explains that they watched Cafe Müller together. When Marco leaves, Dr Roncero enters, wishing to resume their sessions.
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| Rosa and Alicia, from the point of view of Marco |
20th October 2001 Katerina discusses her new ballet with Benigno (and Alicia). When she leaves, Marco comes to visit. Benigno recounts the days leading up to Alicia's accident, and tells Benigno he needs to talk to Lydia (the "Talk to Her" of the title).
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| Katerina discusses her ballet with Benigno and Alicia |
21st October 2001 The head nurse (Carmen Machi) and the nurse assigned to Lydia discuss their discomfort at Benigno's intimacy when caring for Alicia. Benigno visits Marco to tell him he's off to the cinema. That night, he watches the silent film "The Shrinking Lover", the story of Amparo and Alfredo.
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| "The Shrinking Lover": Alfredo (Fele Martínez) walks on top of Amparo's (Paz Vega) body |
22nd October 2001 During a night shift, Benigno runs Alicia through "The Shrinking Lover". Once this is finished, he rapes her.
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| Benigno talks Alicia through "The Shrinking Lover", just before he rapes her |
27th November 2001 Benigno and Marco take Alicia and Lydia onto the balcony together. Marco tells Benigno that it's been two months since Lydia was gored by the bull.
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| Benigno and Marco with Alicia and Lydia |
28th November 2001 El Niño returns, having been gored, and explains to Marco that he and Lydia had got back together just before the bullfight, and that Lydia intended to tell Marco after the fight. Marco goes to speak to Alicia. He observes that her breasts are getting bigger, and tells Benigno he's thinking of leaving. Marco leaves as Rosa enters. Rosa notices that Alicia's period is late.
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| El Niño talks to Lydia |
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| Marco notices Alicia's breasts are getting bigger |
12th December 2001 Rosa reports the late period to Doctor Vega. Marco decides to leave, and tells Benigno. Benigno tells Marco he wishes to marry Alicia - they get on better than many married couples he knows.
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| Benigno tells Marco he wants to marry Alicia |
13th December 2001 The hospital director (Joserra Cadiñanos) confirms that Alicia is pregnant. One nurse (Ismael Martínez) tells all of Benigno's desire to marry Alicia, and Benigno becomes the prime suspect.
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| Benigno is the prime suspect in the rape of Alicia |
13th April 2002 Lydia dies.
13th August 2002 Marco discovers Lydia's death. He contacts the hospital, and hears from Rosa that Benigno is in prison for the rape of Alicia.
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| Rosa tells Marco that Benigno is in prison |
14th August 2002 Marco travels to the prison where Benigno is held. But he cannot visit - Bendingo must request a visit, and only on Saturday or Sunday. Benigno requests a visit for Saturday.
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| Marco tries to visit Benigno |
17th August 2002 Marco visits Benigno. He promises to get Benigno a new lawyer and find out what happened to Alicia.
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| Marco visits Benigno in jail |
18th August 2002 Marco rents out Benigno's flat. As he looks out of the balcony, he spots Alicia back at the dance academy. After the other pupils leave, Katerina gives Alicia special exercises.
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| The portera (Chus Lampreave) gives Marco the key to Benigno's flat |
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| Alicia watches the other dancers enjoying their lesson, while she cannot |
19th August 2002 Marco gets another lawyer for Benigno. From him, he learns that Alicia's fetus was born dead.
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| The lawyer (Michel Ruben) tells Marco of Alicia's baby |
24th August 2002 Marco visits Benigno once more. That night, having heard from his lawyer that Alicia was still in a coma, Benigno kills himself, having recorded a message for Marco.
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| Benigno talks to Marco |
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| Benigno writes a letter to Marco, minutes before his accidental suicide |
25th August 2002 Marco receives the message and rushes to the prison to stop Benigno, but it is too late. He collects Benigno's things, and visits his grave - burying Alicia's hairclip with him.
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| Marco receives his last message from Benigno |
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| Marco visits Benigno's grave |
26th August 2002 Marco goes to the ballet. There, he meets Alicia and Katerina. In the lobby during the interval, he speaks with Alicia, but tells her nothing of the rape incident. Marco tells Katerina of Benigno's passing. The film concludes with one final title-card: "Marco y Alicia". They will be involved in each other's futures somehow, but that's for another film.
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| Marco turns to look at Alicia, after their meeting in the theatre lobby |
* We know Alicia was in a coma for four years when Benigno met Marco, so this action must take place more than four years earlier. The only clue we have as to the time of this is that Benigno's mother has been dead for two months. As she seems alive and well in the previous scene, it's safe to assume at least three months have passed.
** All we know from the film is that Alicia's accident took place in the rainy week before Benigno's second appointment. From the fact that Benigno walks to Roncero's office, we can assume theaccident happened soon before the appointment, and as it's neither raining nor wet on the ground when Benigno goes to the office, it must be a different day.
*** It's not made clear when the bullfight takes place. It has to be before 25th March, as Marco wants to write an article for the Sunday issue. I couldn't find information on what day bullfights are normally held, but Juan José Padilla was gored on a Tuesday, so I'll assume this bullfight takes place on a Tuesday too.
**** No timescale is given here, only that it takes place between the two bullfights. Based on the fact that it's taking place in darkness, and that a barbecue is being served, it's a fair assumption that it's nearing, but not quite at, summer. As a result, I've dated it to May 2001.
***** The title on-screen says "several months later", without specifying. From Marco's lines later in the film, and the chart which is shown at one point, we can deduce that Lydia was gored on 27th September 2001.
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