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address and offers him a job in the company run by his friend Raul. Raul and
Eduardo had a relationship in the past and Raul is still secretly in love with Eduardo. With the excuse of helping him typing a book, Eduardo takes Miguel to his apartment every afternoon. To gain his friendship, Eduardo buys him a motorcycle. However, Miguel is
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In one of his regular cruising sessions in the
University area, Eduardo meets Miguel, an attractive young man from a humble background and falls in love with him. Then Eduardo starts his usual plan to approach men. Through Nes, a gay man who lives in Miguel's neighborhood, Eduardo finds out Miguel's
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stated that the film treats the "sad problem of homosexuality, but with Little scandal". On opening night in Madrid, the film was met with massive street demonstrations by gay liberationists, with de la
Iglesia recalling that, " It was the first time a Spanish gay group came out in public, with its
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In one of his adventures cruising in the park, Eduardo meets Nes again. Nes and members of his gang go to
Eduardo's apartment to rob him and beat him. When Miguel finds out what had happened, he worries about Eduardo and beats Nes in revenge. As a result, Eduardo and Miguel resume their friendship.
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The close friendship between
Eduardo and the couple formed by Miguel and Carmen is abruptly truncated by Rosa's reappearance. Rosa, angry because she was jilted by Miguel, maliciously begin to spread rumors that Miguel is gay. She talks to Carmen's father and, as a consequence, he forbids his
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daughter to see Miguel again. Miguel becomes very upset with the loss of his girlfriend, blaming his closeness to
Eduardo for it. Hurt and enraged, Miguel goes to the bank where Eduardo works and makes a terrible scene, shouting, insulting, and revealing Eduardo's homosexuality to all.
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This time, they accept each other and
Eduardo respects that Miguel is straight. Miguel introduces his girlfriend Carmen to Eduardo and the trio establish a close relationship. For Eduardo, the company of the young couple fills the void of a family life and eases his loneliness.
245:. He has a steady girlfriend, Carmen. Miguel is also entangled in a sexual affair with Rosa, an older married neighbor who he visits with excuse of helping her with plumbing problems in her house. When Eduardo tells his fellings to his new friend, Miguel rejects him.
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In the last scene
Eduardo is alone in his apartment and hears the rings of the doorbell. He looks through the peephole and his face lights up with joy. When the door is ajar the film ends without seeing the visitor.
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Eduardo returns to his solitary life looking for fleeting pleasures with young men in cruising spots: cinemas, parks and public toilets. He rejects the offer of his friend Raul to be involved in the emerging
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Eduardo, a well off bank manager in his forties, is a sophisticated closeted homosexual. He keeps his sexual life a secret, but he uses his social and economic position to win over young men.
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was highly controversial. Initially banned by the
Spanish censors, critics gave the film relatively kind reviews because they opposed the continuing of censorship one year after the death of
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Laws of Desire: Questions of Homosexuality in Spanish writing and film 1960- 1990)
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from a wealthy family, who falls in love with a much younger heterosexual man.
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is notable for being the first extended representation of gay men in
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437:. Oxford Hispanics University Press, 1992,
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295:Germán Cobos as Ignacio, Eduardo's brother
292:Antonio Corencia as Raúl, Eduardo's friend
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344:banners and presenting its demands."
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501:Films directed by Eloy de la Iglesia
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310:Antonio Iranzo as Carmen's father
313:Antonio Gamero as voyeur in park
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298:Ana Farra as Eduardo's mother
511:Spanish-language drama films
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33:Theatrical release poster
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486:1977 LGBT-related films
286:as Rosa, Miguel's lover
127:14 April 1977
280:Tony Fuentes as Miguel
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56:Rafael Sánchez Campoy
322:as Olga, a prostitute
433:Smith, Paul Julian.
333:Los placeres ocultos
223:Los placeres ocultos
201:La acera de enfrente
185:Los placeres ocultos
22:Los Placeres ocultos
506:1970s Spanish films
106:Carmelo A. Bernaola
404:Images in the Dark
307:as Miguel's mother
301:Ángel Pardo as Nes
214:and Tony Fuentes.
197:Eloy de la Iglesia
98:José Luis Matesanz
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476:1977 films
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429:1880707012
414:References
277:as Eduardo
193:drama film
131:1977-04-14
49:Written by
341:El Pueblo
327:Reception
95:Edited by
402:Murray,
393:, p. 130
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162:Language
147:95 mins.
103:Music by
71:Starring
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389:Smith,
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188:) is a
180:Spanish
166:Spanish
152:Country
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219:banker
348:Notes
156:Spain
461:IMDb
439:ISBN
425:ISBN
269:Cast
233:Plot
190:1977
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382:^
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178:(
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