High Heels

Stars: Victoria Abril (Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!), Marisa Paredes, Miguel Bose. Best known for his offbeat comedies (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!), Spanish director Pedro Almodovar's latest is a delightful satiric romp with a few strong pulls on ye olde heartstrings. Victoria Abril is superb as Rebecca Giner, a TV news anchorwoman who has lived in the shadow of her famous singer-actress mother Becky Del Paramo (Marisa Paredes) all her life. After a long absence, Mom comes home to visit and finally meet Rebecca's husband (re-meet actually, since they were once lovers). The chemistry just ain't right, and within a month hubby is dead, murdered by either Rebecca, her mother, or a mistress. Even though Rebecca' quick confession lands her in jail, she has allies who believe she is innocent: a transvestite named Lethal, who does a stage act impersonating Rebecca's mother from her 60s pop period; and a judge, whose elderly hypochondriac mother wants to be tested for AIDS. It all makes for a rather wacky stew of mystery, hidden identities, and outlandish humor. While few males can lay claim to having divined the feminine mystique, Almodovar seems to have an instinctive understanding of women-and he's dead on target in High Heels. Audience: Women and men ...and mothers.