Yerma

While writer-director Pilar Tavora clearly put a great deal of thought and effort into this adaptation of Federico Garcia Lorca's play about an Andalusian peasant woman desperate to have a child, the resultant effort is dramatically as barren as its protagonist. Aitana Sanchez-Gijon projects an appropriately simmering presence as the title character, who's trapped in a stifling marriage with Juan (Juan Diego), a local farmer more interested in his honor than in his wife's needs. After three years of childlessness, Yerma engages in all the pious practices religious tradition prescribes to ensure pregnancy, but none of them work. And while she's attracted to a virile young shepherd, her own sense of honor won't permit her to stray. Ultimately, the suggestion by a pragmatic old woman (Irene Papas) that the fault might lie with Juan, not her, leads to tragedy. A dark, gloomy tale of obsession and repression, with a claustrophobic atmosphere and emphasis on ritualistic behavior that keep it static and cold, Yerma's frequent intrusion of local music and dance only adds to the sense of emotional distancing. An ambitious effort that just doesn't come off, this is not recommended. (F. Swietek)