Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Tontas Tuesday Dec. 3, '08 So Who Are You Gonna Believe...Me or Your Lyin' Eyes? *
my best. Alas, my videorecorder is programmed to run for 3 hours so I can't extract the tape to watch this twice until after Fuego....and folks, that's waaay past my bedtime. So here we go with what I got, plus some dialogue that Paula sent me a couple of days ago just because she liked it so much.
First, the old stuff: Lucia and Santiago's mom are at the cemetery. Both are angry at Lucia's parents for "leaving them" through their accidental death. You lost your parents. I lost my son. It's normal, eventually, to bury one's parents, but not the other way around, Granny laments. There's a shot of the gravestone I found really disturbing, because Lucia's mother was the same age as my oldest daughter. I did not like looking at that date on the headstone, I can tell you.
Then we have Pato's debacle with Beto, telling him he's his father without any preparation (though I don't have any idea how one would go about that anyway). Beto tells him he already has a dad and runs off. Pato then turns to Chava to help him....asking that he talk to Beto and bring him 'round. Of course the irony is that Chava is also Pato's son and neither knows it. More lies, more confusion, in the midst of an unacceptable truth.
Okay...on to the new stuff. Lots of brief scenes and fast changes so fasten your seatbelts. Marissa arrives in Santiago's office and he quickly moves her photo from the back row to front and center. A visual lie, implying she has more importance in his life than she actually does. They start bickering about the competition between the Institute of Inner Beauty and his surgical clinic and he dismisses all their activities as "faramalla" (meaning fuss or nonsense). She recommends they avoid the whole topic of the institute when they're together and boom! that's the end of the scene.
Chava is telling his mom that Beto has two fathers, Jorge and now Patricio. And he wonders if he could have another papa like Beto. (remember, he still thinks el Buitre, the soccer star is his dad).
Big lie.
Quick switch back to the Institute where the psychologist is playing up inner happiness to their prospective client as the great beauty enhancer. For instance, if you love your domestic work, you'll radiate happiness and be irresistable. But wait! Lulu loves her work and yet she has no boyfriend. As the psychologist (Barbara?) glares at her, she quickly fumbles into a lie that yes, well, yes, she does actually have a galan, a dreamy one. Another big lie.
Rocio and Chava are under a coffee table playing with her puppy and looking at the photo of his "dad". Donato sees it and promptly identifies it as el Buitre (the vulture) and Chava realizes his mom has lied to him big-time. A lie and a betrayal.
Charlie comes into the institute, sees Meño shaking his hips salsa style and notes that he moves like one of those swishy guys. Meño lets it pass, although this could be a time to tell Charly the truth. A lie of omission.
Chava confronts his mom with her lies and betrayal and runs off to his room. He's crying, she's crying and Santiago's at the door with a puppy and some manly comfort...which he'd like to dole out to both. Chava's up for it....he's ready to have Santiago be his pretend papa (papa de mentiritas) while Santiago doses him with the usual bromides, saying that Candy lied to him because she loved him! (excuse me but I absolutely gagged on that one). Anyway, in two seconds flat, it's all hunky-dory again. Chava and Mom are hugging and kissing and frankly I'm ready to put in a call to Dr. Phil. These family dynamics are about as screwed up as you can get.
On his way out, Santiago tries to make his usual pitch about being Candy's best friend as well, but she reminds him that men aren't friends...women are friends...men...they're only thinking about bed. Santiago says that's not true....
They're thinking about what happens in bed.
And how to get to bed.
Ha ha ha.
After he leaves, Candy admits to herself that occasionally women think about all that too. Occasionally!
Interspersed with all this is the ongoing conversation of Charly and Meño about gays. Meño asks him how he felt growing up without a father. Did the other kids treat him like he was different? Treat him badly because he didn't have a father? How did that discrimination feel? Well, that's how gays feel when others ostracize them. I don't discriminate...they just bother me, retorts Charly. Well, you haven't learned to respect others, answers his father. They're still "mariquitas (wimps, fairies, queers) sneers Charly.
Okay, on to a scene with Alicia, bosom on full display as she plies Soledad with money to leave town and ditch Patricio. Poverty is ugly, Alicia points out. And while I'm patient, if you're still sleeping with my husband.....well, don't force me to hurt you. Soledad accepts the envelope of cash.
Meanwhile Patricio is after his other prey, Rojoblanca, aka Candy, and tells her that if she won't meet him face to face, then at least he wants a photo. She decides to send him one of Lulu...another lie.
Meanwhile, Donato is being grilled by Santiago as to his mother's whereabouts. Santi is horrified that she's with a man (Jaime) and has actually asked the butler about having sex with a man her age. She's cheating on my dad! he screams. But she's a widow, protests the butler. No matter, Santiago is outraged that his poor dad is now "cornudo" (literally has horns on).
Another mini-scene. Raul is trying to put the moves on Candy to no avail. He wants to provide the Institute with free publicity in the paper. Nothin' doin'. Alright, she can "pay" him by doing a radio program. Nope. I want to give you all you deserve, he presses on, touching her hand. Touch my hand again and I'll bite it, retorts Candy. Lovely. But at least, not a lie.
Meanwhile, Santiago is still having hot flashes over his mother's behavior and requests some chamomille tea so he can calm his migraine. Later he tries to call his errant madre. She's rehearsing with Jaime for the 6o's party and basically tells him to butt out of her personal life before hanging up on him.
The three little kids, Beto, Rocio and Chava are on the trail of "lost dads" armed with Sherlock Holmes type magnifying glasses. And at the Institute, the staff is still trying to convince their client that she doesn't need plastic surgery. Well, here's how it goes: Yes, thanks to the emotional support and salsa lessons, etc., she's now so happy that hey, if her computer novio doesn't like her, it's his loss! Cheers all around. BUT, the plastic surgeon is so adorable, how can she renege on her plans to have work done. End of cheers.
We had a brief scene of sexy kisses between Patricio and Alicia and some grilling about DNA tests and why he was spending so much time on the computer. Evasive lies. And then Patricio goes to Chava's house in order to find Beto (still not realizing that Candy is his mother...and also Rojoblanca). Does anybody tell the truth about anything in this convoluted story!? Anyway, Charly answers the door, Patricio spots his childhood photo on the credenza (left by his mother-in-law) and asks what is it doing there. This question will field more lies.
Now the pivotal scene, highlighted in the previews, which Paula transcribed: Santiago has come to confront Candy about her lies concerning Chava's father. He wants her to tell him the truth.
C: You really want to tell him his dad's alive, eh? Go ahead.
S: It's better if you tell him. It has to come from you.
C: His father died. Because he died here in my heart.
S: Well that's your heart. But not Chava's. The boy thinks and feels differently. So many lies, you are Doña Mentiras.
C: You can't talk about my heart.
Marissa arrives and starts listening at the door.
S: Why not?
C: Because you're deceiving your novia about me. All the heart-felt kisses you gave me on the street. All the things you've promised me. And what about your novia?
Marissa walks in and says What's your answer Santiago?
C: Marissa, we need to talk.
M: No Candy, we have nothing to talk about. Turning to Santiago, she adds, You have what you both want. We're finished.
Marissa whirls out. Candy chases after her. And Santiago has to slink through a gauntlet of disapproving women who of course listened in on every word.
Santiago's humiliated. Patricio is frustrated. No one's giving him a straight story about how his photo came to be in Chava's house but he figures, correctly, that it was Gregoria. Later he and Soledad talk about the money Alicia offered her to leave town. He's surprised at the amount of cash Alicia was willing to offer. And what did you tell her? I LIED, answers Soledad...I told her I was leaving.
Lies and more lies. Now Santiago's trying to woo his way back into Marissa's good graces via telephone, while she trashes his photo with diabolical mustache, goatee and horns. In a scene reminiscent of When Harry Met Sally, Santi vows that he knows she's there, if she doesn't pick up he's going to start singing, he launches into the Fuego theme song "Vale más un buen amor..."and that's pretty much it.
She doesn't answer the phone, but she does answer the door. And it's Candy. With sushi.
Dramatic moment but the writers switch us back to Lucia, who has crept out of the house to meet Charly at the antro (nightclub). She's bummed out because yet another school friend has had her "bubis" enhanced silicone-wise but that's quickly forgotten as she and Charly talk, dance and yes...eventually kiss. Does this mean they're novios? While they're both new at this, they decide it must be so.
In the meantime, Candy and Marissa are working on their own reconciliation. However, Candy is not being a good listener. She's certainly not letting Marissa vent. Instead she's talking about her own disillusionment and betrayal on her wedding day. And instead of making love to her husband on their wedding night, she found herself on a bus to a new life, she sighs.
Marissa knows how to cut to the chase though. Have you gone to bed with Santiago? No. He's a good man, Candy assures her. And he loves you in his way.
Marissa stays on track.
M: Do you want him?
C: No, no. I don't want any more men in my life?
Another life. Self-deception on top of all the other fibs, great and small.
The scene ends with Candy begging Marissa's forgiveness. For the sushi. It was awful. But the ice cream was great. And they decide that all three of them will have to talk it out. Lots of luck there, ladies.
And it's about to hit the fan at Santi's house. Because he's discovered that Lucia has sneaked out to meet Charly at the nightclub. First Mom and now his niece! It's too much for el doctor plastico!
And Patricio and Alicia are bickering about his childhood photo and who could have put it in Chava's house. Alicia doesn't know and could care less but Patricio's certain it was his mother-in-law.
So, another kaleidiscope of disjointed scenes, mostly lies. I realize this is a time-honored way of stretching out telenovela plots but Lordy, enough is enough!
Previews: Jorge's back in town. Not for Soledad but for Beto. Candy confesses to Soledad that she was actually married to Patricio. He's the father of Chava and the boys are half-brothers. Impactado look from Soledad.
Additional previews: In the threesome conversation, Marissa asks Candy if she cares for Santiago and she says, yes, she does. Impactado look from Santi.
Vocabulary, such as it is, embedded. *from a comedy skit by Richard Pryor about infidelity
Labels: Tontas
Yesterday, Camil can kiss. Today, Camil dressed in black.
Reason enough to keep tuning in. Shades of LFMB!
Thanks to everyone for all the interesting comments and helpful interpretations.
Carrie L.
That Santiago has some nerve telling his mama she can't get some. She's a grown woman, long widowed, who has a right to have some fun and enjoy her twilight years however she bloody well pleases. Just sayin'...
Your line that Candy is not a good listener - Boy howdy! "Yeah, Marissa, I know you had a bad day. That's nothing compared to what happened to me seven years ago. Shut up and feel sorry for me as much as I feel sorry for me!"
And then, Hold me back! Como se atrevaría? (How could she dare?) To claim that her husband wanted to be with her sister instead of her? IN WHAT UNIVERSE? Hello? He begged you to come back! You made him think you were dead! That does tend to narrow down his choices, por amor a dios! (Or did I hear it wrong? My husband was talking during that part.)
AND, being confused by some of the plot is not only normal...it's a sign of clear mental functioning.
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Sometimes I think the editors just took a mess of scenes, threw them in the salad spinner and let 'em rip.
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Margarita...
I assume Santiago's distress over his mama's prospective love life was supposed to be endearing. There's a lot of stuff in this novela that's supposed to be cute and "ahhhhhh" that's just annoying. However, in all honesty, I've seen many adult children be privately horrified when their widowed father or mother fell madly in love again. They DO feel the parent is betraying the deceased spouse, even if they don't openly say so.
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Paula, now that the tape is finally finished I'll go back and check that scene you wondered about. I was SO FURIOUS that Candy was talking about herself rather than listening to Marissa's hurt and bewilderment that my brain locked up.
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Cheryl...thank you for those kind words...and I love your characterization of this as an aerobic activity. And how!
Rewriting one's memories to put oneself in the best light is pretty standard practice. We all do it (well, except for a random masochist here and there).
We are dedicated to preserving our image of ourselves as a good person. A good person might have listened to Pato's frantic pleas for understanding, given the circumstances, and given him a second chance. Wise or not, we'll never know. But since she didn't, Candi has to rewrite the script a bit.
She has to reframe that memory so Marissa will see her as a fellow victim rather than as a canny competitor for Santiago.
At present, I'm finding all our lead characters to be insufferable, Jaime's great kissing technique notwithstanding. Hopefully the growing up and getting redeemed stages will be spectacular to make up for all this.
Best wishes, Chris!! Sleep while ya can, buddy, and enjoy the little one!
Real life trumps a telenovela any day. Especially when it's new life.
Hey Ferro, we're all cheering for your good fortune. Welcome to baby and congratulations to Mom, big Brother and you the champion Papa. How wonderful. And not a bad little tax deduction to help out your year. Great timing if baby comes before midnight tonight!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSEaHyzbqTA
(I never know what my sons are going to show me when they come home...)
Mike, thanks for the link. Believe me, I've seen those people. About 45 miles north of here.
OMG Mike! I’m as concerned about nature as the next guy (though I’ve never been outdoorsy), but these folks are a few fries short of a Happy Meal.
I’m with you, I didn’t like the tombstone with the date on it. My stepchildren are all about that age, too. Sure, they were making a point, but…..
“For instance, if you love your domestic work, you'll radiate happiness and be irresistable.” I thought this was really a pain. How does loving domestic work make one irresistible? I hire my domestic work out as much as possible!
“Chava and Mom are hugging and kissing and frankly I'm ready to put in a call to Dr. Phil. These family dynamics are about as screwed up as you can get.” LOL! Yep!
“And then Patricio goes to Chava's house in order to find Beto (still not realizing that Candy is his mother...and also Rojoblanca). Does anybody tell the truth about anything in this convoluted story!?” Hang in there, Amiga, and it’ll all hit the fan shortly.
“Now Santiago's trying to woo his way back into Marissa's good graces via telephone, while she trashes his photo with diabolical mustache, goatee and horns.” Didn’t Lety do that to one of his (well, Fernando’s) photos in LFMB?
Great comments, everyone!
Ferro, HAPPY New Year with your precious new family addition, and as an accountant, I’m guessing you’re just a little pleased with the new tax deduction….!
Jeanne
Can someone explain to me why the butler has to dress like an extra from the cast of Amadeus?
They must have run out of uniforms from Belmonte Industries (Guapos). I've seen characters wearing recycled costumes (with the BL initials) on Rosa de Guadalupe.
I loved the little kids in their spy scene. It reminded me of the "spy club" we had in the neighborhood when I was a kid...we peeked over fences and took notes on the neighbors, none of whom ever did anything interesting within our view.
Wonderful recap JudyB, very astute commentaries. About Santi not wanting Isabel to date, I remember after my mother died it was very difficult for sis and me to accept that dad might love someone else. We were adults and knew in our heads that of course he should have love in his life, and before she died our mother instructed us that dad should date again and not to get in the way, but in our hearts it wasn't an easy thing to maneuver. Emotions are funny that way, sometimes they drive us instead of us driving them. Santi is basically a sweet guy and I'm sure he'll come around, especially since Isabel is such a strong-willed personality.
I was also very annoyed at Candy for blabbing about her own problems to Marissa. A couple of episodes ago Marissa wanted to hear Candy's background and Candy wouldn't tell, now all of a sudden she decides to open up? Paula's right, she's not a good listener.
Julia, your spy club sounds very cute. I love the kiddie scenes in this show, they're such good little actors.
I hope Ferro checks in with us, I'm really excited for him!
Thanks JudyB. I hope you all have a very pleasant New Year's Eve and that we all get to do something we really like on the first day of 2009.
Haven't checked your Youtube yet but it must be hilarious, from all the comments I've read.
Everybody, I really enjoy reading your interesting and supportive comments. We were at the Heart Rehab Center for a good part of the day for Bob's third orientation session. Next week more exercise and classes. It's a good program and I'm praying he "catches fire" on the exercise end. Let's keep our collective fingers crossed.
Oh Sylvia...thanks for sharing that story. I have to admit, I'd feel the same way. And two of my friends have had very difficult situations where the second husband turned out to be stingy and mean-spirited, denied their mothers much of the nursing care they needed when ill and refused to pass along any of her things to the daughters when she died. Ugh!
One of them said to me, Promise me if anything happens to Bob, you WON'T marry again. (Hey, I turned 69 yesterday, I don't think I'm in any danger!)
C'monnnnn Ferro...let us know, Dude! Hoping and praying it's nothing but good news.
Jeanne
So does anyone know when this new ChefHawt show is going to be on? Not that I need to get sucked into yet another show, but he does make it worth the time...
"Now if the Buckeyes can just hang in there and beat Iowa I'll be happy."
You put that in there just to taunt me, didn't you? Them's fightin' words, Amiga. I'll be glued to my tele during that game, too.....but not with the same goal!
Jeanne
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Whoops, Jeanne Jeanne...didn't realize you were a basketball fan. Well your guys are raining three's on us...they may well beat us at home..WHICH I THINK IS RUDE. and given the walloping West Virginia laid on us...doubly painful.
Jeanne
Sorry you don't get the Big 10 network. Wish it had never been started. We missed a lot of basketball games last year because our cable company couldn't settle with them.
So all is well, amiga (and..we did beat ya' by a couple of points. Close though)
JudyB - Our cable company refuses to put the Big 10 on, so I guess we won't get it any time soon. And re: Kirk Ferentz, he's definitely great to look at and he's a fine person, too. :-)
Jeanne
The lie I really got mad at was Cande sending Pat the rat a picture of Lulu - she knew he wouldn't like it. That was cruel to Lulu! Let's see, Cande has lied to just about all her family and "friends" - Soledad, Marissa and now, by omission, Lulu. I hope Cande gets a big big comeuppance.
Santi looked really good in black - showing off his physique, rather than hiding under that hideous blue smock-jacket. Guapisimo!!
Rudy gives me the creeps, and not just because the actor played that stupid Meester James. Ick.
Thought I heard Santi also sing "Ay, Gaviota" before "Vale mas..."
I love these inside jokes!
No "Tontas" tonight. :(
Happy New Year, everyone!
I also hated the earlier episode when Lulu went on her blind date and Eduardo was obviously disgusted that she was "his" and Santiago got Candy. Not funny.
I loathed that actor as "Meester James" but he doesn't bother me as much here, thank God. Alas, something about him though seems to land him in loser type roles. He actually has a good physique, but who wants to see him with his shirt off evenso!
Sorry to be so late in replying...our son was parked on the computer a good part of the day.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! WE LOVE HEARING FROM YOU. YOU ADD SO MUCH TO THIS SITE WITH YOUR OPINIONS AND YOUR HUMOR.
And Jeanne..so far your Hawkeyes are up 14 to nothing over South Carolina. So far it's a great New Year's Day!
Hubby has been yelling at me for ten minutes every time Iowa moves. He's in alt and those are screams of joy. My fingers are crossed that the Carolina team won't decide they want to be there before the Hawks walk away with it. ;-)
Jeanne
immediately had her marrying this guy. It never happened. It's one of those family things with us, the men tend to remarry, the women - never.
Candi has so many lie balls in the air it is a miracle to me that she can keep them straight. She is living proof that if you tell one lie like I'm dead. Then you have to keep telling more to support the orignal lie. I too keep thinking that she is going to open the door and Pat will be standing there since she has a tendancy to just fling the door open.
Well the next episode should be a pistol.
And yes, Friday should be a doozie. Glad it's Hombre's turn and not mine!
Being a huge "Fea" fan, I was so excited to finally have another Jaime Camil vehicle on the air. But so far, from what I have managed to see, it's been a little underwhelming. While Ms. Bracamontes is beautiful, the Cande character is just too irrational for me to relate to, and her pairing with Camil strikes me as a little flat. Even in some of the future bits I've seen when they are "together"(thanks YouTube) the chemistry pales compared to Fern & Lety.
I also agree with the comments about how hypocritical many of the themes & characters are here. There's just something hard to swallow about a bevy of beauties who start an institute to teach women that it's "inner beauty" that really counts. Hmmmm.... I don't they learned that from casting directors. ;-)
Still, I hope to have more time to watch consistently in the future & am hoping to warm to the show as time goes on. Sounds like there's big stuff in the works for the Friday episode so I'll have to be sure & tune in. Thanks again everyone, and ¡Felíz Año Nuevo a todos!
And I agree with you on movie directors...Anthony Minghella (sp?) awesome.
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Yes, Margarita...I was so relieved and happy to get Ferro's news. Don't know statistics on weight, height and name...but if she's "beautiful and perfect" who cares? And I know that will be both inner and outer beauty.
Fea was based on one of the greatest novelas ever. And it was the PERFECT vehicle for Camil. If you love Fea like I do, nothing will ever compare. So I recommend you set your sights a little lower. Compare it to Mi Destino Eres Tu instead. Tontas looks a lot better in that light, doesn't it?
Also, there was some cute symbolism when she told Meño she was pregnant. The mariachis of the restaurant led by Zamora and his half-pint buddy were playing "Yo no fui" which is one of my favorites. Right, she's pregnant but it wasn't any of them. I'm just saying.
Jeanne
And as you suggested, I've already let "Tontas" off the hook as far as comparing it to LFMB, otherwise I'd never enjoy it for what it is. And frankly, I'll take Camil just about any way I can get him. ;-)
JudyB: I don't think I posted anything about directors, but with regard to Anthony Minghella, I concur anyway. :-) Tragedy that he died so young. Steven Soderbergh is also a fave. Just saw a trailer from his Che Guevara biopic with Benicio del Toro due out soon. Looks interesting.
Since he's one of mine too, Just had to say something!
Maybe there's no difference, and I'm trying to make a distinction that doesn't exist.
As long as Candy's feeling any kind of resentment, I think there always some vengeance involved, even if it's subconscious or sotto voce.
I also think Candi has become trapped in her original lie and doesn't see a way out other than her old stanby - run like hell.
Sorry to change the subject folks, please continue while I sit here salivating.
Did make a spicy peanut dip recipe that Paula sent me and even though I'm supposed to be dipping broccoli in it, it's so good I could just eat it with a spoon.
Always okay to get off-topic in my opinion. As long as it's not ugly gossip, right?
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