Saturday, September 10, 2011
La Fuerza del Destino #26 Fri 09/09/11 Righting a Wrong (Who Knew It Could Be Such a Pain!)
As Viewerville makes its way back to the easy chair to catch up on Sr. Anthony’s recovery from his recent heart attack, we find an overly impatient Juan Jaime Mondragon in the waiting area using the opportunity to inveigle Ivan to allow him to invest in hydroponic farming. Ivan is not about to give ol’ Meandragon any special favors. He basically rubs his nose in it and lays the decision off onto the recuperating McGuire to decide just in case the bully might think that Van’s going to be an “easy touch”. Juan Jeil-me asks him point blank what he’s got against him. Van says you’ll find out when I’m good and ready to tell ya and not before, and then dismisses him by saying he’s not in the mood to discuss business right now.
At Casa de las Curiel, Lucia asks Camilo how Tony is doing and how Ivan is handling it. She tells Cam that Van told her they are old friends and she wonders if he knows if part of the reason for the attack is that the two of them argued about her and her family. Cam is too much of a gentleman to say anything and suggests she ask Ivan himself. Lucia says she can tell by the look on his face what’s what and Van won’t want to speak to her, but perhaps she can check in on Tony after he’s a bit better. Cam says it’s as good an idea as any and then hands her his card. They nervously kid about the formality of business cards and he leaves, but not before he thanks her again and makes goo-goo eyes at her like the local yocal he is. (Sorry, Cam, but you’re still a small town boy and you always will be.)
At the hospital, Ivan tearfully asks Tony to forgive him for what he said. Tony jokes around, saying that he pretended to have the heart attack in order to make Ivan feel sorry and laughs. He then tells Van to calm down [sosegar] a bit, to leave all the hurtful things in the past and to move on with his life. Van admits that Camilo advised the same thing. Tony tells him “it’s a good friend who offers good advice” and then asks if Ivan still loves Lucia. Ivan nods a tearful yes. So, Tony advises him to go after her because the only reason she broke things off was because Maripaz threatened her. Ivan knows that’s probably right, but he doesn’t want to right now cuz he’s had his fill of Las Curiel--enough for a lifetime, and there’s no way Lucia will ever break with her family. Naw, he’d rather eat glass than go back with Lucia. (He’ll probably have to walk over broken glass to get her back if he waits too long, but that’s what we in Viewerville are all here to see, right?)
Speaking of whom, back at Casa de las Curiel, Lucia tells Lucrecia and Carlota that Tony suffered a heart attack after he and Ivan argued about what Carlota told them. Lucre-azia bellows out “I told you so!” and bellyaches about her mother’s big mouth. If he dies, she carps, they can all just forget about their loan! Carlota gets after her for being such a materialistic wench. She wants to visit Tony, too, but Lucrecia is totally against it. He’s a friend, very generous, and overall a good man, says Carly. Lucrazy says she hasn’t seen any evidence of it so far! Lucia enters the discussion and advises against going to the hospital and making things worse. She has Cam’s card and phone number, so they’ll find out as soon as something changes. Since both of them have had enough of Lucrazy, rather than argue with a bellowing moose, the two leave her to talk to herself while they walk off some other part of the house where they can at least hear themselves think!
Later that morning, Lucia and Carlota speak with an attorney and explain their situation. He needs Ivan’s birth certificate and Alicia’s death certificate to insure that Ivan is who they claim he is.
Cam takes breakfast to Ivan at the hospital. Van wonders if he spoke to Carlota. Cam says no, but he did speak with Lucia. He just didn’t mention it before because he didn’t want to upset him. Ivan is curious to know if Lucia mentioned him. Sure, says Cam. “--Hey, she’s good people—not a snob--and 180˚ out from her sister, that’s for sure! She’s a babe and you’d be a dope to let somebody like her get away!” Yeah, says Van, but she’s so close to the other harpies in her family.—Ugh! Cam reminds him he’d be marrying Lucia, not the others! (Well, lets just say, you sleep with her and not the others, but perhaps I grow a bit too cynical in my old age for the younger tn crowd.) Just then the cardiologist walks out and Ivan races over to get the news.
Carly and Lucia are wondering, meanwhile, where they’re going to get the documents they need. Lucia gets out Cam’s card and calls him to see if he can meet with her about something on the Q.T. He says fine and lets her know Tony’s got to stay a while longer in the hospital before hanging up. Cam lies to Ivan about it being one of the farmers or something and Van mentions Cam needs to go buy some computer equipment. FF>>
Lucia explains to Carly about the conversation and says she thinks Cam will know where to look, and, no, Ivan won’t have to know anything until after they hand over his inheritance to him.
Tony is getting better. We know this because he’s already kvetching to get out of the hospital and about the depressing room they’ve got him in. He reminds Ivan to authorize the loans, especially since they’re promised and the farmers really need the cash. Ivan tells him not to wear himself out worrying about business just yet. He’ll handle things. Tony mentions he’d like to see Carly and chat. He asks if Ivan’s seen Lucia yet and Van answers he hasn’t, but Camilo did tell Lucia about the heart attack, so her family does know he’s in the hospital. Next topic. Tony wants him to find a nice, furnished apartment for Maripaz in a decent part of town—nothing too large, tho’. Ivan is WTF impactado and asks him why in gawd’s name for?
Meanwhile, back at Corral de las Curiel, Merry Piece flnds out from Lucrazia that Carly and Lucia are going to hand over Ivan’s inheritance and she reads the riot act to Grams. Carly tells her to talk to the hand [literally, don’t waste your spit on a hissy fit]. Her mind’s made up! MP complains that Lucia only talked her into it so she could get Ivan back. Carlota jumps on her with both feet and warns her that if she dares try to make good on that threat of hers she’ll throw her out of the house so fast it’ll make that airhead of hers swim! Lucrazy immediately wants to know what threat Mama’s talking about. Carly gives her the juicy details in full and Lucrazy has her own hissy fit. (Now this is reality t.v.!) Not so merry now, Maripaz tries to save her skinny backside by lying her way out of it and saying she never really intended to do it, of course!
Doesn’t matter a whit now anyway whether she does or not, says Mama, because now the whole town’s going to find out about how they screwed Ivan and his mother out of their inheritance (courtesy of Ivan himself) and they’ll be shunned by all of Alamos’ upper crust society. Maripaz will never find another respectable rich guy to marry her now, either, BTF-ingW! Ruh-roh! Definite panic time for MP! Lucre-azia stops herself from enjoying the satisfying sensation of having thwacked Maripaz across her usually sneering and otherwise self-assured snout.
Instead, Lucrazia takes away Merry Paz’s house-keys and tells her not only is she grounded, but her credit cards (OMG! the life blood of all spoiled elite issue) are cancelled! She won’t be going out and she’ll be traveling daily to the ranch with Mama who refuses to let her out of her sight (until that loan comes through, at any rate)! A death worse than Fate! She’s utterly exiled from the civilized world! EEK! MP stomps and threatens going to live with Daddy. Lucrazy is like “If only!”
Lucia meets Camilo on the overlook and asks him to look for the needed documents. She assures him that it isn’t for anything untoward and will even hand them back to him when she’s done with them. He remembers Cleto bringing over his mother a box of Alicia’s personal things after she died. He thinks he might be able to dig around and find what they need in that box, especially since Alicia needed the birth certificate to get Ivan enrolled in school when they moved to Alamos.
Ivan and David get things ready for the passing out their pesos to the area’s farmers. It’s to be done at JJ’s Association office and each farmer is to be brought in separately to avoid any embarrassment or humiliation. Even the Curiel bunch will get a check. Davy decides to ask Van if he’s got something goin’ on with Merry Piece. Van says absolutely not! All rumors. Davy says for him having a beauty like her was really a fairytale romance that ended way to quickly. Poof! (Ooh! Bad choice of words.) They talk about how Davy’s complex is sure to disappear once he gets into the management groove with the McGuires and out from under Daddy Dearest’s domineering grasp.
At lunch Lucia explains to Carly how she and Cam have arranged things. Lucrazia galumphs in and tells them MP is not eating now that she’s been punished for starting this whole mess in motion with her threats against Lucia. ¡Aye! Her daughters are such losers! She brought them up right, so where did she go wrong? Blah, blah, blah. She ends her gripe session by blaming Lucia for breaking up with Saul in the first place, and then storms out. Carly tells Lucia to just ignore her. She knows what her mother’s like. (I guess it goes without saying that Lucrazia didn’t get her charming personality from her mama. Anybody doubt that Carly’s got to have been counting her lucky stars every day since Lucrazia hit the terrible two’s that Teodoro took pity on her when the creep who knocked her up and left her with this pain in the panza actually skedaddled when he did??!!)
Cam finds Van’s birth certificate. Arcelia discovers what he’s doing in the old work shed. Cam makes up something about Van having asked him to find his birth certificate for him. Celia suspects something else is up and nags at him until Cam comes clean. Of course he has no idea what Lucia wants the documents for, but since she loves Ivan, if she says she’s not going to do anything bad with it then he believes her!
After lunch, Cam walks over the documents to Lucia. She kisses him on the cheek to thank him and gives him one of her giggle-icious smiles. He’s all hearts and flowers and can’t deny the attraction he feels towards her.
Back at the hospital, Cam lies that he’s late because of his ex-wife bugging him about money. Ivan moves on to the next topic and asks Cam to get an apartment for Maripaz. Camilo doesn’t get it. Ivan explains how Tony is going to use it and a car as a payoff to keep her quiet about Carlota’s marrying Teodoro Curiel when she was preggers with MP’s mama who was really somebody else’s kid. He doesn’t want that getting out. Cam is just as WTF impactado as Ivan was and asks if Tony has possibly fallen in love with Carly. Ivan looks at him like “What do you think?”
At the Agriculture Association office, JJ gripes to Saul that the checks are being handed out day after tomorrow. He’s ticked because they’re not going to allow him to put in a hydroponics farm. Saul blows it off and tells him not to complain since the amount of money he’s getting from the McGuires will be enough to get all sorts of renovations done around the ranch and will even be enough to renovate the packing plant as well! That doesn’t matter to JJ, though, cuz he’s still interested in getting his hands on El Socorro, (or as I believe it more aptly called, Suckers' Ranch) somehow. He still wants Saul to tell the Curiels he needs the deed to their ranch. For some reason they don’t have it and he throws out an off-hand remark that they seem to be hiding it or something. Saul brings up possibly trying to win Lucia back. JJ asks him how he plans on doing it. Saul answers that he figures he’ll stick close by now that Ivan and she are upset with each other. JJ tells him to do whatever he wants as long as he doesn’t get into a fight with Ivan.
At the hospital again, Ivan tells Tony how he’s arranged to have the money doled out privately by appointment only, and how much money they’re giving the Curiel’s. It’s not a lot, but it is fair, says Ivan. Tony says not to have them pick up their check. He wants to hand it over personally to Carlota. He also asks him to have Cam hire a trustworthy ranch foreman and to have Cam see about the daily administrative needs of the ranch himself so that the foreman doesn’t swindle the Curiels like all the others before have done. Ivan doesn’t want to get too nosy about his love life, he says, but he wants to know if Tony’s in love with Carlota Curiel or what. Tony scoffs at that notion and says maybe if he were twenty years younger he might consider it, but not now. He simply likes her as a friend, a very good friend who is the same age and who is familiar with a lot of the same things for their age group. Tony doesn’t have his buddies to carouse with now cuz they're all back in L.A., so being able to talk to her about some of the same things that wouldn’t interest Ivan or his generation makes him feel at home and comfortable. That’s all. Okiedok, says Ivan, and he heads back home.
Later that night in bed, Ivan dreams that his son is lost in the scrub in the desert or some such. He’s suddenly holding hands with a woman and that woman is Lucia. They kiss passionately.
The next morning Cam tells Ivan he’s going to speak with Sra. Carlota to make sure she doesn’t refuse him as ranch administrator, despite Tony’s request.
At Casa de las Curiel, Carly gets a call from Meandragon’s secretary telling her the McGuires are giving her the loan. Lucia is relieved and they head off to hand over the documentation to the lawyer.
The lawyer finds out that Ivan was adopted as an adult, and so now he needs proof that Ivan Villagomez and Ivan McGuire are one in the same. That may prove to be a bit more dicey, especially since they wanted this to be a surprise. Neither thought that this was going to be such an involved process. Lucia refuses to talk to Ivan about it, either. Hmmmms.
Back again at Casa de la Corralled Curiel, Merry Piece is bored.to.death already! Camilo shows up looking for Sra. Carlota. MP senses the opposite sex of a certain age near and races out to talk to him. “What’s up? Can’t we tutear considering? Lucia’s not here, but Mama is. If it’s to do with the ranch you can speak to her about it.” She grabs him by the arm and walks him in. “Do you have a girlfriend? No? Well, funny thing, I don't have a boyfriend, either!” (Just goes to show that ya can’t keep a good flirt down.) MP introduces him then to Mama and Mama says anything he has to say to Carlota he can say to her. Okiedok. Tony McGuire has authorized him to tell them they’re getting their loan. However, he’s also told him he wants them to hire a new ranch manager. Lucre-azia raises a wary eyebrow.
Labels: Fuerza
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Jardinera - You always give me a treat on Saturdays with your just-about-the-right-note-of-snark recaps. And you used the word "inveigle", one of my favorites.
Someone on another site noted that it's unusual to see a male whose life has been pretty much destroyed through cruelty and deception in novelas. I've been trying to think about other examples of a hero in distress. It is usually our heroine who has been jerked around and who comes back full of spite and a taste for revenge (something completely undermined in TDA, IMO, by having Maria stay with Max, but that's another sad story). The only example that comes readily to mind is the Fernando C. character in Pasion, but I'm sure there are others.
In this case, Ivan's principe azul is none other than Tony, or St. Anthony, as you so well named him.
I'm surprised that others in this novela haven't had heart attacks. The fierceness of the shouting and fighting would give anyone problems.
Some foreshadowing, I think, with the tributes to Carmelo's friendship. I guess we're heading for a fight over Lucia.
My favorite moment: when Saul thanked his father and old JJ couldn't figure out why. Warm family dynamics at work.
Someone on another site noted that it's unusual to see a male whose life has been pretty much destroyed through cruelty and deception in novelas. I've been trying to think about other examples of a hero in distress. It is usually our heroine who has been jerked around and who comes back full of spite and a taste for revenge (something completely undermined in TDA, IMO, by having Maria stay with Max, but that's another sad story). The only example that comes readily to mind is the Fernando C. character in Pasion, but I'm sure there are others.
In this case, Ivan's principe azul is none other than Tony, or St. Anthony, as you so well named him.
I'm surprised that others in this novela haven't had heart attacks. The fierceness of the shouting and fighting would give anyone problems.
Some foreshadowing, I think, with the tributes to Carmelo's friendship. I guess we're heading for a fight over Lucia.
My favorite moment: when Saul thanked his father and old JJ couldn't figure out why. Warm family dynamics at work.
Thanks so much Jardinera. What a great Saturday evening treat to read your recap.
Loved the title. I can't believe the notary was actually doing his job and wanted every little detail to be on the up and up. Carly could ask Tony to provide some documentation that proves Ivan V. is Ivan M. Afterall, he did adopt him.
If Ivan doesn't swallow his pride and get a move on with Lucia, Camilo is going to swoop in. But I have to agree with you Jardinera that it's not quite true that you don't marry the family. You do. Add the fact that they live in a society where families live close together, and that the Curiels are all in each other's biz all the time, and well... I don't blame Ivan for not wanting to jump into that drama. But he's got to be ready to accept the consequences if he lets Lucia go.
Both Tony and Carly have denied that it's love, but then they both give these coy looks about it. They certainly think about each other a lot. Carly could end up being Ivan's step-mother, step-grandma, and grandma-inlaw!
And what could Ivan's dream mean? Is his love for Lucia holding him back from finding his son?
Loved the title. I can't believe the notary was actually doing his job and wanted every little detail to be on the up and up. Carly could ask Tony to provide some documentation that proves Ivan V. is Ivan M. Afterall, he did adopt him.
If Ivan doesn't swallow his pride and get a move on with Lucia, Camilo is going to swoop in. But I have to agree with you Jardinera that it's not quite true that you don't marry the family. You do. Add the fact that they live in a society where families live close together, and that the Curiels are all in each other's biz all the time, and well... I don't blame Ivan for not wanting to jump into that drama. But he's got to be ready to accept the consequences if he lets Lucia go.
Both Tony and Carly have denied that it's love, but then they both give these coy looks about it. They certainly think about each other a lot. Carly could end up being Ivan's step-mother, step-grandma, and grandma-inlaw!
And what could Ivan's dream mean? Is his love for Lucia holding him back from finding his son?
Thanks Jardinera!! I love the Corralled Curiels!
Vivi-I had the same thought as well about the dream. I thought it is always nice when we get to see DZ half naked.
I think there will definitely be a Cam/Van/Lucia triangle and there will be fireworks. I just hope it doesn't destroy Cam and Van's friendship.
I read on another forum that this one is supposed to end in December. Will they be doubling up episodes at some point? I don't see how a December final is possible.
Vivi-I had the same thought as well about the dream. I thought it is always nice when we get to see DZ half naked.
I think there will definitely be a Cam/Van/Lucia triangle and there will be fireworks. I just hope it doesn't destroy Cam and Van's friendship.
I read on another forum that this one is supposed to end in December. Will they be doubling up episodes at some point? I don't see how a December final is possible.
Thanks for a terrific recap. I love your descriptions.
"[He] makes goo-goo eyes at her like the local yocal he is." Yeesh, could Camilo be any more obvious? He was all but dragging his tongue on the floor while his eyeballs bounced on springs. I must say, though, this is an improvement for Gabriel Soto. Remember in Querida Enemiga when he mostly stood there like a block of pine?
"Bellowing moose"... ha, that really cracked me up. Lucrazya is so insufferable.
In Mañana es Para Siempre, it was the male lead who had been screwed over and was back for revenge. He didn't have it nearly so bad, though...he had been shipped off to the States, but at least he didn't have to crawl across the desert without water for two days to get there.
Vivi, your comment about Ivan's potential relationships reminds me of what a commenter said about Mili in Guapos: "She's making her family tree into a wreath!"
I like the use of dreams and fantasies to show us what's going on in the characters' minds. And if we have to look at DZ tossing in bed shirtless to set the scene, so much the better.
"[He] makes goo-goo eyes at her like the local yocal he is." Yeesh, could Camilo be any more obvious? He was all but dragging his tongue on the floor while his eyeballs bounced on springs. I must say, though, this is an improvement for Gabriel Soto. Remember in Querida Enemiga when he mostly stood there like a block of pine?
"Bellowing moose"... ha, that really cracked me up. Lucrazya is so insufferable.
In Mañana es Para Siempre, it was the male lead who had been screwed over and was back for revenge. He didn't have it nearly so bad, though...he had been shipped off to the States, but at least he didn't have to crawl across the desert without water for two days to get there.
Vivi, your comment about Ivan's potential relationships reminds me of what a commenter said about Mili in Guapos: "She's making her family tree into a wreath!"
I like the use of dreams and fantasies to show us what's going on in the characters' minds. And if we have to look at DZ tossing in bed shirtless to set the scene, so much the better.
To the list of novelas with troubled heroes we can add:
Mariana de la Noche where Ignacio did time for something he didn't do and comes home to avenge his father's death and the destruction of his family's property. Only to make a more outrageous discovery.
Yo Compro Esa Mujer in which Alejandro Aldama avenges his parents' tragedy.
Por Un Beso in which Julio Otero is a latter-day Count of Monte Cristo looking to get revenge on a false friend while searching for his lost daughter.
Merry Piece would only be getting rewarded for bad behavior if she gets the car and apartment. I hope this doesn't happen.
I see David ending up with Carmen in the end; we will have two characters raising their sobrinos.
Mariana de la Noche where Ignacio did time for something he didn't do and comes home to avenge his father's death and the destruction of his family's property. Only to make a more outrageous discovery.
Yo Compro Esa Mujer in which Alejandro Aldama avenges his parents' tragedy.
Por Un Beso in which Julio Otero is a latter-day Count of Monte Cristo looking to get revenge on a false friend while searching for his lost daughter.
Merry Piece would only be getting rewarded for bad behavior if she gets the car and apartment. I hope this doesn't happen.
I see David ending up with Carmen in the end; we will have two characters raising their sobrinos.
Thanks, Jardinera, for that great, as always recap. As to avenging galans, in Amor Real , Manuel's father not only does not acknowledge him until lying on his deathbed, he also has him whipped for trying to learn to read. In Alborada, Luis's aunt steals his birthright as count by switching him with her son.
Permalink posted by 
: Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 10:26:00 AM EDT
: Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 10:26:00 AM EDT
I have to take a break from watching all the 9/11 programs so decided to check in on tn land.
There are quite a few instances of the heroe being the one that is put upon. I think Ivan is a unique combination of multiple woes that are usually reserved for women:
-Raised poor and looked down upon
-Stolen birthright
-Orphaned
-Illigitimate
-Falls for rich girl
-Used and dumped by rich girl
-Searching for missing child
-Determined to have vengeance/justice
It's a combination of woes usually reserved for female protagonists.
There are quite a few instances of the heroe being the one that is put upon. I think Ivan is a unique combination of multiple woes that are usually reserved for women:
-Raised poor and looked down upon
-Stolen birthright
-Orphaned
-Illigitimate
-Falls for rich girl
-Used and dumped by rich girl
-Searching for missing child
-Determined to have vengeance/justice
It's a combination of woes usually reserved for female protagonists.
I agree with ya'll about DZ half-naked.... tan sexy!!! keep bringing it on.
Permalink posted by : Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 12:54:00 PM EDT
: Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 12:54:00 PM EDT
Vivi -
Great comment on what makes Ivan's situation unusual in the novela gender wars. What a list of problems! Enough to make anyone ponder revenge.
Great comment on what makes Ivan's situation unusual in the novela gender wars. What a list of problems! Enough to make anyone ponder revenge.
Gracias, Jardinera! I probably had some similar thoughts about "only" marrying the woman and not her family. I started to say to Mr. 5ft that it's only true if the woman's family lives really far away and he gave me that look that in my mind translates as "How self-delusional are you?" and asked me how many times he's had to deal with my being in a bad mood because of something my family did two states away! I don't blame Ivan for not wanting to deal with the entire Curiel clan...though, technically he is a part of it so too late!
Thanks for your wonderful recap Jardinera.
It is interesting that Ivan's woe's are similar to many female protagonistas.
UA - ITA regarding MP being rewarded for bad behavior. It seems Lucrazy's plan of action is working thus far so they should go with that.
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It is interesting that Ivan's woe's are similar to many female protagonistas.
UA - ITA regarding MP being rewarded for bad behavior. It seems Lucrazy's plan of action is working thus far so they should go with that.
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