‘Belle Epoque’

Fernando Trueba’s sexy and contemplative 1992 comedy takes us back in time and place: early 1931 Spain, an uncertain but hopeful moment of calm before the storm of the Spanish Civil War. Trueba imagines a magical interlude in a sunny, idyllic setting where freedom and passion reign. A handsome young army deserter, Fernando (Jorge Sanz, pictured with Marivel Verdu), lands in a charming rural community, where he is taken under the wing of the leading member of the landed gentry, the aging but vital Don Manolo (Fernando Fernan Gomez), whose four attractive daughters descend upon him for a visit. In good time Fernando manages to have his way with each of them--and vice versa (Showtime Thursday at 2:25 a.m.).