Freudian overtones in Spanish sex farce

In his slyly amusing “Unconscious,” writer-director Joaquin Oristrell imagines what the impact of the teachings of Sigmund Freud might be like on a young psychiatrist and his beautiful, pregnant wife in 1913 Barcelona. “Unconscious” is a ribald sex farce of considerable imagination and inspired wackiness and a meticulous period piece of the Art Nouveau era.

What makes “Unconscious” so effective is that while it may be set 94 years ago it resonates as a contemporary reminder that many people are still uneasy about sexual matters.

Leon (Alex Brendemuhl) returns from Vienna after a session with Dr. Freud that leaves him distraught. In a burst of hysteria he flees, leaving his wife, Alma (Leonor Watling), to turn to her brother-in-law Salvador (Luis Tosar), also a psychiatrist, to find Leon, who is slated to attend a distinguished gathering in honor of Dr. Freud in Barcelona. He is to be introduced by Alma’s father, Dr. Mira (Juanjo Puigcorbe), Spain’s most famous neurosurgeon and the authoritarian chief of staff at a hospital where Leon and the more conservative Salvador practice.

With nothing to go on but Leon’s notebook, Alma and Salvador start playing detective. The beautiful Alma is as free-spirited as Salvador is uptight, a handsome man who keeps fit by boxing. His mutton-chop whiskers and mustache give him the look of a stalwart turn-of-the-century male, but beneath his amusingly starchy demeanor he is quite vulnerable. Secretly in love with Alma, he married Alma’s unhappy sister Olivia (Nuria Prims) only to be nearby.

Alma and Leon’s adventures can be dizzyingly convoluted, but they provide lots of comically kinky sex that serves Oristrell’s greater point, which is that in their sexual lives people are often not what they seem. At 108 minutes “Unconscious” seems a trifle long, but the film is sustained effortlessly by the charismatic Watling and Tosar, who are among Spain’s most popular movie stars.

“Unconscious” also has sharp dialogue that carries through English subtitles. As just one example, when Alma introduces the resurfaced Leon to a form of sexual expression he has never before experienced, he asks her what it is called. She replies simply: “Art.”

“Unconscious” (“Inconscientes”). MPAA rating: R for sexual content including dialogue and some drug material. In Spanish with English subtitles. Running time: 1 hour, 48 minutes. Exclusively at the Regent Showcase, 614 N. La Brea Ave., Hollywood. (323) 934-2944.