The final film by Argentinean director Maria Luisa Bemberg, this elegant and sensual costume drama chronicles the life of 17th-century Mexican writer and poet Sister Juana Ines de la Cruz, whose works won her the admiration of the peasantry, the ire of the Spanish Inquisition, and the patronage of an aristocrat, whose wife shared a passionate relationship with the writer. Assumpta Serna, Dominique Sanda star. 107 min. Standard; Soundtrack: Spanish Dolby Digital stereo; Subtitles: English; photo gallery; theatrical trailers. In Spanish with English subtitles.

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Assumpta Serna shines as the fierce, beautiful (the resemblance is striking) and brilliant Sor Juana, the Mexican wondergirl who took the vows hoping to get an education, astonished her friends, foes and times, and was later ordered to silence by the Church for the sole sin of being an intelligent woman.

Based upon the book by Nobel laureate Octavio Paz, I, THE WORST OF ALL is a precious little Argentine film, with the look of a Vermeer and the passionate heart of its heroine. You will certainly enjoy it more if fluent in Spanish (since Sor Juana's poetry is like written Mozart), but if not, see it anyway. I'm sure you'll thank me.

P.S. You can get the works of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz here on Amazon books. You don't know what you've been missing!

36 of 37 found the following review helpful:

STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL FILM-MAKINGNov 18, 2002
By Larry L. Looney
One of my best friends saw that I was reading a novel about Sor Juana, SOR JUANA'S SECOND DREAM, by Alicia Gaspar de Alba, and recommended this film to me -- with the admonishment to ignore the tawdry blurb on the cover: "Lesbian passions seething behind convent walls", indeed! How ridiculous -- it would be like describing FORREST GUMP as "partying with coeds in a dorm room after hours". It's a cheap attempt to draw the wrong conclusions about this moving story. Don't let it put you off.

This film about the amazing woman who has been called Mexico's 'Tenth muse' -- a reference to the title Plato bestowed on Sappho -- is a beautiful piece of film-making. Even considering the scenes that were meant to be outdoors, that were obviously shot on a sound stage, this is a lovely experience. The direction is superb, the acting amazingly sensitive -- I was enthralled, and I usually don't enjoy films with subtitles.

Sor Juana was an amazing woman -- intellectual, creative, always pushing her own boundaries, and brave. For a woman in her era (seventeenth century Mexico) to profess that women had just as much right to an education, to learning, as men, set her against some powerful forces -- mainly the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. Her courage and determination in the face of such opposition is inspiring -- it's easy to see why she's seen as a hero by so many.

28 of 29 found the following review helpful:

Excellent biography, Not a "Lesbian" Love FilmMar 11, 2002

The video states that the film is about hot lesbian love inside the convent walls. Wrong! There are a few implied moments but nothing graphic.
This film gives the viewer an accurate depiction of the life of one of the best authors of any genre of literature. I first saw this film in a Latin American literature university classroom. It is so good that I would like to show it in my high school classroom.
Sor Juana was quite adept at placing a mirror in front of the faces of the male hierarchy and they didn't like it. She paid for it and we gained from her pain.
There is great historical value in this biographical film as well. It gives the viewer an idea of what life was like during the Spanish Inquisition in "New Spain" or Mexico.
I know the vendors believe that sex will sell this film. But, they are billing it all wrong. It is an intellectual foreign film. Why cheapen it by giving potential buyers a deceptive description of the content?

22 of 22 found the following review helpful:

a gorgeous, thoughtful filmAug 25, 2000
By Alejandra Vernon "artist & illustrator"
The look of this film, with it's sumptuous use of color contrasts, is worth 5 stars. With rich shades of brown, it has the palette of a Rembrandt painting, and the beautiful soundtrack by Luis Maria Serra is a compliment to it.

The subject matter is captivating, not only for showing us some of the genius of Sor Juana Inés de la Cuz, but also for a view of the life in 17th century Mexico. Assumpta Serra is exquisite as Sor Juana, known as the "10th Muse" and one of the great poets of the Spanish golden era.

For anyone interested in the lives of women who have made their mark on this world, this is a must. I love the scene where she says : "Every theology is questionable, since it stems from reason and not from faith".

I must comment on the way this film has been packaged. It is asinine. Ignore it.

Maria Luisa Bemberg is another woman who is making a big mark on the world with her magnificent films. I also recommend her wonderful "Camila".

24 of 25 found the following review helpful:

Tremendous Film - It's about time!Aug 23, 2002
By K. Ramsdell
The "Tenth Muse" has finally been portrayed accurately. I've studyed the writings of Sor Juana for nearly a decade and continue to be impressed by her artistry. This film captures much of what I appreciate about her and her writing. It shows Sor Juana as a strong woman who is truly a master of her art and a master of herself. That may seem an odd thing to say, but being a master of oneself in the cloister of the 17th century convent is a feat worthy of mention.

For years there has been speculation that Sor Juana was, at the least, a sapphic poet, and probably a lesbian. Lets set the record straight. There is no direct evidence that Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz was a lesbian. Did she write love poems to the Marquesa de Mancera? Yes. Does that make her a lesbian? No. She was simply writing poems to, and for, a friend in a commonly accepted style. Other contemporary male poets also wrote love poems to the Marquesa. Does that mean they were in love with her. Not at all. It was a common practice and was done as a sign of devotion, of friendship, and often as an attempt to earn a pension from the noble family. Having now said that, is it possible that she was a lesbian? Of course it's possible. Does it matter? No! Sor Juana is one of the finest scholars and poets of the Americas. That's what's important.

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