Lucía is director Humberto Solás’ magnum opus, a sprawling historical triptych featuring women (who share the same first name) at a time of significant change on the island. In the 1890s a discontented Lucía (Raquel Revuelta) neglects her husband and becomes involved in the war of independence from Spain taking up with a young insurgent. In the 1930s, Lucía (Eslinda Núñez) is a divorced woman helping to overthrow dictator Gerardo Machado. Finally in the 1960s, Lucía (Adela Legra) is a young field-worker challenging her machista husband. At the time of the film’s making, Solás was a twenty-six-year-old graduate of Rome’s vaunted Centro Sperimentale who embraced Visconti’s flair for melodrama endowing it with sabor cubano.

Coral Gables: July 15 & 17 at Gables Art Cinema.