''The Little Spanish Soldier'' ( es, Soldadito español, links=no) is a 1988 Spanish tragicomedy film directed by

Antonio Giménez-Rico Antonio Giménez-Rico Sáenz de Cabezón (20 November 1938 – 12 February 2021) was a Spanish film director and screenwriter. Career Antonio Giménez-Rico obtained a law degree from the University of Valladolid.Torres, '' ''Diccionario del cine ...

from a screenplay by Giménez-Rico and

Rafael Azcona Rafael Azcona Fernández (24 October 1926 – 24 March 2008) was an awarded Spanish screenwriter and novelist who has worked with some of the best Spanish and international filmmakers. Azcona won five Goya Awards during his career, includi ...

. It underpins a criticism to the

compulsory military service Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day un ...

Plot

The film follows the mishaps of a young man born to a family closely connected to the military estate who does not want to join the

Cast

Production

According to Giménez-Rico the original idea for the story came to him upon a meeting of his promotion of university militia, with the screenplay later penned in tandem with

. A Penélope production, the film had a reported budget of 150 million Pts. Shooting locations included

Alcalá de Henares Alcalá de Henares () is a Spanish city in the Community of Madrid. Straddling the Henares River, it is located to the northeast of the centre of Madrid. , it has a population of 193,751, making it the region's third-most populated Municipalities ...

. ''The Spanish Little Soldier'' constitutes an early film depiction of the insubordination to military conscription in Spain.

Release

The film was released theatrically in Spain on 7 October 1988. It also screened at the 9th Mostra de Valencia. It grossed 38,372,395 Pts (107,098 admissions).

References

1980s Spanish films 1980s Spanish-language films 1988 comedy films Spanish comedy films Films shot in Alcalá de Henares Films directed by Antonio Giménez-Rico {{DEFAULTSORT:Little Spanish Soldier, The

Plot

Cast

Production

Release

See also

References