Edgar Neville

Directing

Edgar Neville

Born 1899-12-28 · Madrid, Spain

Edgar Neville Romrée, Count of Berlanga de Duero (1899-1967) was a Spanish diplomat, playwright, and film director. He is considered one of the best directors of post-war Spain. Neville's life could be regarded as eventful. After a short participation in the Rif War as a hussar, Neville entered the artistic world, making friends with figures such as José López Rubio, Luis Buñuel, Federico García Lorca, Manuel de Falla, and Salvador Dalí. At the same time, in 1922 he became a diplomat, thanks to which he travelled the world until he settled in Los Angeles. There he met Charles Chaplin, who introduced him to the industry as a writer. In the 1930s, he returned to Spain and became romantically involved with Conchita Montes, with whom he would make most of his films. However, the Civil War broke out and Neville served the Republic as a diplomat in London while also working as a spy for the rebel side. Once discovered, he fled until he ended up in the rebel zone, where he carried out propaganda services. Once the war was over, and after a period in Italy, he settled in Marbella, recording excellent films and plays in all genres, the most outstanding examples being Life on a Thread (1945), The Tower of the Seven Hunchbacks (1944), The Crime of Bordadores' Street (1946), the acclaimed documentary Flamenco (1952), and the successful play The Dance (1952), then made into a film. Neville's talent has often gone unrecognised both because of his alleged political views and the fact that much of his oeuvre has been considered lost for decades. However, thanks to the efforts of Filmoteca Española, it has been possible to recover many of his films and discover the originality behind this interesting figure.

Acting credits

Behind the camera

The Marquis of Salamanca poster
6.3

José de Salamanca was arguably one of the most influential figures of the Spanish 1800s. This films tells his story.

The Marquis of Salamanca

1948

The Marquis of Salamanca poster
6.3

José de Salamanca was arguably one of the most influential figures of the Spanish 1800s. This films tells his story.

The Marquis of Salamanca

1948

The Marquis of Salamanca poster
6.3

José de Salamanca was arguably one of the most influential figures of the Spanish 1800s. This films tells his story.

The Marquis of Salamanca

1948

El señor Esteve poster
6.0

Barcelona, 1860. Mr. Esteve, owner of a haberdashery and proud of his son, attends the christening of his grandson who, years later, determined to become a renowned artist, seems unwilling to continue the tradition and take over the family business. (Only badly preserved and severely mutilated copies of this film survive, just 69 out of a total of 108 minutes.)

El señor Esteve

1948

El señor Esteve poster
6.0

Barcelona, 1860. Mr. Esteve, owner of a haberdashery and proud of his son, attends the christening of his grandson who, years later, determined to become a renowned artist, seems unwilling to continue the tradition and take over the family business. (Only badly preserved and severely mutilated copies of this film survive, just 69 out of a total of 108 minutes.)

El señor Esteve

1948

La Parrala poster
NR

Film about the flamenco singer Dolores Parrales Moreno "La Parrala".

La Parrala

1941

La Parrala poster
NR

Film about the flamenco singer Dolores Parrales Moreno "La Parrala".

La Parrala

1941

The Irony of Money poster
5.6

The finding of a wallet with a lot of money is the common theme of four stories, featuring a shoeshine from Seville, a clerk from Salamanca, a bullfighter from Cuenca and a newspapers seller from Paris.

The Irony of Money

1957

The Irony of Money poster
5.6

The finding of a wallet with a lot of money is the common theme of four stories, featuring a shoeshine from Seville, a clerk from Salamanca, a bullfighter from Cuenca and a newspapers seller from Paris.

The Irony of Money

1957

The Irony of Money poster
5.6

The finding of a wallet with a lot of money is the common theme of four stories, featuring a shoeshine from Seville, a clerk from Salamanca, a bullfighter from Cuenca and a newspapers seller from Paris.

The Irony of Money

1957

Yo quiero que me lleven a Hollywood poster
7.0

This Spanish lost film showed various episodes where several Spanish try to achieve their dream about going to Hollywood.

Yo quiero que me lleven a Hollywood

1931

Yo quiero que me lleven a Hollywood poster
7.0

This Spanish lost film showed various episodes where several Spanish try to achieve their dream about going to Hollywood.

Yo quiero que me lleven a Hollywood

1931

Mi calle poster
6.6

Life events around a city street and its residents are told along the years while time goes by, wars break out and end and life evolves.

Mi calle

1960

Mi calle poster
6.6

Life events around a city street and its residents are told along the years while time goes by, wars break out and end and life evolves.

Mi calle

1960

No artwork available
NR

A parody of the current affairs news format built upon autonomous pieces.

Fake News

1933

No artwork available
NR

A parody of the current affairs news format built upon autonomous pieces.

Fake News

1933

No artwork available
NR

This Spanish lost film was a parody of the zarzuela genre.

Do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si

1935

No artwork available
NR

This Spanish lost film was a parody of the zarzuela genre.

Do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si

1935

Bound for Cairo poster
9.0

No synopsis available yet.

Bound for Cairo

1935

Carmen and the Reds poster
6.6

Javier Navarro, a Falangist, is ordered to infiltrate Republican Madrid to deliver a message to a member of the Fifth Column.

Carmen and the Reds

1939

Carmen and the Reds poster
6.6

Javier Navarro, a Falangist, is ordered to infiltrate Republican Madrid to deliver a message to a member of the Fifth Column.

Carmen and the Reds

1939

Sancta Maria poster
7.0

Nadia, a young Soviet journalist who is passing through Pompeii, discovers the power that comes from the Catholic faith when the painter she loves, Paolo, and who saved her from drowning during the shipwreck of the cruise in which they met, is at the gates of death because of a serious illness whose symptoms are similar to those of leprosy.

Sancta Maria

1942

Sancta Maria poster
7.0

Nadia, a young Soviet journalist who is passing through Pompeii, discovers the power that comes from the Catholic faith when the painter she loves, Paolo, and who saved her from drowning during the shipwreck of the cruise in which they met, is at the gates of death because of a serious illness whose symptoms are similar to those of leprosy.

Sancta Maria

1942

La torre de los siete jorobados poster
6.5

In Madrid, Spain, at the end of the 19th century, the young and reckless Basilio seems to be the only person who perceives the spectral presence of Professor Robinsón de Mantua, who begs him to take care of his niece Inés, because she is in grave danger.

La torre de los siete jorobados

1944