An Evening With Sara Montiel April 27, 2012

There is no denying the cultural and artistic achievements of Sara Montiel during her extensive career. She is an icon, diva and mythical figure of Spanish cinema and pop culture since the 1950s. She was introduced to United States moviegoers in the film Vera Cruz (1954) co-starring with Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster, and directed by Robert Aldrich. She free-lanced at Warner Bros. with Mario Lanza and Joan Fontaine in Serenade (1956), directed by Anthony Mann, and at RKO in Samuel Fuller's Run of the Arrow (1957). Montiel returned to Spain and her fame continued to grow. With the unexpected success of The Last Couplet (1957) and The Violetera (1958), Sara revitalized the Spanish film industry in the middle of Franco’s dictatorship, solidifying her presence as an acclaimed actress and singer in both Europe and Latin America. Sara’s leadership and fame at this stage of Spanish cinema, along with her sensuality and artistic power, make her one of Spain’s few living legends.