Umbracle (1972): cast, story & where to watch
1972 · Film · ★ 5.6
Released in 1972, Umbracle is a documentary film directed by Pere Portabella, running about 85 minutes.
What it’s about. This film turns on two basic axes: the inquiry into ways of cinematographic representation and a critical image of official Spain at the time of the Franco dictatorship. “Montage of attractions” and Brechtianism in strong doses. Umbracle is made up of fragments (some are archive footage) that resound rather than progress by unusual links, with dejá vu scenes that promise us more but remain tensely unfinished. Jonathan Rosembaun said: “few directors since Resnais have played so ruthlessly with the unconscious narrative expectations to bug us”. Learning from the feeling of strangeness caused by Rossellini as he threw well known actors into savage scenery in southern Europe. Portabella makes Christopher Lee wander around a dream-like Barcelona. Without a doubt Portabella’s most structurally complex and most profoundly political film, that is ferociously poetic. — pereportabella.com
Who’s in it. Umbracle stars Christopher Lee as The Man, Jeannine Mestre as The Woman, Miguel Bilbatúa and Román Gubern, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 5.6/10, Umbracle has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on MUBI Amazon Channel. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Umbracle page.
If you liked it. Fans of Umbracle tend to enjoy One Direction: This Is Us, Burn the Stage: The Movie, BTS World Tour: Love Yourself - Japan Edition and Senna.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Umbracle (1972)?
- In US, Umbracle is available to stream on MUBI Amazon Channel. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Umbracle worth watching?
- Umbracle holds an audience score of 5.6 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy documentary. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Umbracle?
- Umbracle stars Christopher Lee, Jeannine Mestre, Miguel Bilbatúa, Román Gubern and Joan Enric Lahosa.
- When was Umbracle released?
- Umbracle was released in 1972, with a runtime of about 85 minutes.