The Cannes International Film Festival was the stage where, in 1952, 'Parsifal' was presented, a cinematic work born from the Wagnerian obsession of Daniel Mangrané from the Ebre region. This production, filmed 75 years ago, competed with iconic titles like 'An American in Paris' and 'Othello', representing a bold and commercially risky endeavor for Spanish cinema.
Daniel Mangrané, son of an industrialist in the agricultural and chemical-pharmaceutical sectors, balanced family businesses with directing Selecciones Capitolio, a film distribution company. His passion for Richard Wagner led him to conceive the adaptation of the story of the knight of the Holy Grail, a project that began to take shape in the late 1940s.
The censorship process, led by Fermín del Amo, reflected doubts about the project's viability for Spanish cinematography, despite acknowledging the good intentions and careful planning. Del Amo warned about the complexity of the direction and realization, and pointed out the need to control scenes that could be "innocently ridiculous or decidedly pornographic," especially those involving actress Carmen de Lirio.
To carry out this ambitious project, Mangrané assembled a distinguished technical team, including Carlos Serrano de Osma for co-direction, painter Carlos Caballero for art direction to recreate Montserrat, and Ricardo Lamote de Grignon to adapt the Wagnerian scores. Actor Gustavo Rojo played the protagonist, with the voice of Francisco Rabal, while French dancer Ludmilla Tcherina portrayed Kundry.
Filming took place at the Orphea studios in Barcelona and on Montserrat. The Filmoteca de Catalunya preserves valuable documents from Selecciones Capitolio detailing the production, including the rental of horses from the Municipal Police and unforeseen costs such as Tcherina's trip to Lyon.
In a 1951 interview, Mangrané defended his project as an "eminently cinematic adventure" with "spirit and possibilities for innovation," distancing himself from the prevailing neorealism. The film's cost amounted to nearly 7 million pesetas, with a significant portion allocated to the sets, inspired by Cecil B. DeMille's cinema.
The promotion of 'Parsifal' was intense, filling magazine pages and culminating in a premiere gala with personalities of the time. Despite the effort, the film left Cannes empty-handed, with Orson Welles winning the Grand Prix. In Spain, it received awards for best cinematography and sets.
The audience reception was complex. Ministry reports noted criticisms of the "slowness of the action" and a "confusing plot." In Salamanca, it was described as a "noble attempt" but "incomprehensible for the general public," while in Valladolid, "visible signs of impatience" were observed. The report from Cáceres summarized the situation: "Parsifal was not understood because people decidedly went to see something else."
Mangrané's Wagnerian adventure nearly ruined him, although he later attempted a second project, 'El duende de Jerez'. 'Parsifal' remains a unique episode in Spanish cinema during the dictatorship, a film that connected mysticism, Wagner's music, and a technical and intellectual ambition that aimed to challenge European cinematography.
