Based on Agustina Bessa-Luís' acclaimed novel, itself inspired by a true story that occurred in the 19th century, Manoel de Oliveira's Francisca recounts the life of a young man, a son of an English officer, who lets himself become a prisoner of love. With its elaborate title cards, gloomy interiors, show-stopping gala set-pieces, Francisca is a sumptuous cinematic experience.
