Sara Montiel
Biography
Sara Montiel was a Spanish actress and singer who rose to international fame in Spanish-language cinema. Born in Campo de Criptana, she began working in movies at sixteen with Te quiero para mí and Empezó en boda, then appeared in Don Quixote and Madness for Love. In 1950 she relocated to Mexico, where she made a dozen films during that country's Golden Age, including Women's Prison and Red Fury. Hollywood roles followed in Vera Cruz (1954), Serenade (1956), and Run of the Arrow (1957). After returning to Spain, she found huge success with the musicals The Last Torch Song and The Violet Seller, which also launched her singing career; she recorded around 500 songs in five languages. She continued appearing in popular films through the early 1970s, such as My Last Tango and Variety. In 1997 Spain's film academy awarded her its Gold Medal, and Pedro Almodóvar included footage from one of her films in Bad Education (2004).
85years old at death
- Born Campo de Criptana
- Died Madrid
- Star sign: PiscesThe sign runs February 19 to March 20
- María Antonia Alejandra Vicenta Elpidia Isidora Abad Fernández (birth name)Also credited as Sarusi and María Antonia Abad Fernández
Movie Career
- Films
- 4
- Career span
- 50 years1954 to 2004
Every film, newest first
- 2004Bad EducationIMDb rating 7.4
- 1957Run of the ArrowIMDb rating 6.6
- 1956SerenadeIMDb rating 5.7
- 1954Vera CruzIMDb rating 7.0
Genres
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A role that slipped away
Montiel was offered a standard seven-year contract at Columbia Pictures but turned it down because she feared Hollywood's typecasting policies for Spaniards.
First role
Montiel started making movies at sixteen in her native Spain. In 1944 she took a secondary part in her first film, Te quiero para mí, and right after that a leading part in Empezó en boda.
Getting ready for a role
Montiel filmed The Last Torch Song in Barcelona with a very low budget. A professional singer was set to dub the songs, but the budget meant Montiel sang them herself, and the soundtrack album became a hit.
Sara Montiel movies on Netflix
Worked with
Sara Montiel shares two films with Charles Bronson, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Charles Bronson's page
Bess Flowers's page
Vincent Price's page
Ernest Borgnine's page
Burt Lancaster's page
Gary Cooper's page
All films by Pedro Almodóvar
All films by Robert Aldrich
All films by Samuel Fuller
Awards
Two awards and honors from 1997 to 2008.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| 2008 | Gold Medal of Work Merit | Won | |
| 1997 | Medalla de Oro | Won | |
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.