Miguel de Cervantes’ Quixote (TV Miniseries)

The great Fernando Rey — known for his extraordinary work with Buñuel in masterpieces such as Tristana and That Obscure Object of Desire — gives one of his richest, most deeply felt performances in Gutiérrez Aragón’s wonderful adaptation of Cervantes’ classic. His Don Quixote is earthier, more human-scaled than earlier versions; he is less a symbol or a metaphor than a man buffeted by his physical age and the distance between his ideals and their realization. While certainly faithful to the spirit of the original, this take on the “impossible dreamer” offers not merely and excellent rendition of the novel but also a fresh, provocative reading that shows how startingly contemporary he and his quest remain.