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The Spirit of the Beehive

Name: The Spirit of the Beehive
Genre: Drama, Fantasy
Released: 1973-10-08
Cast: Ana Torrent, Fernando Fernán Gómez, Teresa Gimpera, Isabel Tellería, Laly Soldevila

1973 | 99 min | Drama, Fantasy

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Critics loved it (96% on Rotten Tomatoes). A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for fantasy fans. If you loved The Lighthouse, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood: Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace: Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 39 min.
What might put you off: It's in Spanish, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
Made in 1973: an older pace and style.
Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

In 1940, in the immediate aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, a young girl living on the Castilian plain is haunted after attending a screening of James Whale's 1931 film Frankenstein and hearing from her sister that the monster is not dead, instead existing as a spirit inhabiting a nearby barn.

How it earned its rating

CriticsVery strong
96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 87 on Metacritic
AudiencesSolid
7.6 out of 10
AwardsWeak
1 win and 0 nominations from smaller awards and festivals
Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a modest audience; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 65K people sought it out in the past year