Mexico City, Mexico.- In addition to Penélope Cruz, if a face represents Spanish cinema it is that of Sara Montiel, a true Hispanic legend who conquered how much she wanted. And among all that she conquered was the Cuban public.
María Antonia Abad Fernández was born on March 10, 1928 and since she was a child she knew that she wanted to be an artist. The humble origin of her family and the prejudices of her time would hinder her path, but nothing stopped young Maria. At just 16 years old, she starred in her first film “The wedding began”. In it, she shared the scene with another great of Spanish cinema, Fernando Fernán-Gómez. “He was the first to kiss me. I was 16 years old and I didn’t know. And he explained to me how movies were made. I believed that they were made as they are seen: from the beginning to the end”, recounted years later Montiel.
Then with her second film she decided to change her name to Sara (like her grandmother) and chose Montiel as her last name. The young actress had a job in Spain but she was not entirely satisfied with the roles she was offered. So she went to Mexico, where she starred in 14 titles, one of them, “Cinnamon Skin”, the key for her to jump into Hollywood.
In the movie mecca she met her first husband, film director Anthony Mann.
Sarita returned to Spanish cinema with her hit “El último cuplé”, a film that featured her as a singer. That film consolidated her. From then on, she chose what roles she wanted, what songs, what costumes.
Montiel became one of the highest paid actresses of the 50s. For “La violetera” she came to earn more than 30 million pesetas, much more than some of the great American divas. “I made many rich, but I also made myself,” she recounted in an interview on TVE.
Sarita in Cuba
Montiel had made the Cuban public fall in love with his performances. He had also visited the island to shoot the exteriors of some of his films. during these visits she met Ernest Hemingway, with whom she is suspected of having an affair.
Besides, he television debut de Sarita was in Havana, at the end of December 1952 in “Estrellas de ultramar” on Channel 4.
In October 1958, Sara returned but this time accompanied by her husband Anthony Mann. Both stayed at the Hilton Hotel where they received him with 28 girls dressed as purple, the Charity Band, journalists, photographers and admirers.
On that occasion, he performed at the Blanquita Theater and was broadcast on television throughout the country, he attended a banquet at Tropicana and a dinner at the Sans Souci cabaret.
After 1959, he stayed away from Cuba until 2002, when he returned on a private visit. This time her reason was to meet the family of her fourth husband, Tony Hernández, who was her boyfriend at the time. The Spaniard stayed at the Hotel Nacional, but her partner couldn’t because in those years Cubans were prohibited from entering hotels. This outraged Sarita that she decided to leave the emblematic place and stay with Tony’s family. Days later, the hotel apologized and paid him a tribute attended by both.
