Calvo Sotelo, Joaquín

b. 1905, La Coruña; d. 1993, Madrid

   Dramatist

   Born into a distinguished family of judges and politicians, Calvo Sotelo studied law at the University of Madrid, graduating in 1926. It was while at university that he developed his interest in journalism and the theatre, which he later combined with his professional activity as a lawyer. His literary achievements were recognized by election to the Royal Spanish Academy in 1955, and the award of the National Literature Prize in 1958 (see also prizes). His approximately sixty plays reflect a conservative stance, influenced by his own Catholicism, but at the same time critical of the Franco regime. Early performed work included A la tierra: kilómetro 500 mil (To Earth: Kilometer 500,000) (1932) and El rebelde (The Rebel) (1933), but it was not until the late 1940s that he really got into his stride, with the sentimental comedy La visita que no tocó el timbre (The Caller Who Didn't Ring) (1949). In the same year, he received the Jacinto Benavente Prize for the best play of the season. He wrote farces with improbable situations, and parodic comedies in the tradition of the sainete (a short, satirical sketch), as well as works like Milagro en la Plaza del Progreso (Miracle in the Plaza del Progreso) (1953), La mariposa y el ingeniero (The Butterfly and the Engineer) (1953), and Micaela (1962). He had considerable success with humorous sentimental comedies about the life of the Spanish bourgeoisie, including Plaza de Oriente (1947), Dos hombres y una mujer (Two Men and One Woman) (1949), Una muchachita de Valladolid (A Girl from Valladolid) (1957), Cartas credenciales (Credentials of a Diplomat, 1960), Operación Embajada (Operation Embassy) (1962), and El baño de las ninfas (The Nymphs" Bath) (1966). He is, however, best known for his historical and moralistic dramas, in which he explores how human beings behave in a hostile environment, and where he adopts a critical stance towards the Franco regime: Criminal de guerra (War Criminal) (1951), María Antonieta (Marie Antoinette) (1952), El jefe (The Leader), (1953), Historia de un resentido (Story of a Resentful Man) (1955), Ciudad sin Dios (City Without God) (1957), Proceso al arzobispo Carranza (The Trial of Archbishop Carranza) (1964), La condesa Laurel (Countess Laurel) (1964), El poder (Power) (1965), El inocente (The Innocent) (1968), La amante (The Lover) (1968) and El alfil (The Bishop—as in chess). One play of this historical type, La muralla (The Wall) (1955), was an instant success, and received critical acclaim.

   The plot enacts the struggle between an uppermiddle- class man and his own family, to return money obtained in the Civil War to its rightful owner. With 5,000 performances, it was one of the longest-running plays in the history of the Spanish theatre.

   See also: theatre

   MARÍA FRANCISCA VILCHES DE FRUTOS