(Response to an imdb.com post that Almodovar portrays rape lightly)
As far as I am acquainted with Almodovar's work and I may be wrong, I think Almodovar is as much a feminist as any woman. Most of his works are about women's struggle towards independence and liberation. I doubt that a director and writer with so much empathy for women would condone what happened to Alicia. I may be wrong, of course.
Second of all, Almodovar is a great director and a provocative thinker - he shows all the sides of the story from each character's perspective and that is as fair as it gets. Benigno was brilliantly portrayed and what was most brilliant about his portrayal was that he didn't think he did anything wrong or that he was abnormal in any way. Even when Alicia's father says, "You've had a very special childhood," Benigno clearly doesn't see what's so weird about it and shoves it off with such charm that you just end up liking the guy.
That is also the reason why Marco liked Benigno - he is clearly twisted and disturbed but he is also very likeable, direct, funny, and caring. Aside from what he did to Alicia, is there anything about Benigno that's not likeable?
I think Almodovar made his position through Marco. Marco said to Benigno, "Don't even go there. You don't know what you're doing. You can't marry her. A woman has to say 'I do' with all of her body, mind, spirit, and Alicia can't do that. That is not right." Just paraphrasing.
(Response to an imdb.com post that Marco is not a well-developed character.)
I think Marco's character is well-developed without being explicitly obvious. A sensitive Argentinian travel journalist who has been tormented and driven by love most of his adult life. He cried at the opening dance piece of the movie because it reminded him of Angela, the younger woman he tried to protect from falling and lost. Then, Lydia's snake phobia led them to get together. Because he was still pining for Angela and was unable to become emotionally close to Lydia soon enough, she went back to her ex. Feeling guilty about getting back with her ex and being distressed by Marco's unexpected disclosure, Lydia was not in a state of mental clarity to perform well at the bull ring. So she got gored and fell into a coma.
Part I shows what a sensitive and forlorn lover Marco was.
Then Marco meets Benigno and Alicia.
Part II shows what a sensitive, compassionate friend Marco is.
So, I'd think Marco is pretty damn well-developed as a character, and just about all his motivations were explored in one way or another.
(Response to an imdb.com post that Marco's and Benigno's relationship is homoerotic.)
I think there was a moment of homoerotic undertone during the prison conversation when Benigno said, "When they asked whether you are my boyfriend, I almost said 'yes,' you don't mind, do you?" Marco said he didn't mind at all, because 1) he felt extremely sorry for his friend, 2) he isn't the macho type who cares whether people think he's gay or not.
In essence I don't think they are gay or have predominantly homoerotic feelings towards each other. They both caught each other during extreme moments of vulnerability and confusion; Marco was fully experiencing and empathizing with Benigno's pain, and Benigno was longing for Alicia which was misdirected towards Marco. That crossed over and became a very brief homoerotic moment, but that was because both were confused and vulnerable.
But it was only a moment. Sexuality is rarely black and white but definitely overlapping shades of grey.
Their relationship is a true friendship and camraderie, but Marco certainly behaved as a big brother towards Benigno. Their fates are entwined - comatose women brought them together, and Benigno in turn brought Marco to Alicia, his ultimate future love. Without his failed relationships with Lydia and Angela, Marco wouldn't have found Benigno who led him to Alicia towards the end.
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