Jamón, Jamón aka A Tale of Ham and Passion (1992)

Sexy and farcical, Jamon, Jamon takes the link between garlic, ham and sexual potency to a new level. Set in the empty, dusty plains of Spain, the locals dream of bull-fighting and hormone-fuelled passion. In the age-old tale of love across forbidden boundaries, Silvia (Penelope Cruz) and Jose Luis (Jordi Molla) adore each other and plan to marry. However, Silvia is only the daughter of local whore Carmen (Anna Galiena) while Jose is heir to a fortune, the business of selling "Samson" briefs. With this in mind, Jose's venomous mother Conchita (Stefania Sandrelli) is determined to destroy their union. There's more to the story than that though, with side-orders of Conchita doting over Jose excessively and her husband Manuel's (Juan Diego) previous liaisons with Carmen.

Bigas Luna's most noted work in North America, Jamon Jamon is a film that teeters on offensive, but does so with such sweetness and charm that it is hard to resist.

In a plot that only Luna could bring to life, young, sexy Silvia (Penelope Cruz) is engaged to and pregnant by Jose Luis, the son of underwear merchants. Silvia is too lower class for Jose Luis' meddling mother, Conchita, so she hires the young, handsome Raul (Javier Bardem) a worker in a ham factory and wannabe underwear model and bull fighter, to romance her away. But the love starved and still sexy Conchita falls for Raul, while Jose Luis frequents the bordello owned by Silvia's mother. Eventually, the two men duke it out in one of the most unique and bizarre fight scenes ever, beating each other with hams.

This is a dark and weird R-rated soap opera, in which every scene is over the top melodrama, and all characters deliver their lines like they were their last. But it works scene after scene, largely due to the directing and casting. For physical appearance, you won't find a better looking cast anywhere. Jamon Jamon is challenging because it is so unconventional, but is also enjoyable because of its romance and passion.