Once more, we remind our readers why fur fashion peaked in the 1980s, with the appropriate nod of reverence to the 1930s. We induct a new member to the canon of indispensable ‘80s fur films (and the 20% club). You don’t have to speak Spanish to enjoy La gran quiniela, because it speaks the universal language: huge fox coats.

La gran quiniela – The Film

According to various sources on “the internet,” the movie is about a lady who wins a whole bunch of money and uses it to help her friends. She uses it to help her friends… and buy a lot of fur coats.

La gran quiniela – The Furs

The lady is Puri (María Luisa San José), who we know has an affection for fur fashion before her windfall profit but lacks the budget to get beyond a pretty basic scrap fox jacket. It’s better than a bargain basement rabbit fur, at least.

Once she wins the money, it’s time to spend some of it. Among her purchases is a rack full of furs, which roll into her fancy new home. Now, lesser films would have this one scene to reinforce that the protagonist is now enjoying their new wealth, but La gran quiniela isn’t just any film.

Puri and best friend Sole (Eva León) try on several furs immediately, expressing a deep, emotional connection with their new coats.

So, remember that fur rack screenshot because we’re about to see a miracle of “fur continuity.” Every one of the furs on the rack appears in the rest of the film in some capacity. While some are not seen for very long.

Others, like this belly lynx and white fox coat, are part of extended scenes and enjoy lavish attention.

Puri later switches up the lynx while Sole keeps her white fox coat. I would have called it a “continuity error,” but once more, check the rack; both lynx coats were there, so Puri merely changed her coat.

Sole and her white fox are inseparable, but Puri keeps things exciting with one more fur change. I’m not sure what this one is, possibly sheared fitch or cross mink, but it closes out the fur rack’s contribution to the film.

Puri isn’t entirely done as she digs out the old scrap fox jacket to close out the film. I’ll go out on a limb and guess she did not keep all the money.

At twenty-three minutes of fur fashion footage in a 90-minute film, we arrive at a new member of the 20% club. Not only is it a new member, but it’s also a truly great member, as most of those minutes are stuffed with spectacular fur coats. 

This will undoubtedly come up if you want to see it: Google.

• Fur Runtime: 23:46 minutes
• Film Runtime:  90 minutes
• On-Screen Ratio: 26.41%

Find-a-Fur: La gran quiniela, 1983

(All times are approximate and are affected by the cut of the film.)

• 11:55 – 13:15 – scrap grey/red fox jacket
• 16:35 – 21:30 – ” 
• 23:45 – 29:40 – ”
• 34:45 – 36:05 – fur rack to frost fox stroller try on
• 37:45 – 42:15 -red fox and mink/sable to white fox + lynx
• 57:35: 1:01:30 – white fox + lynx
• 1:13:05 – 18:35 – white fox + fitch?
• 1:24:10 – 28:30 – scrap grey/red fox jacket again

Fur Fashion Gallery – La gran quiniela, 1983