The House of the Spirits (Danish: Åndernes hus) is a 1993 period drama film directed by Bille August and starring Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Winona Ryder, Antonio Banderas and Vanessa Redgrave.

Based on the 1982 novel of the same name by Isabel Allende, the film follows three generations of women from a Chilean family during the country’s military dictatorship.

Blanca's mother, Clara del Valle is a child from a well-off family in Santiago whose father is running for the Senate.

He employs natives to work as peasants on the dilapidated land, eventually turning Tres Marías into a successful estate through his use of brute force.

After graduating from boarding school, Blanca returns to Tres Marías and reunites with Pedro, meeting him by the river every night.

Jean de Satigny, a French nobleman who aspires to go into business with Esteban, sees Blanca and Pedro in a tryst at the river and rats her out to her father.

Clara makes Esteban leave and reassures Blanca that Pedro is indeed alive, but they won't be reunited for some time because he needs to flee to safety.

Esteban believes his party will win the election as usual, but the People’s Front ends up gaining control of the government.

In the coming days, Blanca is tortured and sexually abused by her half-brother, Esteban García, who had joined the military with his father's help.

A grateful Esteban tells her that Pedro is waiting for her and Alba in Canada, and hopes his help can make up for the damage his actions wrought on his family.

Author Isabel Allende received numerous offers from producers and agents to adapt her novel The House of the Spirits upon publication in 1982, but did not agree to option the work until Danish filmmaker Bille August convinced her with his vision for the film.

[6] Controversy occurred over the casting of predominantly white English-speaking actors in a Latin American period film.

[4] Principal photography took place in Denmark, with some scenes filmed in Lisbon and Alentejo, Portugal, from January 1993 to April.

"[8] Two oft-cited reasons for the poor critical reception were its diffusely episodic structure[9] and the casting of mostly Anglo actors in Latin American roles.

[3] Angle Errigo of Empire gave The House of the Spirits two out of five stars and stated that: "If this had been a Latin American production, one might have been more generous towards the fumblings of a fairly fetching saga; given the talents involved, the film's hesitations in style and consistent failure to really move must be counted as a major disappointment.