THE MEXICAN FILM BULLETIN Volume 21 Number 1 (Jan-Feb 2015) Tthhee Mmeexxiiccaann Ffiillmm Bbuulllleettiinn Volume 21 Number 1

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THE MEXICAN FILM BULLETIN Volume 21 Number 1 (Jan-Feb 2015) TThhee MMeexxiiccaann FFiillmm bbuulllleettiinn Volume 21 number 1

January-february 2015

21 years!! st Francisco curiel, 1950-2014 Yes, The Mexican Film Bulletin begins its 21 Francisco Curiel Defosse, a composer and the consecutive year of publication. Where did the time son of director Federico Curiel, died on 27 December go? Thanks to long-time readers and “welcome” to 2014 after suffering a heart attack. Curiel was born those who’ve just discovered us. in Mexico City in February 1950. He appeared in several films as a boy, most notably in Santo contra el rey del Ninón Sevilla, 1929-2015 crimen Dancer-actress Ninón Sevilla, one of the most (1961), popular stars of the rumbera era in Mexico, died in a directed by Mexico City hospital his father; in on 1 January 2015; this movie, she was 85 years old. Francisco Emilia Pérez (at left in Castellanos was born the photo, in Havana, Cuba in with November 1929. Augusto She performed in her Benedico and René Cardona Sr.) played “Roberto de native land as a la Llata,” who would grow up to become El Santo. chorus girl and In later years, Curiel became a songwriter, and his dancer, and came to music can be heard in several films, including the Mexico in the 1940s documentary about his father, entitled Pichirilo under the auspices of (2002). This movie was directed by Francisco Fernando Cortés. Curiel’s son Álvaro Curiel, a TV and film director. Sevilla made her screen debut in 1946, and within a short time was elevated to starring roles in films produced by Pedro fidel garriga, 1948-2014 A. Calderón. Her films include Perdida, Aventurera, Actor Fidel Garriga died on Sensualidad (all directed by Alberto Gout, who 10 December 2014 in Mexico helmed 6 of Sevilla’s movies), Víctimas del pecado City; he was 66 years old. (directed by Emilio Fernández), and Yambaó . By the Garriga had suffered a stroke in late 1950s, the popularity of the style of films Sevilla late 2013 but recovered from had been making—usually melodramas with heavy this and reappeared on TV in emphasis on dance sequences—declined, and she “Los Bravo,” but subsequently retired from the screen. She married Dr. José Gil and developed a fatal infection. they had one son, Genaro Lozano. Fidel Garriga appeared in a number of films However, in the early 1980s Sevilla resumed during his career, including Morir de madrugada acting, this time in character roles, and won the Best (1980), El sargento Capulina, Jungle Warriors, Actress Ariel for her comeback role in Noche de Licence to Kill, Así del precipicio, and Amor Xtremo . carnaval (1981). She appeared in a handful of other He was perhaps best known for his television work: films during the decade, and also began to work in after appearing in numerous Televisa productions telenovelas . Sevilla’s last acting role was in the tv from the mid-80s until the mid-90s, including “El series “Qué bonito amor” (2012-2013). vuelo del águila” and “De pura sangre,” he switched In addition to her Ariel, Sevilla received the to TV Azteca in 1997 and work steadily for that lifetime achievement Diosa de Plata in 2009. network until his death. Fidel Garriga is survived by his wife, son, and a grandchild.

THE MEXICAN FILM BULLETIN Volume 21 Number 1 (Jan-Feb 2015)

had a mastectomy, the disease returned in 2013 and spread to her bones and then liver, eventually causing Héctor Carrión dies her death. Héctor Enrique Carrión Samaniego, a long-time Rojas is survived by her adopted daughter and by member of the musical group Los Hermanos Carrión, her sister, actress Mayra Rosas. died of a heart attack on 30 January 2015; he was 75 Mexican cinema in 2014 The number of Mexican films released in Mexico declined from 107 in 2013 to 67 in 2014, and the number of tickets sold for these films dropped by a total of 3 million. However, according to IMCINE director Jorge Sánchez, two 2013 films ( No aceptan devoluciones and Nosotros los Nobles ) accounted for a huge percentage of attendance in that year, and no 2014 release achieved equivalent success. The most popular Mexican film of 2014 was La dictadura perfecta (4 million tickets), followed by the comedy Cásese quien pueda and Cantinflas . Mexican movies accounted for 10% of the Mexican years old. The Hermanos Carrión was formed in box-office. The most-viewed film in Mexico in 2014 1960, led by brothers Ricardo “Güero” and Eduardo was Maleficient , seen by more than 12 million “Lalo” Carrión. In 1961, when the group’s bassist spectators. left, third brother Héctor (in the middle in the photo above) left his job and joined the band. Los Hermanos Carrión were popular during the Sixties yet more “based on a real and Seventies, and continue to perform even today. Although Ricardo “Güero” Carrión forged a solo story” films acting career in addition to his music, Los Hermanos Gloria (Universal Pictures, 2014) Exec Prod : Carrión also appeared in a number of films as a Anthony Picciuto, Charlotte Larsen, Max Appedole, group, including Los malditos, El Texano, Las hijas Glen Himes, Pedro de don Laureano, Por mis pistolas (with Cantinflas), Solís Cámara, and Lola la trailera . Their uncle was prolific film Ángel Losada; composer Gustavo César Carrión. Prod : Matthias Héctor Carrión is survived by his brothers, his Ehrenberg, Ricardo wife, and two children. Kleinbaum, Alan B. Curtiss, Barrie Osborne, Christian Lorena Rojas, 1971-2015 Keller; Assoc Prod : Actress Lorena Rojas died of cancer in Miami, Eduardo Gómez Florida, on 16 February 2015. She was 44 years old. Treviño, Álvaro Seydi Lorena Rojas González was born in Mexico Vaqueiro, Braulio City in February 1971, and began her career as an Arsuaga, Carlos actress in the early García de Paredes, 1990s. In addition to Yeoshua Syrquín, working on numerous Elías Sitton, telenovelas and TV Salomón Sutton, Eduardo Sitton, Christian Carmona, programs, she also León Levy, Vita Vargas, Salomón Helfon, Patricio appeared in a number Trad, Sergio Palacios, Siahou Sitto, José Asse, Alex of films, including La Zitto, Pelo Suelto México Films, Río Negro Prods; quebradita (1993), Dir : Christian Keller; Scr : Sabina Berman; Photo : Morena (1994) , and Martín Boege; Music : Lorne Balfe; Line Prod : Luis Corazones rotos Díaz; Film Ed : Adriana Martínez, Patricia Rommel; (2000). Rojas was diagnosed with breast cancer in Prod Design : Julieta Álvarez Icaza; Vis FX : Raúl 2008. Although she underwent chemotherapy and Prado; Sound Design : Matias Barberis; Direct Sound :

THE MEXICAN FILM BULLETIN Volume 21 Number 1 (Jan-Feb 2015)

Jorge Juárez; Image Design : David Gameros, Isabel her personality, musical ability, passions, thoughts, Amezcua and so forth, are all either ignored or hugely Cast: Sofía Espinosa ( Gloria Trevi ), Marco Pérez subordinated to her almost slavish devotion to (Sergio Andrade ), Tatiana del Real ( Mary Boquitas ), Andrade (and his callous mistreatment of her and Ximena Romo ( Aline Hernández ), Karla Rodriguez others). “Without him I don’t know who I am,” (Sonia ), Alicia Jaziz ( Karla ), Estrella Solís ( Katia ), Gloria says at one point. [As an aside, Trevi’s 3 Alejandra Zapien [Zaid?] ( Karola ), Moisés feature films—two of which were directed by Arizmendi ( Fernando Esquina ), Osvaldo Ríos Andrade--are not mentioned.] Gloria includes a (Emilio “El Tigre” [Azcárraga ]), Marisa Rubio ( Paty number of extended (and very well-produced) [Chapoy ]), Ma. Fernanda Monroy ( Karina Yapor ), musical numbers, but these either support a particular Estefania Villareal ( Laura ), Paula Serrano ( Spanish plot point or feel extraneous. Obviously, Andrade’s reporter ), Ricardo Kleinbaum ( lawyer ), Magali influence over Trevi was the greatest factor in her life Boysselle ( Mónica Ga ), Julian Sedgwick, Pepe for several decades, but the Gloria Trevi portrayed in Olivares ( Raúl [Velasco ]), Arturo Vázquez ( Alberto ), Gloria is an Katharine de Senne ( Globo reporter ), Marcia extremely Coutiño ( Josie ), Miriam Calderón ( Gloria’s mother ), passive puppet, Vita Vargas ( ECO reporter ), Ramón Valdéz manipulated and (Ernesto ), Iliana Donatlán ( interviewer ), Gutemberg abused by Brito ( Franco ), Daniela Sánchez Reza ( TV Azteca Andrade yet reporter ), Nycolle González ( Lucerito ), Pedro Mira constantly (Ricardo Salinas ), Roberto Uscanga ( Rubén ), seeking his Fernanda Peralta ( Wendy ), Clarissa Malheiros affection and (Heriberta ), Andrea Bentley ( Liliana ), Regina Ramos approval. (Mónica Murr ), Heleanne ( Karina’s mother ), Luis In 1984, Gloria Trevi auditions for an all-girl Fernando Zarate ( priest ), Sebastián González musical group being formed by producer Sergio (Chilean host ), Alberto Lomnitz ( doctor ), Luis Andrade. He spots her raw talent as a Padilla ( director of cameras ), Claudia Medellín singer/songwriter and hires her for the group. (nurse ), Natalia Fausto ( Claudia Rosas ), Fernanda Despite married to another (young) woman (Mary Basurto ( Pilar ), Miguel Conde ( Pedro ), Axel Uriegas Boquitas, who becomes Gloria’s best friend) in the Duarte ( clapper board guy ), Andreia Lopes ( doctor ), group, Andrade has sex with Gloria, using it as a Milena Pitombo ( guard ), Augusto Salas & Yañes means of reinforcing his “don’t trust anyone” motto. Miura ( police agents ) Gloria leaves Sergio but returns to him several years Notes: Gloria (sometimes referred to as Gloria, la later, signing a management contract which cedes película ), is a fact-based partial biography of pop virtually all control of her career and finances. singer Gloria Trevi, who shot to fame in the 1990s Andrade gets Gloria booked on the popular TV but was involved in a scandal which resulted in a program “Siempre en Domingo” in 1989. Her nearly five-year stay in prison in the early 2000s. uninhibited performance (knocking over a plant, She has since resumed her singing career and seems ripping her tights, making provocative gestures and to be reasonably popular once again. facial expressions) receives an enthusiastic response Gloria , directed by a first-time director from from the studio audience, but she is blacklisted from Switzerland, media giant Televisa by the scandalised “El Tigre” was scripted Azcárraga. Andrade takes her to the rival TV Azteca by the well- and Gloria Trevi becomes a major star. Andrade known author controls her and the other young, female members of Sabina his “academy,” doling out sparing praise, punishing Berman. and criticising much of the time. [One of his Although favourite punishments is to lock a girl or girls in a made with closet; he warns the others, “I have a lot of closets.”] Trevi’s Andrade also sleeps with many of the girls, including cooperation, an ambitious newcomer, Aline Hernández. Warned the singer has since characterised the final result in he may be charged with statutory rape, Andrade weds rather unfavourable terms. The film focuses almost Aline. This breaks Gloria’s heart, but she stays with entirely on Trevi’s relationship with her Andrade—at one point even climbing into bed with producer/lover Sergio Andrade, to the exclusion of him and a group of girls and submitting to their all else. Trevi’s life prior to her meeting with sexual advances. Andrade (in 1984, at age 16, according to the movie),

THE MEXICAN FILM BULLETIN Volume 21 Number 1 (Jan-Feb 2015)

Learning of Aline’s infidelity, Sergio first Espinosa bears a distinct physical resemblance to punishes her (making her sit, naked, in a bathtub full Gloria Trevi and her imitation of the star’s singing of ice cubes), then divorces her. When Andrade takes and dancing is excellent. Espinosa’s acting Gloria Trevi back to Televisa, TV Azteca performance is also fine, although the passive nature entertainment reporter Pati Chapoy convinces Aline of her character limits the range of emotions she is to write a tell-all book about the “Trevi-Andrade required to portray. Marco Pérez, an experienced Clan.” Andrade actor but hardly a major star, turns in a good orders Gloria to performance as Sergio Andrade. Everyone else is announce that satisfactory, although only a few get the opportunity she’s retiring to do much “acting” (Tatiana del Real as Mary from singing to Boquitas, Ximena Romo as Aline, a couple of be with Andrade, others). who is suffering An interesting (if deliberately limited in scope) from cancer “partial biography.” (which he wasn’t—he did have Guillain-Barré syndrome). They move to Brazil. Gloria has a daughter, and Bienvenida al clan [Welcome to the Clan] they’re joined by Mary Boquitas. Eventually, (Tintorera & Cinema Inc., ©2000) Prod : Rodolfo de Andrade assembles a new “clan” of young girls who Anda; Dir/Scr: Carlos Franco; Photo : Mario Becerra; want to be singers. In 1999, the mother of one of the Music : Federico girls (Karina Yapor) files charges in Mexico against Bonasso; Film Andrade for rape and corruption of a minor, after Ed : Luis discovering her daughter had abandoned her infant Fernando child in Spain. Meanwhile, Gloria’s own baby dies Aguayo, Carlos of accidental suffocation. The Brazilian authorities Franco arrest Gloria, Andrade, and Mary Boquitas and send Cast: Manuel them to prison to wait for extradition to Mexico. Ojeda ( Humberto Gloria is encouraged to separate her case from Nava ), Isaura Andrade’s but she refuses. She trades sex with the Espinoza ( Isabel ), prison warden for a conjugal visit with the Alejandro Bichir wheelchair-bound Andrade, but he is self-centered (Teodoro ), Dulce and uncaring. Gloria is shown photos proving her Saviñon ( Alishaí ), dead child’s body was callously discarded at Mireya Gerónimo Andrade’s orders. Gloria attempts to commit suicide ("Milena"--María but is saved, then realises she is pregnant again. [The Elena Sandoval ), implication is that the child is the warden’s, but Natalia Velasco Andrade is named as the father in official papers.] (Venecia ), Sharon This inspires Quintana her to have (Lydieth ), her case Rodolfo Acosta separated (Rubén ), Nathán Chagoya ( Jorge ), Alejandra Goltás from (Laurita ), Mariana Castellanos ( Miravella ) Andrade’s Notes: this made-for-TV movie is clearly based and she is on the Gloria Trevi scandal, although the names are extradited to slightly altered. Gloria Trevi (aka Gloria de los Mexico, Ángeles Treviño) becomes "Milena" (aka María where she is eventually acquitted of complicity in his Elena Sandoval); her manager, mentor, and lover crimes. [A printed epilogue indicates Andrade Sergio Andrade is here called "Humberto Nava," and testified that she was innocent.] young performer Aline (who wrote a best-seller Gloria is very well-produced and acted. Whatever exposing Trevi and Andrade's abuses) is dubbed Christian Keller’s previous experience, he’s turned in "Alishaí." a slick and professional product. As noted above, a The film is told in flashback, as Isabel, Alishaí's number of live musical performances were recreated mother, denounces Nava and Milena to the police for for the film, and these take place in front of large brainwashing her daughter. Isabel is the single numbers of screaming fans (some music videos are mother of high school student Alishaí, who is spotted also shown) and are generally quite effective. Sofía backstage at Milena's rock concert and invited to visit

THE MEXICAN FILM BULLETIN Volume 21 Number 1 (Jan-Feb 2015)

the star's home later. Isabel and Alishaí are Figueroa; Music : Antonio Díaz Conde; Prod Mgr : convinced by Nava, Milena's impresario, that Alishaí César Pérez Luis; Prod Chief : Enrique Hernández; has a future as a performer. Isabel signs a contract Asst Dir : A. Corona Blake; Film Ed : Gloria giving Nava 35% of Alishaí's future earnings, and the Schoemann; Art Dir : Manuel Fontanals; Decor : teenager begins attending classes at Milena's mansion Manuel Parra; Asst Photo : Daniel López, Ignacio after school. Romero, Pablo Ríos; Choreog : Jorge Harrison; Nava's strict, even excessive discipline prompts Makeup : Ana Alishaí to ask her mother to cancel the classes, but Guerrero; Sound the ambitious Isabel is easily convinced by Nava and Supv : James L. Milena that her daughter is exaggerating. Nava also Fields; Dialog Rec : sends Alishaí and some of his other young "pupils" Enrique Rodríguez; out as prostitutes for wealthy businessmen. Alishaí Music/Re-rec : becomes pregnant and is forced to have an abortion. Galdino Samperio; The child's father, a rich man, offers to help Alishaí SpFX : Jorge escape Nava's clutches; she goes to live on his Benavides country estate, but Nava arranges to have the man's Cast: Ninón business associates compel him to return her to him. Sevilla ( Violeta ), As the film concludes, Alishaí is living with Milena, Tito Junco Nava, and the other young women (and their infant (Santiago ), Rodolfo children) of his "clan." Acosta ( Rodolfo ), Bienvenida al clan is reasonably entertaining and Rita Montaner ( Rita fairly slick, although clearly made on a fairly low Montaner ), Poncianito [Ismael Pérez] ( Juanito ), budget. Manuel Ojeda is good as the brooding, Margarita Ceballos (Rosa ), Arturo Soto Rangel manipulative Nava, and Dulce Saviñon is quite cute (prison warden ), Francisco Reiguera ( don Gonzalo ), in the Alishaí role; Isaura Espinoza does a good job Guadalupe Carriles ( doña Longina ), Jorge Treviño as the ambitious Isabel, but Mireya Gerónimo is (shoe salesman ), Pedro Vargas ( himself ), Pérez Prado rather colorless as Milena (perhaps to suggest she y su orquesta, Inés Murillo ( woman with child ), was merely a pawn of Nava). Enrique Carrillo ( policeman ), Aurora Cortés ( La The film was released on video in Mexico prior to Prieta ), Lupe del Castillo ( Señorita Montaño ), its U.S. TV premiere in 2002 (it may also have been Enedina Díaz de León ( prison guard ), Margarito shown on Mexican television earlier). There are Luna ( barber ), Chimi Monterrey, Luis Aceves suggestions that some scenes may have been Castañeda ( Luis, cabaret emcee ), Yolanda Ortiz trimmed, although this may not be the case. There (Raquel ), Leonor Gómez ( prisoner ), Ignacio Peón are several clear hints of lesbianism, and one (judge ), Enriqueta Reza, Carlos Riquelme ( Carlos ), surprising early scene in which Alishaí (before she Ángela Rodríguez, Aurora Ruiz ( woman with baby ), joins the "clan") lies in her bed at home, gazes at a Elena Luquín, Estela Matute, Hernán Vera ( José, poster of Milena, and discreetly but clearly pleasures cook ), Hilda Vera; Rodolfo’s henchmen : Agustín herself (under a blanket). Nonetheless, the depiction Fernández, Rogelio Fernández, Jorge Arriaga; of Nava's abuses is fairly tame and the picture as a cabaret patrons : Gregorio Acosta, Ricardo Adalid, whole isn't excessively exploitative or lurid. Salvador Godínez, Carlos León, Álvaro Matute; Bienvenida al clan is very predictable for those cabareteras : Magdalena Estrada, Gloria Mestre, with some knowledge of the Trevi-Andrade scandal, Acela Vidaurri and its lack of a resolution is somewhat frustrating Notes: this is an outstanding, stylish melodrama (but, since it was made in 2000, the real-life case was with music (as opposed to being a “Ninón Sevilla” far from resolved at that point). However, it is decent vehicle, as most of her films directed by Alberto entertainment. Gout were). Emilio Fernández, although perhaps [reprinted from The Mexican Film Bulletin , Vol. 8 best-known for his tales of rural and historical #6] Mexico ( Flor silvestre, María Candelaria, La perla, Enamorado, Pueblerina, Río Escondido ), largely switched to “cosmopolitan” films in this era: Salón Ninón Sevilla films México, Acapulco, Las Islas Marías, Siempre tuya, Víctimas del pecado [Victims of Sin] (Prods. and so on. Víctimas del pecado , like Salón México , is an entry in the cabaretera genre. Calderón, 195 ) Prod : Pedro & Guillermo Calderón; Although Ninón Sevilla performs 4 dance routines Dir -Adapt : Emilio Fernández; Story : Emilio in this picture, these all take place in lower-class Fernández, Mauricio Magdaleno; Photo : Gabriel venues—the “Changoo” and the “Máquina Loca”

THE MEXICAN FILM BULLETIN Volume 21 Number 1 (Jan-Feb 2015)

cabarets—rather than in luxurious nightclubs or “Changoo” club. Pimp Rodolfo hangs out at the theatres, and are staged and shot accordingly. Sevilla club, where he is confronted one night by Rosa, his wears an elaborate costume in only one number, former lover, and her infant. Rodolfo refuses to otherwise acknowledge the child is his. He informs Rosa he’ll appearing in take her back, but only if she discards the baby in a “regular” trash can! Amazingly, she does, then accompanies dresses. Rodolfo and his men as they rob a cinema and Curiously, this murder the cashier. When Rodolfo and Rosa return bare-bones to the Changoo, Violeta demands to know where the presentation baby is—told it’s in a trash can, Violeta runs to points out the rescue the child (just before the trash is collected— fact that she although there’s no real suggestion the infant would was not an have been dumped in the garbage truck or otherwise especially harmed) and accomplished or athletic dancer, and this is turn decides to makes her character seem more realistic: there’s little adopt it. chance of her being “discovered” and turned into a However, her star. She seems to have found her milieu in these refusal to give working-class establishments. That said, several of up the baby her musical numbers are very interesting. In one, she results in her has a “dance-off” with an Afro-Cuban man (Chimi dismissal from Monterrey?), and in another she continues to dance her job. even as she warily watches the arrival of her nemesis Violeta Rodolfo, recently released from prison. becomes a Sevilla looks noticeably different in Víctimas del prostitute to support herself and the baby. One night pecado , younger and thinner than one remembers her she meets Santiago, who discovers the child and tells from other films of the same era. She’s clearly the Violeta to look him up at his club, “La Máquina protagonist but is definitely not the whole show: Loca,” if she ever wants to change her life. But Rodolfo Acosta, Tito Junco, Margarita Ceballos, and Rodolfo also finds Violeta and tries to get her to join (in the last section) “Poncianito” all have substantial his stable of whores; he threatens to dispose of the footage away from Sevilla’s character. baby and savagely beats Violeta when she resists. Tito Junco is, for a change, a sympathetic However, numerous nearby prostitutes hear the character but isn’t given a lot of development. commotion and rush to Violeta’s aid, detaining Acosta, the first person seen in the movie, has a very Rodolfo in time for the police to arrive. Rodolfo is complex role. He’s a pimp and the head of a robbery arrested and sent to prison based on Violeta’s gang who testimony. shoots a Hired by Santiago as a bargirl, Violeta soon cinema becomes the featured dancer in the cabaret, which is cashier for in the railyards and is frequented by railway no reason, employees. Santiago and Violeta become a couple orders his and raise the infant Juanito as their son. When he is former old enough, lover to they send dump her Juanito to a infant boarding child in a school, so he trash bin, won’t know and how they savagely beats women and children—a heinous make their villain, but not a simplistic cartoon. He’s living (shades characterised as vain, selfish, a good dancer, of Salón cowardly, vengeful. None of these are positive traits, México ). but his role is more fleshed-out than anyone else in However, when Juanito is 6 years old, Rodolfo is the film, Ninón Sevilla’s included. released from prison. He shoots Santiago and tries to Violeta, recommended by her friend Rita force Juanito to become a youthful accomplice in his Montaner, is hired by don Gonzalo as a dancer at his

THE MEXICAN FILM BULLETIN Volume 21 Number 1 (Jan-Feb 2015)

crimes, but Violeta tracks them down and shoots day at the prison. However, perhaps the most Rodolfo to death. She is sent to prison. sustained and florid sequence occurs when Rodolfo Juanito becomes a newspaper boy and a shoeshine arrives at Violeta’s shabby room to “recruit” her as a boy, visiting his mother faithfully each week. For whore: when he threatens the baby, Violeta flies at Mother’s Day, he buys her a pair of shoes but arrives him in a rage, they battle fiercely until Rodolfo gets after visiting hours and is denied entrance to the the upper hand and savagely beats her. Violeta’s prison. The kindly prison warden spots him and— screams summon a crowd of prostitutes from the aware of Violeta’s unjust conviction—arranges to street, who surround Rodolfo and attack him, until have Violeta freed and reunited with Juanito. the police finally arrive and take everyone to the The script of delegación . Víctimas del pecado The film features some excellent Gabriel Figueroa is somewhat photography. While Figueroa is perhaps best-known unusual, for his “people silhouetted against the sky” shots in structurally. The natural locations—which at times feel like excessive film opens with pictorialism for its own sake—he was also capable of Violeta already creating striking images in an urban environment. A employed at the few of these do seem self-consciously arty (notably Changoo club, but the scene in which Violeta walks on a railroad bridge as a newcomer. So as smoke from locomotives billows into the sky), but we don’t get the typical scenes showing her pre- Víctimas del pecado is still clearly the work of a cabaretera “decent” life, yet she’s not yet established master of cinematography (credit should also be in the demi-monde . We don’t know what precipitated given to director Fernández and art director Manuel her “fall,” but her status in the Changoo is above that Fontanals for the film’s overall look). of bargirls: she’s a performer. She falls even further, Víctimas del pecado was nominated for two Ariel into pure prostitution, then rises again when she goes Awards, but neither Gabriel Figueroa (Best to work at Santiago’s establishment (first as bargirl, Photography) nor Ismael Pérez “Poncianito” (Best then as a dancer), only to fall once more after his Juvenile Actor) received the prize. death, going to prison for the killing of Violeta, then This is really an excellent film in almost every is redeemed in literally the last minutes of the movie, way. when she and Juanito set off to make a new life for themselves. Consequently, Noche de carnaval [Carnival Night] (Prods. Víctimas del Águila, 1981) Exec Prod : José Aguilar B.; Prod : pecado doesn’t Antonio Aguilar; Dir : Mario Hernández; Scr : Xavier follow the Robles; Photo : Raúl Domínguez; Music : Manuel standard “fall Ortiz; Music Adv : Antonio Aguilar; Prod Mgr : Marco and rise” plot Contreras; Asst Dir : Javier Durán; Film Ed : Sergio of many Soto; Art Dir : Oliverio Ortega; Camera Op : Alberto cabaretera Arellano; Makeup : Marcela Meyer; Sound Engin : films: Manuel Rincón; Union : STIC Violeta’s life is a constant roller-coaster of multiple Cast: Carmen Salinas ( Panchita ), Manuel Ojeda highs and lows. (Diablo ), Sergio Ramos "El Comanche" ( Zangarrón ), Víctimas del pecado is filled with some of the Ninón Sevilla ( Ninón ), Rebeca Silva ( Rebeca ), José most outrageously melodramatic moments ever Carlos Ruiz ( Jincho ), Jaime Garza ( Pepe's friend ), filmed. These include Rodolfo demanding that Rosa Noé Murayama ( union official ), Miguel Ángel Ferriz prove her loyalty by leaving her infant in trash bin [nieto] ( Pepe ), Alejandro Parodi ( Jorge ), Gerardo (and she does!); Vigil ( Chipujo ), Juan Ángel Martínez ( Manica ), Tina Violeta crashing Romero ( Irma ), Rodrigo Puebla ( Romualdo García ), through a window Luis Manuel Pelayo ( emcee ), Leonor Llausás ( Tulia's like Batman and mother ), Jorge Reynoso ( henchman ), Jorge Zamora shooting Rodolfo "Zamorita" ( Zangarrón hanger-on ), Eric del Castillo as he slaps (police captain ), Carlos Riquelme ( Mustafá Juanito; and Mansour ), Carlos Villareal, Norma Mora, [Luz] Juanito giving his María Jerez ( Tulia Rivera ), Miguel Ángel Negrete, tearful mother Ignacio Nacho, José Antonio Estrada, Jacaranda, some flowers, candy, bread, and money on visiting Nahim Jorge, Jorge Tiller, Germán Eslava, Luz

THE MEXICAN FILM BULLETIN Volume 21 Number 1 (Jan-Feb 2015)

María Rico, Claudia Guzmán ( princess ), Paty The film takes place at carnaval time in Veracruz: Aguilar, Juan Jaramillo, Florance Richón, Mario during the days prior to Ash Wednesday, numerous Ficachi, Gilberto Campos, José Oliver Galicia, Dalia parades and other events take place, similar to Mardi Inés, Enrique Mazín ( Beto ), José Luis Moreno, "Algo Gras in New Orleans or the famous carnivals of Nuevo" de Juan Pablo Torres ( second band ), Manuel Brazil. Noche de carnaval features footage shot on Ortiz y su orquesta ( first band ) location in Veracruz, although the majority of the drama unfolds in a single cabaret (which may very well have been a studio set). Various groups of people come together to celebrate in the nightclub: --Middle-aged bargirls Ninón and Panchita, who get paid by the number of drinks their companions order. Their first “client” is drunken poet Jorge, a visitor from Mexico City. Ninón’s proudest moment was being named queen of the carnaval as a young woman: she met Ninón Sevilla, who remarked on their physical resemblance. --A group of dock workers, including El Diablo, Jincho, Manica, and Chipujo. A corrupt union official had ordered them to work a double shift so a ship could be unloaded; Diablo and his friends felt this was an imposition on them, and walked off the Notes: Mario Hernández was Antonio Aguilar’s job. They’re joined by Romualdo, a displaced “house director” during the 1970s and 1980s. In campesino who’s been unsucessfully trying to get addition to helming many of Aguilar’s starring work on the docks. The dock workers make friends vehicles in this era, Hernández was also given the with Ninón and Panchita; Ninón and Diablo become opportunity to direct “specials” produced by Aguilar especially close in a short time. Rebeca and some but starring others, such as Las noches de Blanquita other, younger bargirls disparage Ninón and (which tried to make a movie star out of Antonio Panchita, who reply in kind. At one point, during a Aguilar Jr.), Que viva Tepito! and Noche de carnaval , dance contest, Ninón and Rebeca get into an actual all written by Xavier Robles. brawl. As Kramer would say, “Yeah, yeah, cat Noche de carnaval is particularly notable as the fight!” comeback film of Ninón Sevilla, who hadn’t --The appeared in a movie since the late 1950s (she had a current queen small role in of the Las noches carnaval , de Blanquita , Tulia, and her also shot in mother. 1981, but They’re Noche de accompanied carnaval was by members of filmed first). her “court,” as The role was well as wealthy “Arab” businessman don Mustafá. tailored for Although he’s many years older than Tulia, Mustafá Sevilla: her has lustful designs on her (and his money and power character is a bar-girl named “Ninón,” after her will guarantee his success in this area). Also seated youthful resemblance to the movie star, and posters at the head table are influential businessman and photos from Sevilla’s earlier films adorn the bar- Zangarrón and his henchmen. girl’s bedroom. [Presumably, if Sevilla hadn’t been --Pepe and his wife Irma, along with Pepe’s friend available, the script could have been changed to and his girlfriend. Pepe flirts and dances with his accomodate some other former star.] Sevilla won an friend’s date, which throws Irma and the friend Ariel Award as Best Actress for her performance together. At one point, the latter couple disappears (the film was nominated for 5 additional prizes, from the cabaret . When they return, Irma asks the including Best Film, Director, and Screenplay, but young man if he wants to dance, but he claims his leg did not win), and was inspired to resume her acting hurts. “I told you we shouldn’t have done it standing career in films and television. up,” she replies.

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--Three university students who get progressively being named queen of the carnaval , and it’s all been drunker, fail to pick up any women, and argue about downhill from there! politics. One of the young men’s father is The performances are all solid. Ninón Sevilla isn’t supposedly in the film industry, and this leads to a glamourised in her role, looking every bit of her 51 discussion of the sad state of Mexican cinema: bad years of age (and then some), although her legs movies are advertised hasta la sopa (literally “even (exposed in the cat fight) are still pretty good. She’s in the soup,” but meaning “everywhere”), but the a sad and sort of pitiful person, whose sole claim to good ones are hidden in flea-pit cinemas and don’t fame was her youthful resemblance to a star, and the even appear on the listing of films ( cartelera ). honour of being chosen queen of the carnaval , once. Similarly, “good Mexican novels” are rare, while Now she lives in a cluttered apartment with Panchita trash literature sells hundreds of thousands of copies. and a little dog, scraping by on money she earns as a The corrupt union official and his thugs arrive. bargirl. Carmen Salinas is well-known for her Zangarrón, recurring role as “La Corcholata” in numerous learning the fichera films and sexy-comedies , but plays it mostly client was straight here, without the exaggerated “drunk” act. angry that Manuel Ojeda, despite his rather villainous his ship appearance, had sympathetic lead roles in a number wasn’t of films—including this one—and is ably supported completely by José Carlos Ruiz, Juan Ángel Martinez, etc. unloaded, Alejandro Parodi unfortunately overdoes his tells them to “drunken poet” routine, spouting verses, staggering punish around, passing out, then repeating these steps again Diablo for and again. Everyone else is fine. causing the walkout. When Diablo goes into the A bit more serious in intent than similarly- men’s room, he’s assaulted by the gangsters and formatted films (for example, Burlesque ), Noche de dragged outside to the beach. Beaten and kicked, carnaval is generally interesting and entertaining, he’s finally stabbed to death. Tulia and don Mustafá, with a strong cast. having sex nearby, spot his corpse. The police are summoned, and everyone in the cabaret is questioned. Zangarrón and don Mustafá use their More Carnaval-time in influence (and bribes) to avoid being taken into custody, leaving only Ninón, Panchita, and Diablo’s Veracruz hapless friends to take the blame. Trágico carnaval [Tragic Carnival] (Prods. Noche de carnaval is quite entertaining, although Panamericanas, the cabaret sequences (which are the bulk of the 1991) Prod : movie) fall into a fairly predictable pattern, Roberto Moreno alternating musical numbers with dialogue scenes Castilleja; Dir : (hopping around the room from group to group in the Damián Acosta latter case). The dialogue alternates between Esparza; Scr : melodramatic Carlos Valdemar; conversations Photo : Raúl about Domínguez, Raúl personal Jiménez; Music : issues and Capitol Records somewhat (The Professional) stilted socio- (Old Georg); Prod political Chief : Carolina diatribes. Fuentes, Adolfo Over here, Moreno González; Irma Film Ed : Julio complains about her husband Pepe to his best friend! Ruiz Álvarez; Spec FX : Arturo Godínez; Stunts : Raúl Dance break! Over here, Diablo bitterly explains the López; Sound : Roberto Martínez, Joel de la Rosa exploitation of workers! Dance break! Over here, Cast: Hugo Stiglitz ( Col. Damián Treviño ), Ana Tulia’s mother sucks up to don Mustafá as he gropes Patricia Rojo ( Claudia Treviño ), César Sobrevals her daughter under the table! Dance break! Over (Cmdte. Sobrevals ), Lyn May ( dancer ), Norma here, Ninón says the greatest moment of her life was Herrera ( Sra. Treviño ), Mario del Río ( Carlos

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Ramírez ), Andrea Haro ( Sara ?), Gerardo Viola México and wait for instructions. However, Carlos (Gerardo ), Rubén Recio, José Raúl, Buenaventura and Sara abduct Treviño and try to kill him, but--in Aguilar, Claudia Zavala ( Iris ), Roberto Cabrera, the manner of bumbling movie criminals Ignacio Enciso, Jorge Santillana, Beto Zavala, Ismael everywhere--push him down a steep embankment Oviedo, Tony Sánchez, Damián Acosta ( hotel clerk ), before they try to shoot him. Then they simply Alejandra Peniche ( woman on float ) assume he's dead, and drive away. Notes: this is an adequate crime-genre videohome , Meanwhile, Pedro makes a pass at Claudia; although there is nothing particularly outstanding Ricardo tries to about it. The first part of the film includes footage defend her, and shot during the carnaval at Veracruz--and the actors is shot to death interact with the parade, so it's not simply stock by Roberto. shots--but the majority of the action takes place in a Gerardo, feeling nondescript location in the state of México (it's guilty, kills described as a cabin but more closely resembles a Roberto, but is closed, rustic roadside café, right off the highway). unable to Director Acosta (who has a cameo role as a hotel prevent Pedro clerk) maintains a decent pace, helped by the from raping melodramatics in the script and the scenery-chewing Claudia. When Carlos returns, he has Claudia performances of the cast. The hero's role is split cleaned up and taken to a quarry so her father can see between Hugo Stiglitz and César Sobrevals, which her and then turn over the ransom. A gunfight breaks gives them both short shrift: far more time and out, but Treviño triumphs--with the assistance of attention is lavished on the relatively large gang of Sobrevals and his men, who arrive via helicopter and criminals (6 people) and their victims. automobile at the During carnaval , Claudia--the daughter of last minute--and all wealthy ex- of the kidnappers military man are killed. Col. Treviño--is The abducted from a performances parade float by a are...energetic. gang of Aside from kidnappers. deadpan Hugo Claudia's Stiglitz and more or boyfriend less naturalistic César Sobrevals and (believe it or Ricardo is also not) Lyn May, most of the rest of the cast seems to taken. The criminals hide out at a rural cabin in the have had a nearby state of México. The gang is led by young good time petty crook Carlos, and includes his girlfriend Sara, shouting their another young woman (Iris), slightly older Roberto lines while (who's wounded during the abduction), Gerardo (who pulling faces. planned the crime, The most hoping to gain notable of these enough money to is the actor pay back what he'd playing the embezzled from his manic Pedro, uncle's company), but almost everyone else does it, too, laughing evilly and Pedro, the loose (all the villains) or screaming and/or crying cannon brother of hysterically (Claudia, Ricardo, Claudia’s mother). Carlos. Oddly enough, while Carlos and Pedro’s previous Police criminal careers are mentioned (pickpockets and car commander Sobrevals asks Treviño to leave the thieves), the only character whose back-story is investigation to the authorities, but Treviño says he'll revealed (in a strange flashback sequence) is personally retrieve his daughter if she isn't rescued Gerardo. Gerardo embezzled money from his uncle soon. Sobrevals soon discovers the Ramírez brothers and devised the kidnap plan to recuperate the lost are behind the crime (Pedro had bragged to his funds: suddenly, there’s a flashback showing the erstwhile girlfriend, a dancer) and trails Treviño uncle browbeating Gerardo and threatening to send when Carlos instructs him to come to a hotel in him to prison unless he repays the money in a few

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days. This is apparently when Gerardo thought up one of the least likely leading actresses in screen the scheme, but it history. Generally, I try not to criticize the certainly took appearance of screen performers, but I find it more than a matter extremely hard to accept Olga Rios as the heroine of of days to (a) pick this movie. She has a rather lush body and is not a victim (which reluctant to display it in its entirety in various dance Carlos indicates he scenes, and in fact she is not a horrible actress (which did), and (b) is not to say she's good ), but Rios facially resembles a arrange for the strange hybrid of Lyn May and Sasha Montenegro, execution of the drawn in the broadest possible strokes. When I saw plot (which her in a film made a few years earlier, I was certain apparently required the potential abductee to be that she had had (very bad) plastic surgery and , she riding on a float during carnaval ). The sequence of is even less attractive Gerardo and his uncle could easily have been in Las garras del vicio . omitted, since it provides no additional information On the other hand, if and stands out like a sore thumb. While Gerardo is the leading actress in one of the more sympathetic members of the gang (he Las garras del vicio and Iris are slightly less psycho than the others), he had been the most doesn’t change sides and in fact is shot down by beautiful woman in the Treviño and the police like all the rest at the climax. world, the film would A mildly satisfactory time-waster: nothing special, still be awful: awful but not boring. with a beautiful star, but awful nonetheless.

Four young women live in a provincial town. More Hugo and his Hats They are sisters, and orphans (curiously, 3 are blonde Las garras del vicio* [The Claws of Vice] and one has black hair, while their mother had red hair). The oldest, Iris, decides to go to the capital in (Prods. Cinematográficas ARSA, 1989  1990) search of their long-lost mother, who abandoned Prod : Raúl Ruiz Santos, Felipe Pérez Arroyo, Lázaro them years before to seek her fortune as a star. Iris Morales George; Dir : Ángel Rodríguez Vázquez; has an idea of becoming a star as well. In the capital, Scr : Patricia Fuentes Calderón, Ángel Rodríguez she visits a friend from their village, now working as Vázquez; Photo : Febronio Teposte [sic]; Makeup : a maid. Iris gets directions to a nightclub whose Jenny Benezara address had been found in her mother's possessions. *aka Seducción y muerte Naturally, this nightclub is exactly the one where Cast: Hugo Stiglitz ( Cmdte. Nava ), Ana Luisa Iris's mother now lives: she is a befuddled drunk Pelufo [sic] ( La Soñadora aka Amelia Santos ), Olga known as "La Soñadora" (the Dreamer), who has to Rios ( Iris Zabaleta ), Bruno Rey ( don Ernesto ), be locked up or she'll steal drinks from the tables of Salvador Julián customers. The club is owned by don Ernesto. (? José Luis ), When Iris comes looking for her mother, Ernesto Dora y Angélica says he will Infante, Rosario help her find Escalante, Julia the older Patricia, Tibero y woman, but sus Gatos Negros instead drugs (band ), Candy y Iris and rapes el Principio, Mel her (in a long, y su Show, Celfo creepy scene Sánchez, Alida with Canales, Adriana inappropriately Winkler, Zully romantic music playing on the soundtrack). Iris is Zindell, Bárbara Fox, Yolanda Infante, Roberto Ortiz rather easily brow-beaten into working for Ernesto. "El Cora," Félix Moreno, José Luis Cervantes, However, even though she has a very good picture of Lázaro Morales her mother, she doesn't recognize La Soñadora as the Notes: this is a bad direct-to-video production, same person (don Ernesto does, immediately, when shot in murky 16mm, padded with boring musical shown the photo)--but La Soñadora, who presumably numbers, scripted in a slipshod fashion, and starring hasn't seen any of her daughters for a number of

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years, instantly recognizes Iris. To spare her Rios, as mentioned above, is not a very good actress daughter's feelings, she is rude to Iris and insists the but she's adequate for the level of melodrama we're new dancer stay out of her way. mired in here; her "sisters" are also barely acceptable. Iris's sisters get brief, cryptic notes from her. One might note that despite the sleazy subject When Iris's sweetheart José Luis returns from a long matter, the nudity in this movie is restricted to the absence, he heads for the city to track her down. various Instead, he's waylaid in the nightclub and killed, and "dance" his body is dumped in a vacant lot. This draws the numbers: I put attention of police "dance" in officer Nava, who quotes, since interviews Iris and the opening breaks the news to cabaret her. Iris and La sequence Soñadora finally get features a together and blonde who admit/discover their doesn't even mother/daughter attempt to relationship. To get dance as she them out of the way, leisurely and disinterestedly removes all of her Ernesto has them clothing. At least Olga Rios does a minimal bump sequestered in a house. Iris's other three sisters show and grind as she strips. The cabaret sequences also up looking for her. Ernesto and his henchmen decide include a few comedy bits which are mildly amusing to wipe out the whole family; La Soñadora steps in and mercifully brief. front of a bullet intended for Iris and is mortally The production values are marginal, but not wounded. The police, led by Nava, crash in and horrible. As usual for this type of thing, real arrest the villains. Iris and her sisters mournfully locations were used so there were no "sets" to build; view their mother's corpse. the photography is not especially good, and the music Las garras del vicio is loaded with so many score is mediocre. coincidences and illogical turns that listing them Very low-grade melodrama. would be an unjustified waste of paper. In addition to those mentioned previously (i.e., Iris's strange inability to recognize her mother), here are just some Women over the edge of of the most blatant: --is there only one nightclub in Mexico City? a nervous breakdown Neither Iris nor José Luis nor her sisters have any La gota de sangre [The Drop of Blood] trouble finding don Ernesto's cabaret, where La (Procimex, 1949) Prod : Rafael Baledón, Chano Soñadora has been working or hanging out for many Urueta; Dir -Scr : Chano Urueta; Photo : Agustín years. Jiménez; Music : --if don Ernesto is so ruthless (and he is), why Jorge Pérez H.; Prod does he keep La Soñadora around? (the answer to Mgr : Guillermo this might be that he has some affection for her, but Cramer; Prod Chief : he doesn't show it) Enrique Morfín; Asst --after she has been drugged and raped (or at least Dir : Julio Cahero; fondled) by Ernesto, Iris makes no attempt to escape Film Ed : Juan José from the nightclub, and quickly becomes a headliner Marino; Art Dir : (under the stage name "Olga Rios," to explain the Jorge Fernández; real-life advertising photos seen in the film). She Camera Asst : Sergio apparently still believes Ernesto can help "find" her Véjar; Makeup : mother (as if he were to be trusted). Felisa L. de Guevara; The performances are marginally acceptable. Dialog Rec : Luis Bruno Rey is a little too avuncular to be really Fernández; believable as the ruthless satyr Ernesto, but he's OK; Music/Re-rec : Ana Luisa Peluffo gives it the old melodrama try as Enrique Rodríguez; the tipsy but self-sacrificing mother; Hugo Stiglitz Lilia Michel's Costumes : A. Valdéz Peza only has a few scenes and displays no particular Cast: Lilia Michel ( Alma ), Rafael Baledón personality or emotion but he's satisfactory. Olga (Rodolfo ), Tito Junco ( Juan José ), Olga Jiménez

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(Elena ), Andrés Soler ( Abelardo ), José María Linares returned to bed, he searches her purse and finds (a) a Rivas ( psychiatrist ), José Elías Moreno ( police chief ), pistol, and (b) a notebook with the safe combination Guadalupe del Castillo ( Ramona ), Beatriz Jimeno written in it (how convenient!). The diary contains (Julia ), Jaime Valdéz ( reporter ), Salvador Quiroz Alma's confessions to the "husband murders," and (building administrator ), José Luis Rojas indicates she plans to cut Rodolfo's throat with a (policeman ), ?Carlos Riquelme ( radio commentator ) straight razor the next night at 11:30pm! Notes: this is a moderately entertaining thriller, The next morning, Rodolfo (as one might expect) loaded with Chano Urueta's usual camera tricks and decides to leave, hoping to depart before Alma melodramatic bombast. Ludicrous and overblown at returns from her morning walk. However, he's times, La gota de sangre is buoyed by good (if florid) delayed by a strange man who appears in the house, performances and a sublimely ridiculous happy speaks cryptically, then departs. Alma shows up and ending. Rodolfo is A mystery woman has murdered seven men in compelled to Mexico, killing each a few days after marrying them. stay. She The police have no clues--even descriptions of the repeats her killer are vague. pattern of Meanwhile, mood swings, Rodolfo meets at one point his former claiming that girlfriend Elena it would be a and informs her good deed to that he has met murder someone else and someone who is engaged. only wants peace and tranquility, since being dead is Elena urges very peaceful! Later, as Rodolfo sits, brooding, Rodolfo to wait Alma comes up behind him with a razor, and... until he knows this new woman better, citing the case Rodolfo clutches his wineglass and it shatters, of the serial murderer as an extreme case of the cutting his hand. Alma sees the blood and faints. danger of getting married too soon. Rodolfo refuses The mysterious man from that morning appears and and weds Alma; the couple returns to her isolated orders the servants to take Alma to her room. He family mansion for their honeymoon. then explains everything (in a nearly ten-minute long Rodolfo almost immediately gets nervous. He sequence): asks why Alma (whose face is not seen until 16 Alma developed a split personality after her minutes of the film have elapsed) wore a pair of dark father's tragic death. Her "other" self believed she glasses at the wedding ceremony: she replies with was the husband-killer, and obsessively followed odd gibberish about not wanting the judge to see the news of the case. When the real Alma was in control, happiness in her eyes, or something. Rodolfo is also she had no memory of what had occurred. The disturbed by the strange visitor is her psychiatrist--Juan José and Julia weird modern are a doctor and nurse, respectively, and the other paintings hung two servants were aware of the situation. The on the walls of psychiatrist decided the only "cure" was for bad- the mansion, and Alma to actually murder her husband (Rodolfo)--of by Alma's sudden changes in mood, from joyful to morbid. When Rodolfo spies a spot of blood on the staircase and brings it to his wife's attention, she screams and faints. The servants-- Abelardo, Ramona, Juan José, and Julia--carry the unconscious Alma away. Abelardo warns Rodolfo never to say "blood" in his wife's presence, but won't explain why. That night, Rodolfo sees Alma go downstairs and remove a diary from a hidden wall safe. After she's

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course, the razor she was given was harmless plastic, accompany him, and then there is a long sequence in and when Rodolfo accidentally cut his hand, the sight which the newspaper story of the murders is read in of the blood completed the illusion (Alma had a voiceover. Later, Rodolfo discovers Alma's clippings blood phobia, somehow connected to her father's about the killings (all from real-life newspaper death). Bad-Alma is now gone forever! As the film "Excelsior"), including one jaw-dropping banner concludes, cheerful Alma and Rodolfo remove the headline that reads "The Murderess Has a Mole on disturbing paintings from the walls of the mansion, the Left Arm" in giant-sized, bold print (the size that and will live happily ever after. might announce "War is Declared" or "World to End The conclusion of La gota de sangre brings to Tomorrow"). Shockingly (and, as the psychiatrist mind the rather pat psychiatric analysis which claims later, entirely coincidentally) Alma has a mole concludes Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho : everything is on her left explained away neatly, and Alma is now completely arm! cured, hooray. Rodolfo accepts this without By the question, even though Bad-Alma really intended (and way, the attempted) to murder him. No chance she'd ever titular “drop have a relapse, right? of blood” on Since Chano Urueta both wrote and directed La the staircase gota de is belatedly sangre , the explained by blame and Juan José, the praise are who says he all his. At shot the family Great Dane “Nerón” when the dog least one attacked him. Rodolfo had later spotted Juan José Mexican and Abelardo carrying a suspiciously corpse-sized critic at the bundle out of the house; this was the dead dog, time of the wrapped in a sheet. film's release The performances are highly entertaining, if not suggested the subtle. Lilia Michel doesn't go full "split plot had been borrowed from Love from a Stranger personality," choosing instead to portray Good-Alma (1937--which itself was an adaptation of a play taken as loving and nice and Bad-Alma as super-emo but from an Agatha Christie story), switching the genders not outright evil or like a of the protagonists (the premise is also a bit completely different reminiscent of Hitchcock's Suspicion , right down to person. Rafael Baledón the final revelation that the allegedly murderous does a very good job as spouse is innocent). Urueta's distinctive style can be the increasingly nervous seen in the various visual tricks he employs to impart and terrified Rodolfo. a weird atmosphere to the story: camera tilts, low- José María Linares and high-angle shots, double-exposures and Rivas, Andrés Soler, and superimpositions, pouring some clear liquid in the Tito Junco each have front of the camera lens to distort the image, and so their moments--the psychiatrist's final speech, forth. He also includes one really bizarre and Abelardo's stubborn refusal to tell Rodolfo anything, unexplained bit: a painting in Rodolfo's room is and Juan José's cheerful admission that he reads basically a white curving line on a dark background, detective novels and always guesses the identity of with a white dot at one point on the curve. As the killer--and the rest of the cast is professional as Rodolfo stares at it, the white dot rolls up the curve well. and back down again, like a marble! What th--? The production values of La gota de sangre are One of the most notable formal attributes of La adequate. Most of the film takes place on a large set gota de sangre is the musical score, which hilariously representing Alma's country house, but there are emphasizes almost every "dramatic" line of dialogue some actual exteriors and the opening scenes in the immediately after it is spoken. "Alma, why did you city are also staged and shot decently. wear dark glasses when we got married?" DUN DUN DUN DUNNNNNN "It's almost time to go to bed." DUN DUN DUN DUNNNNNN The film begins with the murder of victim #7 (the killer isn't shown), followed by the police investigation. The police chief allows a reporter to

THE MEXICAN FILM BULLETIN Volume 21 Number 1 (Jan-Feb 2015)

question you should ask yourself: have I been on the edge of madness...?") -- Manicomio is actually a Manicomio [Mental Hospital] (Calderón relatively serious film about mental illness. A printed Films, 1957) Prod : Pedro A. Calderón; Dir : José prologue claims the picture is made with "absolute Díaz Morales; Adapt : Ulíses Petit de Murat, José scientific authenticity," and two technical advisors Díaz Morales; Collab : Augusto Benedico; Story : are credited: one is Dr. Guillermo Calderón Narváez Ulíses Petit de Murat; Photo : Raúl Martínez Solares; (a cousin of the film's producer), and the other is a Music : Antonio Díaz Conde; Prod Mgr : Jorge nurse, whose last name just happens to be the same as Mondragón; Prod Chief : Jorge Cardeña; Asst Dir : that of the production manager, Jorge Mondragón. Moisés M. Delgado; Film Ed : Gloria Schoemann; Art This is not to impugn their professional credentials, Dir : Gunther Gerszo; Camera Op : Cirilo Rodríguez; however, which seem solid, and Joaquín Cordero Lighting : Carlos Nájera; Makeup : Concepción later indicated both he and Luz María Aguilar visited Zamora; Sound an actual mental hospital to prepare for their roles. Supv : James L. Not at all an exposé of inhumane conditions a la Fields; Dialog The Snake Pit , Manicomio features some Rec : Eduardo melodramatic coincidences and treatments which are Arjona; considered out-dated today, but the doctors, nurses, Music/Re-rec : and other employees of the mental hospital are Galdino depicted as professional and caring, albeit over- Samperio; worked. Medical Adv : Dr. The film's Guillermo protagonist Calderón receives Narváez, Sra. special Luz Mondragón; treatment Union : STPC and avoids Cast: Luz being sent to María Aguilar the section (Beatriz ), for Joaquín Cordero "incurables" (Dr. Ricardo Andrade ), Olivia Michel ( patient with only because she's the long-lost sweetheart of one of fear of germs), Arturo Correa ( Dr. Silva ), Sara Guash the doctors! (Eduviges, patient ), Virginia Manzano ( Madre This particular plot twist (which is revealed very Enriqueta ), August Benedico ( Dr. Gustavo Ortiz ), early in the movie) is one of those "melodramatic Magda Guzmán ( Elvira, patient ), Yolanda Mérida coincidences," but it also raises a question of medical (Aurora, patient ), Bertha Cervera, Armando Arriola ethics. Should Ricardo be treating Beatriz, since she (patient who "sends messages" ), Eduardo [sic = was (is) his fiancee? An alternative plot would have Armando] Gutiérrez ( "radio" patient ), José Chávez been to have him fall in love with her while she was [Trowe] ( "boxer" patient ), Hilda Vilalta, Ada his patient, but that raises another whole set of ethical Carrasco ( Lola, patient ), Celia Manzano, Bucky issues. Additionally, if Beatriz had been a stranger to Gutiérrez, Olga Rosas, Roberto Meyer ( religious Ricardo, he probably wouldn't have been so sure that fanatic patient ), Armando Acosta ( patient), María his supervisor's (rather rushed) diagnosis of Beatriz Cecilia Leger ( staff member ), Lidia Franco ( "don't as a schizophrenic was incorrect. breathe" patient ) Beatriz, under the name "Laura," is brought to a Notes : a number of Mexican films have addressed mental hospital in an mental illness and/or have been set in mental unresponsive state, hospitals. In addition to Manicomio , these include having not eaten, Celos (1935), Una mujer sin destino and María spoken, or moved for Montecristo (both 1950), Un largo viaje hacia la several days. Although muerte (1967), El infierno que todos han temido the facility is over- (1979) and Los renglones torcidos de Dios (1981). crowded already, Although produced by Calderón Films--a very director Dr. Ortiz "commercial" production company, one might even agrees to find space for say "exploitative"--and advertised in an the young woman. In her luggage, he discovers a sensationalistic manner (the lobby card text reads "Is photo of Beatriz and Dr. Ricardo Andrade, one of the sex the cause of madness? An anguished Ortiz's assistants. Ricardo says Beatriz is his fiancee,

THE MEXICAN FILM BULLETIN Volume 21 Number 1 (Jan-Feb 2015)

but vanished mysteriously from their hometown hospital and commits suicide by gas (the child some time ago. Ortiz diagnoses Beatriz as suffering survives). [Another patient has epilepsy--Dr. Ortiz from incurable schizophrenia, but Ricardo insists this says these patients are alright most of the time, but can't be accurate. have to be prevented from hurting themselves when He submits Beatriz to a series of electroshock they have seizures. So they're sent to a mental treatments, which bring her out of her catatonia. She hospital?!] The four male patients who cross paths still insists her name is Laura, and doesn't recognise with Beatriz include a former boxer, a religious Ricardo. However, while he's away, Beatriz, while fanatic, one man who thinks he's a radio transmitter alone, is surprised by 4 male mental patients. They (he has an antenna stuck down the back of his shirt!), don't assault her (in fact they run away when she and another who constantly gives him messages to screams), but Beatriz becomes hysterical and Dr. "send." Ortiz takes this as proof of his original diagnosis. The electroshock and insulin treatments are She is sent to the section of the hospital reserved for depicted in detail and at length, in extended "terminal" patients--those deemed as incurable, and sequences and montage. Although apparently for whom additional treatment would be useless. medically accurate and not exploitatively shot, there Upon his return, an infuriated Ricardo says are a few expressionistic touches. When Beatriz is something must first given shock treatment, an image of a skull is have triggered briefly superimposed Beatriz's relapse (no over her face, a one else saw the macabre but nice four men with her). touch. During her He tries insulin insulin coma, shock therapy, Beatriz "dreams" of which finally being chased by a produces a result. horse through a Beatriz says she and forest. There are her friend Laura also a couple of were attacked by a impressionistic, distorted images of people as seen group of men; Laura was raped and murdered (it's through Beatriz's tortured psyche. José Díaz Morales unclear if Beatriz was raped or not). Beatriz felt throws in a few high-angle shots as well for dramatic guilty and assumed Laura's identity, and remembers impact. There is one "shock" cut--an offscreen nothing of what transpired afterwards. She and narrator opens the film, commenting on the patients Ricardo leave the mental hospital together. who, in olden days, were considered...POSSESSED! Manicomio There's a cut to a closeup of a screaming woman and concentrates almost the title Manicomio is superimposed on the screen. entirely on the story However, this is almost the only example of typical of Beatriz and her "exploitation" film form, as the picture is otherwise treatment, but a few reasonably restrained and serious. other patients are As noted earlier, the medical staff are presented in briefly sketched. a very favourable light, with the exception of Dr. Eduviges is a Ortiz, whose middle-aged woman image is who pompously ambivalent at boasts of her lovers; first: he struggles Lola is an alcoholic; against budget another young and staffing woman has an acute issues, and feels fear of "microbes," Ricardo and and constantly some other, washes her hands (she younger doctors eventually comes to give their believe her hands patients too much freedom. After Elvira's death, have been eaten by Ortiz orders stricter discipline and extra vigilance. germs and is sent to However, he does allow Ricardo to keep treating the "terminal" ward); Beatriz (there is a slight suggestion that the insulin Elvira steals a child from the children's section of the shock regimen isn't authorised) and he apologises for

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his hasty diagnosis and reluctance to change once Armando [sic = Fernando] Luján ( Manolo ), Enrique Ricardo is proved correct. Ortiz admits he has Edwards ( Pecoso ), Leticia Roo ( Esmeralda ), something to learn from the younger generation of Eduardo Alcaraz ( gypsy chief ), Consuelo G. de Luna doctors and asks Ricardo to stay at the hospital and (gypsy woman ), Roberto Meyer ( priest ), Elvira Lodi work with him. (Forest Fairy ), Edmundo Espino, Duce ( dog ), Portions of Manicomio were shot in an actual Eugenia Avendaño ( voice of the Zorrillo ) mental hospital (in Mixcoac), although many of the Notes: the interiors (and possibly some exteriors) were filmed at success of the CLASA studios. The production values are quite Caperucita satisfactory and there are plenty of extras (playing roja (1959) mental patients) in several sequences. prompted Lobby cards for the film claim Manicomio won Roberto Best Film, Best Direction, Best Actress, Best Actor, Rodríguez to and Best Co-Starring Actress at a film festival in make two Ecuador, which I suppose was true. The sequels in performances are generally pretty good, albeit not 1960. especially subtle or nuanced (playing a drunk or Caperucita y mentally ill person is an actor’s dream, since it allows sus tres them to chew the scenery without restraint). amigos (presumably the Lobo, Zorrillo, and her dog The lurid marketing aside, Manicomio is Duce) is not a very good movie, burdened by a admirably serious in intent and execution. meandering plot and uneven pace, and (like Caperucita y Pulgarcito contra los monstruos ) concentrates mostly on characters other than Wolf & skunk are back! Caperucita herself. María Gracia was a lovely little girl but not an especially talented actress: she spends most of this film smiling pleasantly and looking around as if searching for some direction. Instead, Roberto Rodríguez gives full rein to the "humorous" antics of the Lobo and Zorrillo, as well as padding in the form of various songs and several "gypsy" dances (there is even a minor romantic sub-plot between two of the gypsies!). [Although the characters in these movies speak Spanish and Caperucita's town is named "San Juan," the setting is clearly some sort of fairy tale-European country, based on the architecture and costumes. The gypsies in Caperucita y sus tres Caperucita y sus tres amigos [Little Red amigos speak with heavy Spanish accents and dance Riding Hood and Her Three Friends] the flamenco, and are clearly outsiders compared to (Películas Rodríguez, 1960) Dir : Roberto Rodríguez; the villagers who wear Tyrolean hats and dirndls.] Adapt : Roberto Rodríguez, Rafael A. Pérez; Story : El Lobo Feroz Roberto Rodríguez; Photo: José Ortiz Ramos; Music : and his friend the Sergio Guerrero; Prod Mgr : Manuel R. Ojeda; Prod Zorrillo are now Chief : Luis G. Rubín; Asst Dir : Mario Llorca; Film "guardians of the Ed : José W. Bustos; Art Dir : Gunther Gerzso; Decor : forest" rather than Darío Cabañas; Camera Op : Ignacio Romero, Hugo fieras [beasts], but Velasco; Lighting : Miguel Arana; Makeup : Román the Lobo is still a Juárez; Dramatic Advisor : Lic. Enrique Ruelas; glutton, eating a Sound Supv : James L. Fields; Dialog Rec : Jesús whole pot of soup González Gancy; Music/Re-rec : Galdino Samperio; cooked by Sound Ed : Raúl Portillo Gavito; SpecFX : Benavides; Caperucita's Union : STPC; Eastmancolorf grandmother (plus Cast: María Gracia ( Caperucita Roja ), Manuel a loaf of bread and even the napkin!). A tribe of "Loco" Valdés ( Lobo Feroz ), El Enano Santanón gypsies camps near the grandmother's house. The (Zorrillo ), Prudencia Griffel ( abuelita ), Beatriz local villagers, considering the intruders to be Aguirre ( Caperucita's mother ), Guillermo A. Bianchi potential thieves, give them permission to stay for (town patriarch ), Luis Manuel Pelayo ( hunter ), just 15 days. The gypsies make their living by

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performing for the townspeople, as well as telling Lassie-like heroics. However, none of this is very fortunes. The Lobo learns the "pact" he has with the interesting or entertaining, and I will confess that village (to be the forest guardian) will be broken. Eugenia Avendaño's voice-dubbing for the Zorrillo The Lobo has unpleasant encounters with a becomes tiresome very quickly (after a matter of hunter and a mischievous boy. When Caperucita's seconds, in fact)--it would have been more amusing grandmother is bitten by a snake, the Lobo and to give the little skunk a deep masculine voice, rather Zorrillo save her life by taking her to the gypsy camp than the nasal, whiny, high-pitched "female" for treatment. (although the skunk is supposed to be male) tones. At first the Loco Valdés, on the other hand, is mildly amusing as villagers think the Lobo Feroz, but there are far too many scenes of the Lobo is to the Lobo and Zorrillo arguing, dancing, singing, blame (incited fighting, etc. by the hunter The production values are satisfactory, with and the boy) particularly nice color photography and a lot of but when his exterior location shooting (so much so that one heroism is questions how much "art direction" Gunther Gerzso revealed, the actually had to do). wolf is given a Caperucita y sus tres amigos was released in the raise in salary USA (dubbed) in 1964 by K. Gordon Murray as instead. Later, Little Red Riding Hood and Her Friends . According however, the to some sources, K. Gordon Murray dubbed the hunter and dialogue for “Stinky the Skunk” himself! Murray’s some friends penchant for releasing Mexican fantasy films in mock the Lobo dubbed versions is well-known. He seems to have and refuse to been particularly enamoured of the “Wolf” and acknowledge the "pact," so the wolf reverts to his Skunk” characters, distributing dubbed versions of all bestial nature and attacks them, then flees. The Lobo 3 of the “Caperucita” series in which they appeared, and Zorrillo take shelter in the "deserted grotto" (as as well as Los espadachines de la reina (aka The opposed to the "inhabited grotto," I guess), hiding Queen’s from a mob that wants to kill the wolf (a wanted Swordsman poster offers a reward for the Lobo, "dead or alive-- [sic]), another preferably dead"). film featuring Caperucita finds her two friends with the aid of the furry duo. the Hada de los bosques (Forest Fairy), but the Murray then villainous hunter and the mob toss dynamite into the actually shot cave in an attempt to kill the Lobo! The Forest Fairy new footage helps (using far Caperucita inferior, find an exit, homemade but the little costumes) of girl is picked “Wolf and Skunk” for several bizarre USA-made up by the featurettes, including Santa Claus and His Helpers , gypsies on Santa’s Enchanted Village , and Santa’s Magic their way out Kingdom . of town. The Lobo and Zorrillo follow. When the While not terrible, Caperucita y sus tres amigos Lobo is caught in a trap, he sends the Zorrillo to help is pretty tedious, at least for someone in my age Caperucita escape (the gypsies have been "making" group. her dance as part of their show). The Zorrillo is subsequently shot and wounded by the evil hunter. However, everything is straightened out in the end, The Mexican Film Bulletin is published 6 and the film concludes with a "fiesta of forgiveness." times a year by David Wilt, 6803 Dartmouth Ave, College Caperucita y sus tres amigos , as mentioned Park, MD 20740 USA. Contact: [email protected] Contents earlier, doesn't waste a lot of time on Caperucita's ©2015 by David E. Wilt, except for material already antics, with most of the footage going to other copyrighted, which appears under Fair Use provisions. To read MFB online in colour: characters. Even Duce the dog (not to be confused http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~dwilt/mexnews.html with Il Duce, the dictator) participates in some