A good thriller with suspense, tension and a deep psychological detail studio of some motley characters, although is mostly developed on interior scenarios , it doesn't make boring neither tiring. A violent film about two escaped thieves resulting be an enjoyable and intriguing flick competently and professionally directed by Pedro Lazaga. Dealing with a couple of delinquents , Mauro (Juan Luis Galiardo), Valentín (Manuel Tejada), carry out violent robberies and are pursued by the Guardia Civil (Rafael Hernández, Luís Marin) , as they subsist in the mountains of Asturias, terrorizing the inhabitants of the region with their robberies and nasty acts. They take refuge in an isolated house in the countryside where they take its inhabitants hostage, they are the rancher father (Antonio Ferrandis) , the mother (Lina Canalejas) , his beautiful young daughter (Maria Luisa San José) and the grandmother (Pilar Vela). As their forced entry into the house takes place, various events develop, one (Manuel Tejada) of the armed thieves is seriously injured and needs penicillin for which Mauro goes to the little town pharmacy, while the local priest (José Ruiz Lifante) is snooping around and suspects something strange occurs. Little by little events are precipitating to a twisted conclusion.
An appropriate and interesting production in short budget that alrightly copies adequately most of the characters of the classsic Noir Film. This flick is installed in the well-known terrain of delinquency, to tell a story that follows a paradigm of the North American criminal genre : two troublesome crooks in a close relationship with each other end up hidden in a secluded place and eventually facing each other. It is an acceptable attempt for making a Spanish cinema thriller. At the same time, it concerns strong rivalry between two opposite sides: home invaders and invaded, resulting in fateful consequences.
The picture is developed with tension, intrigue, emotion , adequate interpretation, and the exciting deeds are unfolded with absolute logic until the suspenseful final outcome. An appropriate and interesting production in short budget that alrightly copies adequately most of the characters of the classsic Noir Film. One of the most unknown films at the time that stands out for its commitment to show explicitly grisly violence, an element already highlighted in previous movies and that would be used by several directors as a properly criminal resource and besides, it would also bring a certain modernity to Spanish films. It is also interesting for its setting in a rural environment, in which the love passion for the beautiful daughter -femme fatal Maria Luisa San José shown in several nude scenes- triggers several crimes, as well as the ambition and greed for money that will serve to launch a moralizing message. The main cast is frankly good with great actors at the time , such as: Antonio Ferrandis, María Luisa San José, Juan Luis Galiardo, Lina Canalejas, Manuel Tejada, all of them give acequate performances. Along with a fine support cast with brief interpretations from familar faces: Rafael Hernández, José Lifante, Eduardo Bea, José Yepes, Lola Lemos, José Riesgo, Pilar Vela and Luis Marín.
This nice film contains a certain historical interest to contemplate a traditional genre that was mostly shot in Barcelona and Madrid and mainly in the late fifties and early sixties , such as: "Distrito Quinto" (Julio Coll,1957) , ¨Brigada criminal¨(1950) Ignacio F Iquino , ¨A sangre fría (1959)¨by Juan Bosch , ¨Un vaso de Whisky¨(Julio Coll) , or "A Tiro Limpio" (1963), by Francisco Pérez-Dolz , ¨el precio de un asesino¨ (1963) by Miguel Lluch, ¨El precio de un asesino (1963)¨ by Michel Lluch, ¨Crimen¨by Miguel Lluch (1964)¨ and the best Noir resulted to be "Los Peces Rojos" (1955) by José Antonio Nieves Conde , but in ¨El ladrido (1977) is adapted to the seventies.
This well paced and compellingly played production that stunningly brings most of the roles of the classsic Noir Film was nicely filmed by the prolific filmmaker Pedro Lazaga. Rating: 6/10. Acceptable and passable.
