Historia de una noche

Here you have and old-fashioned melodrama beautifully scripted and directed. It was made in 20 days by Luis Saslavsky in the old studios of Argentina Sono Film, in January 1941. There's the not very conventional triangle -the outcast coming back to the little town of his youth, his one time and now very married girlfriend and her mean husband-. Deep down the plot it's a story against prejudice in a small Latin American town at the beginning of the 40's with good performances by Pedro López Lagar, Sabina Olmos and Santiago Arrieta. To these three, another one must be added: Sebastián Chiola as the supposedly stern business inspector, who in fact is a poker player addict. The flashback is the core of the film and the vision of the trees from the very young girl who once thought of becoming Hugo Morel's wife is shot with gusto by Saslavsky. The director claimed he didn't have any influences but it's apparent he was keen on French cinema. All in all, something to watch and to study. Something else: Saslavsky directed a remake in Spain in 1965 but it's not so good.