I'm living in Buenos Aires again, after a long absence. Today, rummaging among hundreds of old movie titles from the world over, in one of the many shops that sell inexpensive copies (10 pesos each!! consider..., 1 Dollar = 3,70 pesos!!), I bought, among others, a copy of "Rosaura a las diez" (Rosaura, at ten o'clock).
I read the few surprisingly good comments done recently by other reviewers, and although I agree with them about the quality of this movie, I think it a bit rushed to say that it is one of the best movies ever made.
Sorry, I'm Argentinian, and I would love to see it that way, but I don't. The basic idea is excellent (A remake could be done nowadays that could be a real knock out of a picture), but the treatment is very old fashioned.
Especially the first half of the movie, almost like filmed theater. The actors are a bit exaggerated, specially María Luisa Robledo, the boarding house owner; and most unfortunate was the casting of the Spanish comic actor, Juan Verdaguer, that in this straight role (As Mr. Canegatto -- Composite of two Italian words: Dog-Cat), is totally out of place, with a flat delivering of his lines in a very harsh voice.
Susana Campos (Rosaura, the main character) was a lovely beauty, and a very good actress. Nelly Beltrán (In a cameo role) was superb as a low life character. The second part of the movie, visually, changes so much that one could think somebody added another film to this one.
The photography turns surrealistic, harsh black and white contrasts following the style of the classic German movies of the 30's. Very good indeed. There is a violent scene so realistically portrayed that is almost awesome, since at that time the Argentinian cinema lacked completely the technique for this kind of playing.
The director, Mario Soffici, acts in some scenes (the millionaire that hires Mr. Canegatto to paint a portrait), quite correct in his character.
The music was good, although in some scenes is a bit too much, too theatrical and bombastic, but maybe it was the fashion at the time.
The continuity is excellent, being a story with a very definite twist to it, quite unexpected and surprising too! All in all, an excellent old movie for nostalgics of the old black and white films (although this one is in Cinemascope). Ah! the very last scene of this movie, before the word 'Fin' (End) appears, is a true gem!!
Just being able to watch this ending justifies seeing this movie.
