Crepúsculo

Excellent cinematography, a fine musical score and a dated script reviewed by a psychiatric expert as well as a surgeon expert, all this was state-of-the-art filmmaking in 1944, as I see it. All is still quite fascinating today, as far as I am concerned, although I recognize that very few people (movie historians excepted) are really interested in old b&W Mexican melodramas these days. Most interesting mentioning is the picture's intrincate flashback structure, full with time twists. And, of course, Miss Marín is absolutely gorgeous. Who else (but Maria Felix) would be able to induce such a fatal attraction and provoke such a lethal, twilight (= Crepúsculo, in Spanish) passion?

Crepúsculo or TWILIGHT (1945) is a fascinating story about a surgeon split in as many fragments as bones has the skull. His love goes to his brother, the woman he thinks he loves, the woman who desires him, the woman who truly loves him and the woman he truly loves. Complicated? Alejandro (De Córdova) falls deeply in love with Lucía (Marín) who is a sculptor nude model, only one day before he goes on a journey around the world that will last a very long time. When he comes back home, he is surprised by the news that his brother has married Lucía. She tries to have them both, but Alejandro can't break his brother's heart. Then Cristina (Michel) shows up. She is Lucía's younger sister and falls deeply in love with Ricardo, her brother in law. Everything gets very complicated as the four of them seem not to realize the real situation. They all have to live in the twilight of their love! Great scenes and two beautiful and strong, impressive women frame this flawless production.

After a couple of years in Hollywood Arturo De Córdova returned to Mexico to make this opulent melodrama in which De Córdova's glamorous existence as a top surgeon is seismically disrupted by his overpowering infatuation with high-maintainance tease Gloria Marin, now wed to his brother.

Already set in the lap of luxury, shot in jagged black & white by Mexico's second-most acclaimed cameraman Alex Phillips, the cast puff their way through cigarette after cigarette as the film plunges headlong through what feels like an extended dream sequence from 'Spellbound' with surging musical accompiment by Raul Lavista, in which the very false-looking beard worn by chief psychiatrist Julio Villarrreal further adds to the generally hallucinatory feel of the piece.

From the beginning, this movie shows that it's very concerned with displaying all the outward trappings of high-society sophistication. It concerns a renowned Mexican surgeon who cavorts with his rich pals in Europe and always ways noir-like suits and the dialogue is extremely stiff and highfalutin. There's even a short bit taking the extremely unpopular and elitist view that the Mexican Revolution was a negative event in history. Yes, this was a film made for and perhaps by the upper classes to appeal to upper class sensibilities.

Aside from trying too hard, it's just a poorly-constructed movie. The plot is nonsensical from the central plot point. The main love interest marries the friend of the doctor with whom she has a mutual love... why? She claims it's to be closer to him, but there's never any indication at all that there's something barring the two from getting married.

Characters change personalities drastically. The doctor's friend goes from chipper positive buddy to murderous lunatic for no reason. And locations and plot points which were never previously introduced during the movie are thrown in as if we're to know their significance.

The only reason someone would watch this is because Arturo de Cordova and Lilia Michel are looking their best. The only reason someone would claim to like it? Perhaps they're carried away by the glamour and nonsensical noir style.

Honourable Mentions: Being Human (1994). This faux-philosophical film starring Robin Williams as different men throughout history was also very ambitious with very mediocre results.

Two years after the film under review Arturo be Cordoba made 'Kneeling Goddess', playing a character for whom the spark of obsessive passion is ignited by a nude sculpture of a woman played by sultry Maria Felix. In 'Crepusculo' the nude sculpture is that of sultry Gloria Marin. Here one has the added complications of a teenage girl whose 'silent love' is longing to be awakened and a jealous husband who succumbs to 'mans instinct to kill' only to be thwarted by Mother Nature. This heady mixture is strengthened by the chiaroscuro cinematography of Alex Phillips and a lush score by Raul Lavista. This is really an excellent film noir in Hollywood mode with the bonus of a literate script and smouldering Latin 'heat' without the obligatory Hollywood happy ending. Director Julio Bracho has concentrated on 'character' and on those little looks that speak volumes. De Cordoba did a Hollywood stint of course but was always far too interesting to play the Latin Lover. He was far more effective on 'home turf' and his portrayal here as the 'tortured' surgeon would make his outstanding performance a few years later as a paranoid in 'El' for Bunuel a natural progression. The final scene of Gloria Marin and Lilia Michel at the waterfall is stupendous. A must for all lovers of film noir.