Los bingueros

This film perfectly reflects the mood and the reality of Spain in the immediate Post-Franco era. I'm tempted to compare it to a British 'Carry On' movie but it isn't quite the same, for a start, the characters and story line are considerably darker. This film marks the start of a four year partnership between the two leads (Esteso & Pajares) and despite seeming quite grotesque, I acknowledge, with a degree of discomfort, that the majority of what it depicts is quite accurate - the mood inside the Bingo Hall especially is spot on. I don't miss this Spain, but I do appreciate it having been faithfully captured in this film. I cringe when I watch this, and only some of the humour still holds up (especially for those not easily offended) but it is a treasured part of my collection and a reminder of summer evenings at an outdoor cinema.