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Después de la tormenta (1955)

Good Twin's Story

One day an investigator (Augusto Benedico) knocks on a convent's door. He is looking for a nurse named Rosa Rivero who turns to be a novice.

Based upon the book El Otro Hermano, by Spanish Julio Alejandro (one of Luis Buñuel's script writers) this story develops at tiny island Isla de Lobos, Veracruz. Rosa Rivero (Marga López) is married to Melchor (Ramón Gay) the lighthouse keeper. María (Lilia Prado) is married to his twin Rafael (Ramón Gay, also) and they have a kid named Pepito. María is younger than Rosa, but also beautiful and sensual, besides she wishes her in-law. Rosa, a good-hearted woman, is aware of this, so she has decided she and her man will leave the island.

One day the men go fishing on boats but that afternoon a storm takes them by surprise. Soon both women learn that their boat was sunk by the waves and that only one of the twins could be saved. But which of them? Next morning a boat approaches bringing one of the brothers. Rosa is happy, thankful to see her husband alive, but then the man claims to be Rafael. That night the survivor goes to bed with María.

One morning a fishing boat approaches to Isla de Lobos bringing the real Rafael alive, who wants his family back unknowing what his brother and his own wife have done. Besides, will Rosa tell him the true?

El lugar sin límites (1978)

The Best of El Jaibo

Based upon the namesake book written by Chilean José Donoso. La Manuela (Roberto Cobo) is a gay who works in a brothel managed by La Japonesa (Japanese lady, Lucha Villa). However the building's owned by Don Alejo (Fernando Soler). One night Don Alejo, the most powerful man in town, trying have fun bets La Japonesa she won't seduce La Manuela, if so he will give her away the building. So, that night both, the whore Japonesa and the seduced gay Manuela, become owners of the house but also, without meaning to, beget La Japonesita (little Japanese lady, Ana Martin). Years later Pancho, who when child had been Mr. Alejo's protégé, tries to hurt and kill La Manuela without known reasons. La Japonesita and his father fear any day Pancho will show up to kill him. After an argument with Mr. Alejo, Pancho's brother in law, Octavio (Julián Pastor), lends him some money so he breaks ties with Mr. Alejo. Then they come to the brothel to celebrate. When La Manuela hears Pancho's truck coming he hides away, but after seeing him mistreating La Japonesita he comes back to save her. La Manuela seems to realize that in fact Pancho is also a gay. So dressed as Flamenco dancer, he dances for him the zarzuela La Leyenda del Beso (Legend of the Kiss). Slowly, step by step, La Manuela goes taming and seducing the macho man. Soon they are dancing together and kissing each other. When Octavio finds his brother in law kissing La Manuela, breaks the spell, making Pancho's bewilderment turn to hate. La Manuela realizes now he is in real danger so he runs away. Then both brothers in law hunt him down through the dark streets of the town to punish him, beating him dead for having kissed Pancho.

Who Has Seen the Wind? (1965)

Trivia

• Who has seen the wind was filmed in Mazatlan waters.

• The real name of the ship was Culiacán, which was changed to Hirundo by the director.

• This ship was so old that high waves broke the wheel when a storm hit the area on Wednesday, September 30th, 1965.

• The Hirundo drifted for a few hours, so the captain had to anchor it until 14-foot fishing boats from Mazatlan came to rescue the players that night.

• However ship's crew and others, numbering 35, had to wait till next day, October 1st, when the ship was tugged to Mazatlan harbor.

Data taken from the book Érase Una Vez en Mazatlán (Once Upon a Time in Mazatlan) written by Antonio Lerma Garay

Tizoc (Amor indio) (1957)

Pedro Infante's last movie

Some people subtitle this movie as Indian Love; the reason is perfectly clear. Tizoc (Pedro Infante) is an Indian who works hard while the rest of the indians envy and even hate him. One day he meets the most beautiful woman on earth, María, (María Félix) so takes her as the Virgin of the local church.

The woman is member of a wealth country-family, one of the richest of the region. However the wealthy, beautiful and Virgin-like woman befriends the poor but hard working Indian.

One day Tizoc is hurt by another Indian. María witnesses this and gives him a white handkerchief to wipe his blood. ¡Alas! The man goes crazy. In fact she ignores that to offer a white handkerchief to an Indian of this region means to accept him as the husband.

Now Tizoc works harder to build the house where he and Maria should come to live. No matter what, Tizoc won't listen to anybody, not even the local priest: he is convinced that Maria wants to be his wife.

After a few days he comes to believe that Maria has made a fool of him. So, angry, he kidnaps her and takes her to a mountain. Even the Army comes after him to rescue the wealthy woman, but also the other indians who hate Tizoc.

In captivity Maria talks to Tizoc and he realizes his misunderstanding. So he lets her go free. But then one of the other indians, trying to kill Tizoc, shoots her an arrow to kill her. The saddest Tizoc takes out the arrow from her breast and plunges it into his own chest.

Perhaps the most famous passage of this movie is when Tizoc sings her Te quiero más que a mis ojos. Te quiero más que a mis ojos. Pero quiero más a mis ojos Pero quiero más a mis ojos porque mis ojos te vieron (I love you more than my eyes, I love you more than my eyes. But I love more my eyes, but I love more my eyes because my eyes saw you)

Moved, she begins to weep. Then, when he realizes that she's crying, with a rock hits the mouth that has made her cry.

On April, 15th, 1957 Pedro Infante died on a plane crash. However, months later his character as Tizoc got him the Berlin's Silver Bear for Best Actor (while Twelve Angry Men got the Golden Bear)

Sabor a mí (1988)

Alvaro Carrillo's Biography

In fact Sabor a mí (Should I translate it as A Taste of mine?) is the name of a very famous song written by Alvaro Carrillo. The movie depicts the life and facts of this great Mexican composer, whose full name was Genaro Álvaro Carrillo Morales. He was born in El Aguacate, Cacahuatepec, Oaxaca, Mexico.

Alvaro Carrillo repertoire includes very famous songs such as Amor mio, La Mentira, Sabor a mí, Luz de Luna and many more.

His songs have been performed by Julio Iglesias, Plácido Domingo,Luis Miguel, Los Lobos, José José, Alejandro Fernández, Vicente Fernández, Ana Belén, Paloma San Basilio, María Conchita Alonso, Pablo Milanés, Cafe Tacuba, Dyango, José Luis Rodríguez and many more.

Alvaro Carrillo and his family died in a car crash on April, 3rd. 1969

Un mundo maravilloso (2006)

Luis Estrada retreats his Herod's Law

No doubt about it, Estrada depicts some Mexico's political and social facts, however I find Herod's Law and A Wonderful World very similar.

I think Luis Estrada directs both movies following the same recipe.

Marginal class appear in both movies pretty good depicted; Mexican politicians as well; then come ridiculous circumstances that surround that lead both, politicians and poor people, beyond they ever dreamed: the politicians is rewarded for his criminal acts while the poor is dragged to his fate.

On Herod's Law the corrupt politician is rewarded becoming a Senator; on a Wonderful World the minister is awarded with Nobel Prize for starving the people. On the first movie the poor has to kill to get whatsoever he deserves (some respect and dignity) on the second movie this marginal family has to kill another family to get one single day of good life.

Herod's Law and A Wonderful World are pretty similar.

El inocente (1956)

One of Pedro Infante's funniest comedies.

Don't be surprised if the Mexican television broadcasts this movie on New Year's Eve. Because this story begins that night.

This is a funny comedy starred by Pedro Infante and Silvia Pinal; Cruci and Mané. They have never met each other but when Mané's car breaks on the road, after a quarrel with her fiancé, Cruci is the mechanic who comes to help her. None of them wants to spend a lonely New Year's Eve so both come to Mané's place. Dancing, playing and drinking and more drinking the night goes by. So next morning they are caught together on bed by Mané's family. But what really happened? No embarrassing questions please: they are forced to marry.

Cruci is a loser, an ordinary mechanic while Mané is member of a wealthy family. Cruci's real name is the most ridiculous you can hear: Cutberto Gaudázar. So he is forced to change his name from the very first night to Cruci. To avoid shame when Cruci is introduced into society he is no more a Mexican mechanic but an European aristocrat. And so on, helplessly, step by step, the couple leads to the prearranged divorce.

But ¡Alas! Should she fall for a mechanic?

This movie had a remake, Romeo contra Julieta (Romeo vs Julieta) starred by Angélica María and Alberto Vázquez, which is almost forgotten even by the Mexicans.

Hasta el viento tiene miedo (1968)

No doubt about it, Hasta el Viento Tiene Miedo is the best horror-suspense Mexican movie.

You need to see a real horror-suspense movie? Don't miss this one. Hasta el Viento Tiene Miedo is 36 years old, and still is so fresh and captivating.

Carlos Enrique Taboada didn't need special make up, mutilated bodies, rivers of blood, FX nor a budget of millions of dollars to create the best horror-suspense Mexican movie.

No names to point, but in fact this movie is much better than many other popular horror movies you have seen.

To listen the spectral voice calling "Claudia...Claudia"; see her slowly go towards that voice; watching Claudia dead covered by a blanket and suddenly to see her arm moving under the blanket; still takes my breath away.

Yes, the final part is a cliché. However the first fifty minutes are worth.