During the Thirties, the gifted Mexican director Fernando de Fuentes made three films about the Mexican Revolution that are often referred to as a "trilogy," although in fact they don't share characters. All three are now available in a subtitled DVD set, happily. I watched the second of the group, the impressive El Compadre Mendoza, first, and now I'm looking forward to the others -- Prisoner 13 and Let's Go with Pancho Villa (great title!).
Fuentes co-directed El Compadre Mendoza with his co-scenarist Juan Bustillo Oro, who like him had a long career as a writer-director in the Mexican cinema. This film is a subtle statement on divided loyalties. Landowner Rosalio Mendoza cultivates the good graces of both the government forces (first the Huertistas, after President Victoriano Huerta; later the Carrancistas, after President Venustiano Carranza) and the rebels (the Zapatistas, after revolutionary Emiliano Zapata). At first this situation is played for comedy, with Mendoza's assistant putting up and taking down portraits of Huerta, Carranza, and Zapata as different visitors come to the hacienda. But eventually Mendoza's game gets more dangerous; the rebels almost kill him on his own wedding day before Zapatista general Felipe Nieto intervenes -- and even so, they do string up a government official. It may seem unusual for a lynching to occur at one's wedding, but revolution is a serious business no matter how light-heartedly one tries to maneuver through it.
General Nieto becomes godfather to Mendoza's son, and admirer (reciprocated) to his wife Lolita (though they keep their longing in check; they only commit adultery with their eyes, and the somewhat obtuse Mendoza never seems aware of it). Ultimately, in order to protect his family, Mendoza has to make the hardest of choices -- the only imaginable choice for a devoted husband and father, perhaps, but a horrifying decision nonetheless.
This is an exceptionally well-done movie in every respect. I especially like the refusal of melodrama in the gradual drawing closer of Nieto and Lolita; all they will ever have of each other are a few glances, and that must suffice. Although Lolita is in a forced marriage, she is loyal; and Nieto genuinely looks on Mendoza as the best of friends, as Mendoza looks on him. These are three good people caught in the juggernaut of history, and history is not kind. All three actors, Carmen Guerrero as Lolita, Antonio R. Frausto as Nieto, and Alfredo del Diestro as Mendoza, are very accomplished here; the Chilean Diestro, reminiscent of Edward Arnold in films such as Come and Get It, is especially good in a role that could have been caricatural in effect.
Fuentes co-directed El Compadre Mendoza with his co-scenarist Juan Bustillo Oro, who like him had a long career as a writer-director in the Mexican cinema. This film is a subtle statement on divided loyalties. Landowner Rosalio Mendoza cultivates the good graces of both the government forces (first the Huertistas, after President Victoriano Huerta; later the Carrancistas, after President Venustiano Carranza) and the rebels (the Zapatistas, after revolutionary Emiliano Zapata). At first this situation is played for comedy, with Mendoza's assistant putting up and taking down portraits of Huerta, Carranza, and Zapata as different visitors come to the hacienda. But eventually Mendoza's game gets more dangerous; the rebels almost kill him on his own wedding day before Zapatista general Felipe Nieto intervenes -- and even so, they do string up a government official. It may seem unusual for a lynching to occur at one's wedding, but revolution is a serious business no matter how light-heartedly one tries to maneuver through it.
General Nieto becomes godfather to Mendoza's son, and admirer (reciprocated) to his wife Lolita (though they keep their longing in check; they only commit adultery with their eyes, and the somewhat obtuse Mendoza never seems aware of it). Ultimately, in order to protect his family, Mendoza has to make the hardest of choices -- the only imaginable choice for a devoted husband and father, perhaps, but a horrifying decision nonetheless.
This is an exceptionally well-done movie in every respect. I especially like the refusal of melodrama in the gradual drawing closer of Nieto and Lolita; all they will ever have of each other are a few glances, and that must suffice. Although Lolita is in a forced marriage, she is loyal; and Nieto genuinely looks on Mendoza as the best of friends, as Mendoza looks on him. These are three good people caught in the juggernaut of history, and history is not kind. All three actors, Carmen Guerrero as Lolita, Antonio R. Frausto as Nieto, and Alfredo del Diestro as Mendoza, are very accomplished here; the Chilean Diestro, reminiscent of Edward Arnold in films such as Come and Get It, is especially good in a role that could have been caricatural in effect.
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