Julia Caba Alba Movies
- 1965
The business of death provides the framework for this black comedy about a mortician's assistant who wants to marry an executioner's daughter. Her father really wants to change professions, but cannot, as he will lose his new government-sponsored apartment. The young man is persuaded to take over the job, but he swears he will quit before he must kill someone. Unfortunately, an execution is scheduled shortly before the beginning of a major carnival, a time when many executions are halted. The bride and groom travel there, hoping the victim will be pardoned, but he is not and the groom must fulfill his duty. Although he swears he will never do another, his face tells another story, and the old executioner knows that many more state-sanctioned deaths will follow. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nino Manfredi, Emma Penella, (more)
- 1961
A sentimental drama with religious overtones, the Italian-made Teacher and the Miracle stars Eduardo Novella as an art teacher who is devoted to his young son. The boy's sunny nature and natural talent inspires the teacher to open his own art school. But when his son is killed in an auto accident, the teacher loses his will to live. Going through the motions at his school, the teacher meets an enigmatic young urchin who restores his zest for living. Teacher discovers at the end that the boy has been sent to him by his patron saint, in order that he might fulfill his destiny of instructing aspiring young artists. Teacher and the Miracle wasn't given much of a theatrical distribution in the US in 1961, but has since become a regular feature of Christian high school weekend retreats. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
Popular Hispanic thespians Sylvia Pinal and Adolfo Marsillach star in this rather verbose, straightforward comedy about shy young Marcelino (Marsillach), who meets the attractive Maribel (Pinal) while out in a bar one night. Maribel has all the glitz and glitter that Marcelino lacks, something that his mother (Guadalupe Sampedro) and Aunt Paula (Julia Caba Alba) cannot help but notice when he brings Maribel home to meet them. The response of the two older women is certainly unexpected -- they want Maribel to marry Marcelino. In the meantime, it is revealed that Marcelino's first wife died under what might be suspicious circumstances -- something that has to be cleared up before things really get serious. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adolfo Marsillach, Julia Caba Alba, (more)
- 1960
Broad, effective comedy fires up this fanciful story by director Pedro Ramirez. Jose Luis Ozores stars as a bank clerk ignobly "blessed" with the infamous evil-eye. Nothing prevents the unhappy bank clerk from jinxing any project or activity he encounters. Then his fast-talking buddy (Antonio Garisa) comes up with the idea that they might as well put his unwanted talent to work. Suddenly, the pair discover that there is money to be found in the ability to jinx on demand. Unfortunately for this new-found enterprise, love enters the bank clerk's life and puts blinders on his peepers. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- José Luis Ozores, Antonio Garisa, (more)
- 1958
Also known as Family Adventure, Viva lo Imposible was adapted from Stargazing Bookkeeper, a stage comedy by Mihura-Calvo Sotelo. Manolo Moran plays a lifelong bookkeeper who decides to abandon his humdrum existence. Accompanied by his son and daughter, the bookkeeper searches high and low for thrills and adventure. The family's odyssey comes to a sobering conclusion when the father joins a circus, where he discovers that show business can be just as dull and plodding as the "real" world. Outside of the Big Top sequences, the film's funniest moments occur in a movie theater, where director Rafael Gil satirizes a "typical" newsreel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paquita Rico, Manolo Moran, (more)
- 1958
Elsa Martinelli plays a resident of a seaside village who falls in love with rootless stranger Antonio Ciffariello. The stranger soon learns that he'll have to fight over Elsa's affections with hotheaded villager Luis Pena. Meanwhile, a fisherman who illegally uses dynamite nearly causes tragedy to the entire community. How these two plot strands are woven together is the dramatic crux of the film's final reel. Despite its melodramatic trappings, La Mina (The Mine) unfolds in a leisurely, unforced fashion. The worldwide popularity of Elsa Martinelli enabled the film to attain good bookings outside of Spain and Italy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elsa Martinelli, Antonio Cifariello, (more)
- 1957
Maverick Mexican filmmaker Emilio Fernandez completed Nosotros Dos (We Two) in 1954. Thanks to the legal and political volatility of the director, however, the film was not released until 1957. Rosanna Podesta (on the verge of her Helen of Troy debacle) stars as a young woman trapped in the middle of a long-standing blood feud. She falls in love with Tito Junco, son of the family with which her parents are at odds. Their struggle to find happiness despite the hatred all around them forms the basis of the familiar but well-wrought plotline. Perhaps Rosanna Podesta was a bit too ladylike for the proceedings, but her fans didn't mind. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rossana Podestà, Tito Junco, Sr., (more)
- 1956
Thunderstorm was produced in Spain by actress Binnie Barnes, though one suspects that most of the production details were handled by her husband Mike Frankovich. Carlos Thompson plays fisherman Diego Martinez, who while casting his nets one day comes up with quite a catch -- Maria Ramon (Linda Christian), whom Diego saves from drowning. It isn't long before practically every male in the village, including mayor Pablo Gardia (Charles Korvin) and Gardia's son Miguel (Gary Thorne), has fallen madly in love with Maria. Alas, her presence brings only misfortune for all concerned, leaving her no alternative to leave the village by returning whence she came -- the open sea. Thunderstorm was released in the U.S. by Allied Artists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carlos Thompson, Linda Christian, (more)
- 1952
Though the title translates literally to Sister Unafraid, Sor Intrepida was released in English-speaking regions as Path to the Kingdom. Dominique Blanchar plays a popular singer who forsakes fame and fortune for the life of a nun. She has a few doubts about her calling, but all these are swept aside when she champions the cause of a young paralytic boy who has been numbed into utter helplessness by his judgemental parents. She also saves a few other souls, fortuitiously just in time for the Christmas holidays. A few moments skirt the edge of irreverence, but otherwise Sor Intrepida was eminently suitable for audiences of all religious inclinations. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dominique Blanchar, Julia Caba Alba, (more)
- 1950
"Balarrasa," or "Scapegrace," is the nickname bestowed upon a reckless Spanish Civil War officer Fernando Fernan Gomez. Hoping to change his prodigal ways, the officer enters the priesthood. After seven years, the reformed man returns to his hometown, where he attempts to deflect his family from their profitable black-market activities. Despite its overall piety, Balarrasa has a few irreverent comic moments, mostly suppled by Marnalo Moran. The film also includes such box-office-savvy attractions as a nightclub sequence and an extended episode at a sports arena. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fernando Fernán Gómez
- 1948
The title of this naturalistic Spanish drama translates to The Harvest is Plentiful. Fernando Fernan-Gomez stars as Catholic missionary Father Santiago. Dispatched to the Madras region of India, Fr. Santiago courageously spreads the word to the natives. When not battling local superstition or inclement weather, Santiago carries on a friendly rivalry with a local Protestant minister. The winner of the Superior Council of Missions' Prize, La Mies es Mucha was given a limited distribution to Latino communities in the U.S., as much due to its subject matter as to the presence in the cast of popular Spanish actress/singer Sari Montiel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1947
This Spanish cinemazation of Cervantes' Don Quixote may well have cost more money than any previous adaptation of that literary classic. Rafael Rivelles stars as the ageing, windmill-tilting knight-errant, while Juan Calvo plays Quixote's faithful manservant Sancho Panza. In fact, it is Calvo's sure-handed comic performance that keeps this elephantine production afloat. At 138 minutes, the film proved too much of a good thing for American filmgoers, many of whom were probably still resentful that they'd been force-fed Cervantes in high-school Spanish Class. Herman G. Weinberg, a film critic and historian best known for his essays on director Ernst Lubitsch, wrote the English-language subtitles for Don Quixote de la Mancha. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rafael Rivelles, Juan Calvo, (more)
