Esther Fernandez Movies
The Mexican comedy Reportaje follows the wacky adventures that ensue when a man offers a large reward to the journalist that can uncover the best news story that occurs during New Year's Eve. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
A trio of rural Mexicans make their way to the big city, only to discover just how wild the nightlife can truly get in this classic comedy starring Luis Aguilar and Antonio Badu. Ester is pregnant. After discovering a potential complication, Ester's doctor has advised her to visit a doctor in Mexico City. Her husband Antonio has agreed to drive Ester to the capitol, and her brother Luis has also agreed to join the pair on their journey as well. After dropping Ester off at the hospital, Antonio and Luis head for a local nightclub to truly experience the thrill of the big city. Upon leaving the nightclub in the company of a beautiful dancer, the group is robbed by a gang of thieves who steal everything - including their clothes! Subsequently process by the local police, the embarrassed victims soon find their troubles compounded when Ester is released from the hospital the following day and sees their photograph in the local newspaper. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Fernando Mendez's 1953 Spanish-language melodrama El Lunar de la Familia unfurls against the backdrop of a deceptively innocent-sounding family reunion. Two freewheeling, party-happy young men, Luis and his buddy Antonio, catch the train in to San Miguel, on a visit to Luis's grandmother, Doña Luisa, and his sister Esther. Unfortunately for the visitors, Luisa's goddaughter Rosita, is sitting near them in the same train car. She soon catches wind of the boys' wild tendencies, and makes a point of telling Luisa. Furious, the crotchety old woman decides to teach the bad boys a lesson by beating them senseless with her cane and forcing Luis to seek out a proper mate for Esther. Unfortunately, Esther has already fallen in love with Antonio - who could care less. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
Director Alejandro Galindo directs the legendary Delores Del Rio in a classic drama from the Golden Age of Mexican cinema that portrays political change in Mexico through the microcosm of one family struggling with tradition in a time of change. Liberal farmer Pepe has arrived in Santa Fe to visit his aunt, Dona Perfecta. While he's there, Pepe is eager to teach the traditional-minded townspeople a new way of living. Unfortunately for Pepe the people of Santa Fe aren't eager to embrace change, and when the citizens begin to voice resentment Pepe is forced to seek refuge with his sympathetic aunt. Dona Perfecta is just as traditional as any of the other townspeople though, and only suffers Pepe due to the fact that he is family. When Pepe and his cousin Rosario fall deeply in love, the situation quickly comes to a head. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1950
Fifth-generation Californian Leo Carrillo returns to the homeland of his ancestors in the Mexican Pancho Villa Returns. Though pushing 70, Carrillo is convincing as the relatively youthful rebel chieftain Pancho Villa. Made a general in the Mexican army by Presidente Madera, Villa is forced into a life of banditry when Madera is assassinated in 1913. Flying in the face of historical facts, Pancho Villa is depicted as a paragon of virtue, albeit one who has no qualms about executing those who've betrayed his cause. Pancho Villa Returns was written and directed by Miguel Contrera Torres, one of Mexico's most successful (and longest-lasting) filmmakers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leo Carrillo, Esther Fernandez, (more)
- 1946
Based on a famous book by Richard Henry Dana, Jr., this grueling saga of shipboard oppression is set in the mid-19th century. Charles Stewart (Alan Ladd), the wealthy son of a Boston shipowner, is hijacked by Amazeen (William Bendix), the first mate on a ship bound for California. Francis Thompson (Howard Da Silva) is the tyrannical captain of the Pilgrim who was booted out of the U.S. Navy for mistreating his sailors. Now he wants to set a record sailing time, and he and Amazeen mete out severe punishment for the slightest of infractions. They even deny the men permission to go ashore and pick fruit when they stop in California and pick up the beautiful Maria Dominguez (Esther Fitzgerald). Without fruit, the men develop scurvy and begin to mutiny. Stewart allies himself with the author Dana (Brian Donlevy), whose brother died on one of Captain Thompson's previous voyages. Dana wants to write an expose of Thompson. Stewart steals guns and tries to take over the ship, but Amazeen subdues and imprisons him. The film was shot on a Hollywood set, but with devices on the set that simulate rolling waves so effectively that much of the cast got seasick. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Ladd, Brian Donlevy, (more)
Flor de Duranzo (Peach Blossom) was based on a novel by Hugo Wast. Though the original story was set in Argentina, it has been effectively transplanted to Mexico in this screen treatment. Fernando Soler stars as a grieving rancher who cannot get over the death of his beloved wife. Soler shuts himself off from the rest of world, demanding that his pretty daughter Esther Fernandez do the same. Eventually escaping her father's forced solitude, Fernandez heads to Mexico City, where her idealistic notions of romance are destined to be dashed. Wast's novel was decidedly downbeat in its outlook and denouement; the film version of Flor de Duranzo is a lot more optimistic. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fernando Soler, Esther Fernandez, (more)
In this historical drama from Mexico, Demetrio is a rancher whose home is destroyed by local authorities. Filled with rage, Demetrio sets out to join the revolutionary army of Pancho Villa, and soon takes part in an attack on the federales. Wounded in battle, Demetrio is nursed back to health by Camila, a pro-Villa medical student. Demetrio becomes infatuated with the beautiful medic, but she only has eyes for Curro. Despite his heartache, Demetrio soon returns to battle and after displaying his heroism, he seeks justice against the man who destroyed his ranch. Los de Abajo stars Emilio Fernandez, Domingo Soler, and Isabela Corona. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1938
Mi Candidato is a "Mexican western" with appropriate musical interludes. Domingo Soler plays Don Valintin Vaca, who rules his ancestral village with an iron hand. Don Valintin's methods of maintaining his power include an embargo against the silver works managed by his political rival, rebellious young Pancho Garcia (Pedro Armendariz). He also tries to undermine Pancho's popular support by tempting him with a big-city seductress. Everything ends happily with Pancho legally wresting Don Valintin's political power away from him, winning the hand of the lovely Rosario Cortina (Esther Fernandez) in the bargain. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Domingo Soler, Joaquin Pardave, (more)
- 1938
Popular South-of-the-Border recording artist Tito Guizar stars in the romantic semi-western Rancho Grande. Guizar plays a carefree charro who falls in love with beautiful senorita Esther Fernandez. His best friend Rene Cardona, unaware of Guizar's feelings towards Fernandez, seduces her himself. What follows requires our hero to do some heavy emoting, hardly a Guizar specialty but here carried off quite well. If the film is better directed than the usual run of Guizar vehicle, it's because Fernando De Fuentes was a better than usual director, as proven by his subsequent efforts. Rancho Grande was honored with an award at the 1938 Venice Film Festival. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tito Guizar, René Cardona, Sr., (more)
Having begun his directorial career in 1932, Fernando De Fuentes had four years' experience -- and ten pictures -- under his belt when he helmed the Tito Guizar musical vehicle Alla en el Rancho Grande. The film has been hailed by historians as the vanguard of the Mexican "Charro"-movie genre, which concentrated upon singing cowboys, golden-hearted bandits and fair senoritas. Popular radio singer Guizar is cast as itinerant ranchhand Jose Francisco, who falls in love in spite of himself with duckling-turned-swan Cruz (Esther Fernandez). It's essentially a Cinderella story, with a bit of Mexican "action dancing" and even cockfighting thrown in. On the strength of the enormously successful Alla en el Rancho Grande, Tito Guizar went on to even bigger stardom, and was still at the top of his profession as late as the 1980s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tito Guizar, Esther Fernandez, (more)
