Andres Solér Movies
The brother of Mexico movie favorite Domingo Soler, Andres Soler confined most of his acting to the stage. He began appearing in films in 1935, continuing to appear onscreen sporadically until 1964, usually in horror films. He often was seen in the films of his brother Domingo, most memorably as Thenadier in the 1943 version of Les Miserables. Andres Soler's only American film was 1953's Sombrero, which showcased several prominent Mexican performers. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1969
An average working-class family contends with the perils of everyday life in this classic melodrama from Mexico starring Sara Garcia and Joaquin Pardave. Youngest son Raymondo has been accused of purse-snatching, and his father is convinced that swift punishment is the only way of keeping the boy in the straight and narrow. Later, after the rest of the children have fled the nest to find their own way in the world, Jose is hired at the local bank. Being around so much money isn't easy for a boy who has had to struggle his whole life just to get by, and after eventually succumbing to his greed Jose begs his mother to help him out of his pressing dilemma. When the house is mortgaged, the family is forced to accept the very real possibility that they will lose their home. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Alberto Vasquez, Amparo Rivelles, (more)
The comedy Esta Noche No tells the tale of a man married to two different women. He goes to great lengths to keep each family in the dark about the other, but all his careful planning unravels one day. When the two women discover what has been going on, they plot their own unique form of revenge. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
The long-buried sins of a foster father return to haunt a younger generation in Mexican director Arturo Martinez, Sr.'s 1965 Spanish-language western Un Hombre Peligroso. Rodolfo de Anda stars as the gunfighter El Zurdo, nicknamed 'Lefty.' During his younger days, El Zurdo was forced to murder a gambler in self-defense. He subsequently adopted the gambler's orphaned son, Mario, but consciously avoided informing the child of the circumstances. Years later, as Mario comes of age, he discovers the truth, craves vengeance for his father's death, and decides to square off in a duel against El Zurdo. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Rodolfo De Anda
- 1964
This jungle adventure provides a wonderfully corny look into the mysteries of the Amazon and the African Congo as it chronicles the journeys of two intrepid explorers. There each of them must face assorted dangers including enormous iguanas, diminutive pygmies, voracious crocodiles, and man-eating natives who like to prepare their ritual meals atop an alter made of human skulls. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1964
In this ironic drama set in a Mexican peasant village, the parish priest admonishes and chastises his congregation for not being generous, but then later catches a desperate father stealing a pearl from a statue so he can pay for the medicine his sick boy needs. After being caught, the fellow loses the pearl, which is later found in a pile of pig manure. Fortunately, the man's neighbors rally to his aide and he is freed. Later his wife finds the pearl and surreptitiously returns it to the statue causing the other locals to believe a miracle has occurred. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1962
Overcooked melodrama characterizes this tale set during the Mexican Revolution and starring some of Mexico's most famous, old-time actors (Katy Jurado, María Félix, Emilo Fernández, and Pedro Armendáriz). The story is about as far-fetched as can be imagined. Herrera (Armendáriz) and Gómez (Fernández) are on opposite sides in the Revolution, but then, there is more than one side anyway. Just before the two can fight it out, they are arrested and later released when the fighting is more or less over. But when the two men return home, one finds that his mistress, La Bandida (Félix) is involved with someone else, and the other is soon to be a widower. The saga then continues as both men go after La Bandida -- and all this happens with a great deal of brawling, singing, and carrying-on. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Maria Felix, Pedro Armendáriz, (more)
La Carcel de Cananea is a well-wrought, finely acted Mexican western directed by Gilberto Gazcon and starring the popular Pedro Armendariz as a federal lawman on the trail of a young criminal. The youthful fugitive from justice (Augustin de Anda who died before the film was released) is at first an unknown quantity. But after he is captured by the persistent federal deputy, the two men begin to have a greater appreciation for each other. This friendship of sorts does not help while they both contemplate the prison that waits at the end of their journey. Fortunately for the story, there are no songs or musical numbers to interrupt the narrative. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Pedro Armendáriz, Agustín de Anda, (more)
- 1961
With good character development and insights into human nature, this well-wrought drama is the first independently directed film by Luis Alcoriza who as a screenwriter, collaborated with Luis Buñuel. Set in a small village with strong local traditions, the story revolves around the dilemma of a devoted father whose son is in desperate need of medicine. The father is much too poor to buy the medicine himself, and so he goes against all his scruples and steals a pearl from the crown of a statue in the church. Unfortunately, he is caught but cannot come up with the pearl because it is lost. Rather than see the good man punished simply because he wanted to help his seriously ill son, the rest of the villagers clamor for his release, and for the priest's forgiveness. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jorge Martinez
- 1960
In this Mexican horror story, an evil ex-con frees the imprisoned Dr. Frankenstein from prison and forces him to resuscitate his monster so that the convict may exact his revenge upon those that sent him to prison. To bring the monster back, the doctor shocks him with 100,000 volts, causing the creature's face to melt. From then on, the monster wears a metal helmet. In the end, the monster wins the love of the ex-convict's girl friend. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1960
This well-balanced film is based on the life of Jose Mojica (Pedro Geraldo), a Mexican entertainer who gave up the stage for a monk's robe and tonsure. As young Mojica's star is rising in the entertainment world he indulges in some very unpleasant personality traits -- a serious ego, arrogance, and unstable temperament plague his relationships. But then circumstances conspire to slowly wake him up, not only making him realize the errors in his attitude and behavior, but bringing him even further to the conclusion that nothing the material world has to offer is worth it. And so Mojica becomes a Friar, a monk whose life starts to touch others in a meaningful way. Libertad Lamarque plays his mother and equally famous Pedro Armendariz plays a man affected by Mojica. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Libertad Lamarque, Pedro Armendáriz, (more)
- 1960
This is a well-made religious film on the miraculous appearances of the Virgin of Guadelupe to a converted Aztec, Juan Diego, in 1531. The Aztecs had a temple constructed to the Earth Mother, Tonantzin on Tepeyac Hill when the Spaniards razed it to the ground as a part of their campaign to destroy the native religion. Six years after Quauhtlatoatzin was baptized with the name Juan Diego (played by Jorge Martinez de Hoyos), he was on Tepeyac Hill when a vision of Tonantzin/the Virgin of Guadelupe appeared to him, asking him to construct a church on the site. (Recent excavations show that this world-famous basilica is built over ancient ruins.) The Bishop refused to believe him. So on her fourth and last appearance to Juan Diego, the Virgin told him to gather some roses growing there (roses never grew on the hill, were foreign to this region), wrap them up in his cloak, and take them to the Bishop. When he did so, the roses came tumbling out of the cloak to reveal an imprint of the Virgin on the material. The cloak and its image are still on display in the Basilica today. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jorge Martinez de Hoyos, Armando Silvestre, (more)
- 1959
A moral decay leading to revolution is paralleled to the illness that is consuming the hero in this emotive tale by renowned director Luis Buñuel. Set on a fictional Latin American island, the action starts when Gov. Vargas (Miguel Angle Ferriz) is assassinated. His executive secretary Ramon Vasquez (Gerard Phillipe who died during production) is then forced to temporarily assume the mantle of power. After the new, brutal, and sadistic governor (Jean Servais) takes over, conditions steadily deteriorate. Meanwhile, the widow of the former governor, Inez Vargas (Maria Felix), and Ramon have fallen in love. Their relationship, as well as the stability of the island, is threatened by the new governor who covets Inez. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gérard Philipe, Maria Felix, (more)
- 1957
Mexico's contribution to the 1957 Berlin Film Festival was the Color-Cinemascope star vehicle Tizos. The ever-popular Maria Felix stars as a white woman who enters into a romance with a Mexican Indian, played by singing star Pedro Infante (who died shortly after the film's completion). The racial barriers between the lovers prove to be insurmountable, resulting in tragedy. Director Ismael Rodriguez spends a great deal of time establishing the folklore and traditions of Infante's people, much to the fascination of his audience. Likewise enraptured by Tizoc were the participants at the Berlin Festival, where the film scored a significant success. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Pedro Infante, Sr., Maria Felix, (more)
The comedy Las Aventuras de Pito Perez stars Tin-Tan as Mexican folk hero Pito Perez. Author Jose Ruben Romero created a very popular series of books about the character in which Romero focused on how Perez symbolizes the best aspects of everyday people in Mexico. This movie is an adaptation of the book of the same name. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Andres Solér
- 1955
In this tuneful Mexican comedy, an inventor and his girl friend have created a flying race car. Hoping to use it to win the big race and therefore, earn enough money to finally marry, they take off. Unfortunately, they crash in a remote village. The terrified villagers take the couple for Martians and bring in a noted professor and his crew to examine them. The duo do nothing to tell the officials otherwise and use their alien status to improve life for the villagers. In time they finally tell the professor the truth. To their surprise, he claims he knew it all along, but didn't want to disappoint the excited villagers. Soon after their marriage the happy twosome embark upon their honeymoon only to be abducted by real life Martians and whisked into space. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
Judging by the number of times it has shown up on Spanish-language cable TV, La Escandida is one of the most popular and best beloved of the Maria Felix vehicles. The star runs the emotional gamut as Gabriela, who rises from the depths of poverty to the heights of Mexican society as a much-sought-after courtesan. Eventually, however, Gabriela proves that she is still true to her peasant heritage by casting her lot with the rebels in the 1916 Mexican civil war. Pedro Armendariz co-stars as Felipe, the charismatic rebel leader who wins Gabriela's heart -- and inadvertently causes her downfall. La Escandida is stunningly photographed by the late, great Gabriel Figueroa. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Maria Felix, Carlos Agosti, (more)
The biblical tale of Samson and Delilah comes to hilarious life in a classic musical sword and sandal parody starring screen legend Tin-Tan (aka Germán Valdés). Drifting off into a deep, much needed sleep, Tin-Tan's character soon enters into his dreams as Old Testament strongman Sanson. Despite the fact that he is deeply in love with the beautiful Delilah, Sanson soon falls under the hypnotic charm of Delilah's seductive sister Semadar. Upon realizing that he has fallen under the influence of evil, Sanson sets out declare his love to the true object of his affections but ends up embarking on a destructive rampage of epic proportions. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
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