El **** (1953, Arturo de Córdova, Delia Garcés, Aurora Walker, Manuel Dondé) – Classic Movie Review 7637

Director Luis Buñuel’s 1952 Mexican movie El (aka This Strange Passion, or Torments) stars Arturo de Córdova as the middle-aged, wealthy, suave and uptight Francisco Galván de Montemayor, who is consumed with paranoid, raging jealousy after he meets and marries a young woman, Gloria Vilalta (Delia Garcés).

El is essential Buñuel, with an involving tale, rivetingly told – complete with the great director’s own obsessions, foot fetishes, sexual insecurities, an attack on a priest-dominated society and all.

It is graced by admirable central performances and fine black and white cinematography by Gabriel Figueroa. The screenplay by Luis Buñuel and Luis Alcoriza (story and adaptation) is based on the novel by Mercedes Pinto.

Also in the cast are Luis Beristáin, Aurora Walker, Fernando Casanova, Carlos Martinez Baena, Manuel Dondé, Rafael Banquells, José Pidal, Fernando Casanova, José Pidal and Roberto Meyer.

This masterwork was shot in just three weeks.

El (aka This Strange Passion, or Torments) is directed by Luis Buñuel, runs 99 minutes, is made by Producciones Tepeyac and Nacional Film, is written by Luis Buñuel and Luis Alcoriza, based on the novel by Mercedes Pinto, is shot in black and white by Gabriel Figueroa, is produced by Oscar Dancigers and is scored by Luis Hernandez Breton.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7637

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