Cinema Mexico!

I found the movie channels on our TV the other day.  Two of them show "classic"  Mexican movies, probably made in the 40's or 50's, considered the "golden age" of Mexican cinema.   I know only a little about old Mexican movies because the very first time we rode on a bus here from one city to another, they showed old movies.  Many were westerns, and one had a cowboy singing to his gal and his burro!  Th only actor I ever recognized  was "Cantinflas"...because I  vividly remember seeing his big Hollywood movie, "Pepe", at the drive-in's in 1960.    I even remember the theme song (which was nominated for an Oscar).  I just looked it up, and heard Shirley Jones sing it in English, and then watched it dubbed into Spanish.  Watching this four minute song clip, it is so easy to see how Americans got such erroneous ideas about the people of Mexico.

As "Pepe" trots around looking like a bum, with his pants almost falling off, Shirley Jones warbles about how cute, little, funny, and silly he is.  Everyone except Shirley seems to be wearing a sombrero.  Basically, the song (and film) tell us that a Mexican man is just a joke.  This was not Continflas' fault. He had been in "Around the World in 80 Days" in 1956 with David Niven and had been a huge hit, even winning a Golden Globe award.  But Hollywood didn't know what to do with him.  He was a huge star in Mexico, and the people here understood the "Cantinflas" character, much as Americans and Brits understood the "little tramp" that Charlie Chaplin played so well.

Fast forward to the nineties and Mexico's film industry is hot again.  When I first saw "Amores Perros", I was astounded.  I had to immediately see it again.  I was fascinated by Gael Garcia Bernal...and perhaps he is the "Cantinflas" of modern Mexico.  In this film, as well as "Y Tu Mama Tambien" and "Rudy y Cursi", Bernal plays a similar character...he is young, goofy, and trying to cope with the insanity of life.  Salma Hayek's "Frida" was a masterpiece that introduced millions to the fascinating life of Frida Kahlo.

There have been great Mexican actors and films for a long time...and I think the industry here is just hitting its stride!