Bajo el cielo de Madrid

An engaging , enjoyable social drama about Madrid stern life , city habits and enjoyable relationships among family members who are usually abused and harassed by nasty citizens . This is a stern glance on a farm humble family who moves into a city , in what maybe a a few years later at the end of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) , when misery , poorness and distresses abounded in the countryside . But in 1950s in the Spanish town was not as easy to access to a decent housing and jobs , that's why the family found themselves in dire straits to fulfill their dreams . They move in a ¨Corrala¨, a typical building in Madrid with the sister of the farmers wife . In the city everything is illegal or immoral or both . The family consists of a good-tempered mother (Maria Fránces) , a honest father Manuel (Jose Prada), a good son called Pepe , a beautiful daughter named Tonia (Marisa de Leza) and an impulsive younger son , Manolo . In the city they encounter El Mellao (Luis Peña) , a mobster that wants to seduce Pili . He works for the evil gangster Don Roque , nicknamed the Chamberlain (Felix Dafauce) , who runs illegal issues as ¨Estraperlo¨ and potato or food smuggling . While the sister (Maria Asquerino) makes money by having Pili sell cigarettes illegally from a basket on the streets . Along the way, Pepe goes to work for the Chamberlain as a truck driver , taking the job from El Mellao because he is cheaper , driving the Chamberlain's lorries and then with others stealing potato sacks for the Chamberlain off of trucks laboring up a steep hill . Later on , Tonia starts out as a maid for the Chamberlain's mistress , but he hears her singing , buys her clothes , including silk stockings , buys her singing lessons , and he manages her stage debut at the Latina theater where three men , paid for by the Chamberlain, interrupt her performance, giving the Chamberlain the moment he needs to comfort her .

Interesting and thoughtful movie , really submitted and extremely censored by the strict , stiff-upper-lip Francoist censors . Dealing with a good Spanish family who emigrates from the country to Madrid circa 1950 , there they have to face corruption , abuses , exploitation and strong struggles . An agreeable flick showing a sour social denounce about badness , corruption and a difficult fight for life . A neo-realist film with emotion , intense drama , social manners showing the Madrid life , and anything else . Awesome interpretations from the whole cast . Here stands out José Prada as the innocent and moral father who attempts to be a vendor but is at the mercy of street kids with no money demanding sweets , while the police intervenes him and taking his basket because he has no license . As well as his kind wife finely acted by María Francés and daughter performed Marisa de Leza who's nice as the naive young who attempts to take success at stage as a singer . And Felix Dafauce as the ruthless , unkind and selfish man who takes advantage of the hapless people , among others.

This is an acceptable film with adequate settings by Antonio Labrada , atmospheric cinematography by Sebastián Pereira and well directed by Jose Antonio Nieves Conde , a director of great quality . It has several nominations and awards , such as : Cannes Film Festival 1952 Nominee Grand Prize of the Festival José Antonio Nieves Conde ; Cinema Writers Circle Awards, Spain 1952 Winner CEC Award , Best Film , Best Supporting Actor Félix Dafauce , Best Supporting Actress Marisa de Leza , Best Director José Antonio Nieves Conde ; National Syndicate of Spectacle, Spain 1951 Winner Prize of the National Syndicate of Spectacle Best Film Rank : 3th place . José Antonio Nieves Conde was an expert on thought-provoking and brooding dramas (Surcos , El Inquilino) , religious cinema (Balarrasa, Cotolay) , passionate story (Casa Manchada , Mas Alla del deseo , Marta , Historia una Traicion) , Comedy (Don Lucio and Hermano Pio) and even Terror (Sounds of horror) . Rating : 7/10 , above average Spanish film , well worth watching , because it is plenty of sensibility , thorny issues and top-notch performances .

It don't seems logic that Franco's ideological censors allowed a realistic history based on poor situation in Madrid in 50's early. But the dictatorship's target was to dissuade these people than want to left your rural work and change to a urban way of life while the Spanish industrial development level of these years couldn't yet get job to a lot of workers. 'Surcos' is like a Italian 'neorealistic' film, but also has a highest technical level, with influence from the European (mainly German) expressionism. A great b&w photo, and a good work of players. A 'rara avis' in the Spanish cinematography from these years. Later, the director J.A. Nieves Conde, had a sad career,so far in all ways from 'Surcos'.