María Candelaria (Xochimilco)

I saw this movie the other day, and I thought it was awesome. It never ceases to amaze me that there are good movies out there that don't have any computer animation or fancy lighting.

This movie is very simple but very powerful at the same time, not only in terms of lighting and stage work, but also in the manner in which "El Indio" portrayed María Candelaria and the other characters. The supporting characters also do a wonderful job of adding authenticity and support to the movie.

I highly recommend that you see this movie if you haven't already. Dolores del Río does an incredible job playing María Candelaria. Her interpretation of the story is excellent.

To put it simply, it's brilliant: the direction by Emilio Fernández, the black and white photo by Gabriel Figueroa, the music by Francisco Dominguez and not least the acting by the legendary stars Dolores del Rio and Pedro Armendáriz. I think this film is the top peak in the career of Emilio Fernández, even if he made many other movie classics like Enamorada, Flor Silvestre or La Perla. Maria Candelaria (Xochimilco) is perhaps a Cinema Classic most people have been searching for but never found. And there are English subtitles. I am wondering why this movie never comes to discussion when film people make lists about the Best Movie of the Century. Think it's a kind of mystery.

Mexico is a rich nation, but with a large "army" of poor and miserable people. The poverty is more evident in areas around Mexico City, and south of the country including Chiapas state. This film of Emilio "Indio" Fernández wanted to point out the situation of Indian population living close to Mexico City, Xochimilco. It is clear that during the first half of XX century the population in that area lacked of appropriate houses, sanitation, insufficient food, malaria was still a problem, illiteracy was high, corruption and lack of social justice governed the environment. The Indians had only church as a remedy, but this institution was also poor and unable to do too much for them, only advising the humans to pray. María Candelaria (Dolores del Río) was an unfortunate lady whose mother had problems in the past, she was having friendship with Lorenzo Rafael (Pedro Armendáriz), a tough but kind Indian living close to her. They only wanted to get married, but several difficulties hindered this objective. It is difficult to understand how a person considered as a Christian, is able to deny the medicine to others when they are close to die, and this scene is shown in the film. When population lives in a kind of world of ignorance, prejudices sprout as potatoes, and this is what happened to poor María Candelaria. This film is in black and white, technically distant from the films we see nowadays, but it is worth to see it in order to understand a bit of the miseries of people living south of Río Grande.

There's no doubt about it, Pedro Almendáris and Dolores del Rio are the most known couple of Mexican actors. They filmed many movies together and gave us some of the best performances that any latin actors would ever give. They in conjunction with Pedro "El Indio" Fernández made this movie the best Latin (or Mexican) film ever done. A love story in times of war and hate, this film get deeply into what the Mexican culture was at the beginning of this century.

At first, it seems like this is going to be another standard melodrama, but within 10 minutes, you know that you're seeing really great actors at work in a very important film. Pedro Armendariz and Dolores del Rio are larger than life, absolutely perfect characters who love each other so sweetly and purely it makes everything else you've ever seen seem small in comparison. The photography is breathtaking, and the Mexico they live in - the floating gardens of Xochimilco at the turn of the century- is the stuff myths are made of. Of course there is conflict and drama and tragedy running all through the film, but the characters are so noble you can't feel sorry for them, no matter how badly they're treated. No one ever said this is supposed to be a realistic movie, but it certainly delivers an emotional jolt. It makes you not only fall in love with Maria Candelaria and Lorenzo Rafael, but with Mexico. It's like watching a beautiful dream unfold. No wonder so many Mexicans still mention this as their absolutely all time favorite film. Put it at the top of the list of films to see if you want to know more about Mexico's golden age of cinema.