Morte in vacanza

It might surprise people that the first Mexican movie ever nominated for Best Foreign Language Film had as its source a story by the Brothers Grimm. Roberto Gavaldón's "Macario" is based directly on "The Third Guest" by B. Traven (whose origins and identity remain a mystery). The title character is an indigenous woodcutter in colonial Mexico to whom Death - appearing as a humble peasant - gives water with curative qualities. But it turns out that the use of this water, even for the noblest purposes, has its consequences.

The era when "Macario" got released is known as the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema. I haven't seen many Mexican movies from that time, although I'd like to. The major themes here are class structure and the desire to keep living. 'Twas ever thus, I guess. While not a masterpiece, the movie does a good job moving the story along, with clever editing and camerawork, and fine acting. Sadly, Pina Pellicer (Macario's wife) died of a barbiturate overdose a few years after the release.

Gavaldon's "el nino e la niebla " ( 1953)already verged on the fantasy genre :remember the terrifying mask Dolorès Del Rio met at the ball , which came back as a vision for the gloomy final . Death is more important to Mexican people than to many other ones; don't we spend more time dead than alive? " a character says ; the movie begins with )the feast of Death - two decades later ,John huston began "under the vulcano " the same way -;death is omnipresent in a country where poverty runs rampant .

"Macario" is a fable ,using the Gospels : like Christ , Macario's forced fast is about over. His dream is about to come true : eating an entire turkey . The devil ,in the shape of an officer,has been watching him thinking then this human being will be most vulnerable.and he goes as far as to offer him the whole forest ;Macario is no Christ (didn't he show himself selfish when he hides from his children to wolf down his food?)so he denies God and opt for a third power ,Death ,whose gift is deceptive : a precious water can heal the sick ,but only if the supreme power (the Allmighty) has decided so.

Macario's wretched life comes to an end, but it arouses the hatred of the Holy see and of the Holy Office : these suspicious healings might mean witchcraft.

Roberto's Gavaldon 's directing is absolutely masterful : whenever he films his hero salivating in front of the turkeys prepared for the wealthy ,or this impressive scene of nightmare with these puppets going up and down ,all representing death for his feeble children (he screams :"leave me one of them"!); you may remember Daniel's nightmare in "el nino y la niebla ".

Of course the rapport Macario has with Death may remind you of Bergman 's "the seventh seal" ,but it seems that Gavaldon ,for his sequence in the huge cave, was influenced by FrItz Lang 's silent movie " Der müde Tod"(1921):all the candles representing a life and a fate ,which a simple pinch can blow out .But only when God has decided his/its time is through.

A jewel of the Mexican cinema.

This film, set in colonial times, tells the tale of Macario, a destitute woodcutter who stumbles onto a magical source of healing power. He has a series of beautifully photographed adventures curing the sicknesses of the incurable in his tiny farming hamlet and the nearby town. As Macario's fame spreads, his wealth increases but his uncanny powers attract the wrong kind of attention, leading to a tragic denouement.

The powerless suffering of the poor, the boundless greed of the rich and of the poor alike, the eternal desire to cheat death and squeeze a few more drops out of this life -- these timeless themes are all operative here to good effect. This is not a subtle movie, and it is rather dated in its characterizations and its moralizing. Even so, the acting is competent and the plot engaging. There are some stunning scenes that combine with the first-rate cinematography to make the film lovely to look at.

If this rarely screened movie comes your way, I recommend that you take the opportunity to view it.

I was grateful for the rare opportunity to see the 1960 Mexican film `Macario.' Without going over the plot again, suffice it to say that it is a spooky, black and white film reminiscent of Bunuel's `Los Olvidados' and Bergman's `The Seventh Seal.' If that sounds appealing, `Macario' is definitely for you. Films with this sort of elemental power, and which tell an enthralling story devoid of marketing strategy, focus-group tweaking, or commercial gloss are increasingly rare. When you find one, it's usually an old film that you stumble upon by accident (as I did with this one). It's always a delight to find an old gem like this one. Great film!

I am ashamed to admit that I didn't find about "Macario" until 2000 when it gained some attention because "Amores Perros" was about to get nominated for Best Foreign Picture at the Academy Awards. "Macario" went to the spot light because it was Mèxico's first movie to get nominated for such an award. So I took away my prejudgments towards classic movies and I tracked down a "Macario" DVD.

And I am extremely glad that this movie has worldwide recognition because it truly is one of Mexico's best movies of all time (if not the best).

"Macario" is more than a fairy tale with macabre overtones such as displaying The Devil, or The Death. No, "Macario" has a social and humanitarian message PLUS it displays in a beautiful way Mexican culture towards the dead and how we (Mexicans) feel about Death. There's also a strong criticism against authorities and noble titles in the 18th century. This movie is rich in all the sense of the word.

Meet Macario, a Mexican campesino or land worker who isn't completely happy with his life because he desires what rich people have; specifically, eating turkey. Macario works hard for his family but it isn't enough for establishing a life full of comfort.

One good day, Macario's wife gets a turkey for him; a turkey that cost her a lot of effort and work. Macario is thrilled and delighted with it and decides to eat it all by himself, not sharing it. He walks too far until he gets tired and takes a rest in the woods. On his eating turkey journey Macario meets Satan, The Death, and God. The three iconic figures want a bite of that turkey but Macario won't share it. But Death makes a deal with him... a deal that will give Macario all the power, money, fame, respect and all the turkey goodies he always wished. But in exchange for what? True, he will be the savior for many souls but will also risk his own soul.

I don't want to give much away from this wonderful piece of cinema. It is a tender tale with dark overtones and Horror references but to be honest, this is more of a fantasy story displaying interesting facts of Mexican culture.

Ignacio Lòpez Tarso delivers an amazing performance as Macario. That's all I can say about him. He's the master. Also Pilar Pellicer delivers a great performance. Too bad that she committed suicide at such a young age.

The direction is flawless and sometimes looks way ahead of it's time. The same with the fantastic art direction and cinematography. The final scene where Macario is in front of thousands of candles it's a visually stunning and rich piece of art direction and cinematography. A memorable movie designed to charm everybody.

Please watch "Macario" if you haven't. You won't find a better Mexican movie than this. It has everything to become a favorite.

To be honest, I haven't seen it in 3 or 4 years but some scenes just keep repeating in my memory. This is a memorable movie in all the sense of the word. This movie makes me proud of being Mexican.