Um Coração em Trevas

Alejandro Galindo has crafted a worthy adaptation of a strong novel by Spain's great writer Galdos, which also provides a good role for the queen of Golden Age Mexican film, Dolores Del Rio. The story opens with a quotation from Saint Paul about the sin of criticizing others and ends with one from the novelist on the difficulty of telling good from bad people. During the drama we have seen the lady of the house sanctimoniously lead a group prayer session, keep her daughter away from her cousin who courts her by pretending the girl is sick, get involved with the wrong political faction which results in her home being taken over by soldiers, and finally pray for mercy in a chapel when her daughter tries to run away.The film is somewhat dialogue-heavy but has a certain amount of shadowy visual style.