Macario

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.

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!

One of the finest Mexican films I have ever seen. The casting is excellent as each character is perfect for the role chosen. The film will leave you feeling that justice eventually does prevail. I am pleased that Ignacio Lopez Tarso is still with us and still acting. It is a real shame that the actress playing his wife left us so soon. The wife's love for her husband is so evident in the film as she is totally unselfish. The actor playing death is superb and will never leave you. I wish I could find the names of the actors that played the members of the Court because I believe they may be from Spain and I would like to look up their other credits. I highly suggest for you to see this film!!!!

It is not surprising that this film from 1960 became one of the greatest classics of Mexican cinema, a paramount production from its Golden Age. Very innovative, it is a fantasy drama which addresses hunger, social inequalities, the Catholic Church and it is inquisition. The hungry Macario will make decisions that will be decisive, concerning a turkey, the Devil, God and Death. By the way, I cannot help but mention a curious dark detail: every time Macario says he will not eat anything and prefers to starve than to eat a small portion, his children laugh happily because they will have a little more food. That was funny but also harsh!

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.