El cochecito

(1960) El cochecito/ The Little Coach (In Spanish with English subtitles) DRAMA

Based on the novel by Rafael Azcona co-written and directed by Marco Ferreri that has already retiree, Don Anselmo Proharán (José Isbert) visiting his best friend, Don Lucas (Jose A. Lepe) as he is unable to walk or a paraplegic is being carried onto an electric wheelchair scooter as both had a plan to visit a cemetery. While he goes and takes the cab, his friend Lucas uses his scooter. And then after the memorial is over Don Anselmo then has problems coming home as their is no cab in sight. It was at this point Lucas offers him a lift home by letting him stand onto a passenger stepping stand installed behind it. As soon as many of Don Anselmo's friends all have motorized electric scooters for the paraplegic he then turns it onto an obsession to own one himself, even though he physically does not need it because he can walk on his own. It goes so far he will even lie and clash with family members such like his oldest son, Carlos Proharán (Pedro Porcel) who works in law and operates from his own apartment complex.

In this day and age, if someone wants something so badly, he or she should be allowed to have it. It does not usually result to the way this movie had ended, which may me the only thing I did not like about it. As I had heard and read many stories about how children harass their parents so much as many of them wanted to own their own their first Iphone since some feel left out because their peers happen to own one. The only difference here is that Don Anselmo is already a grown adult, and he should not be dictated by family members what he should and should not have himself, for if he wanted to sell his former wife's possessions, he should be allowed to do so. This kind of leaves the question what was Don Anselmo's oldest son, Carlos saving for if he did not want any of the money going to the motorized scooter! And if Don Anselmo was retired then he should also be collecting a pension, where was that money going toward if it was not going to him! If it was not for actor José Isbert's likable persona and the director to make him sympathetic to his situation this film might not have been watchable!

Classic Spanish Dramedy about an obstinate retired man , being full of satire , criticism and black comedy . Here Marco Ferreri realizes another excellent film - along with ¨El Pisito¨ and ¨Los Chicos¨- plenty of irony , habits , Spanish social life , deep feeling and social critical . Seventy-something Don Anselmo Proharan (José Isbert) , a retired state agent , finds himself sharing living space with his son (Pedro Porcel) , a bourgeoisie Procurador , his granddaughter (Chus Lampreave) and her boyfriend (José Luis López Vazquez) . But widower Don Anselmo is unhappy , the reason for being restricted to one room at home , and his social life has narrowed to his paralytic friends , attending funerals , and visiting the graveyard . Along the way he joins his paraplegic friends at motorized meeting . A good friend is Don Lucas (Lepe) who eventually gets a motorized wheelchair, then Proharan accompanies him to his spouse's grave to leave flowers . Don Anselmo soon becomes obsessed with getting his own "little coach" and joining the subculture of other "cochecito" owners . As his son doesn't like at buying it , but Anselmo steals him money , that's why the only way to keep his stubborn decision to enjoy with his friends .

This is an enjoyable story that contains drama , busy comedy , humor , adequate pace , amusing gags , rowdy satire , noisy hustle and results to becpretty entertaining . Being masterfully made by Marco Ferreri who was at times really criticised for his stridently bleak view of human nature . It is considered to be one of the best films from classy Spanish cinema history and has been voted as one of the best Spanish films by professionals and critics in cinema centenary . The main and support actors stand out under Ferreri's perfect direction , including sour criticism , as well as Marco carried out in his previous and subsequent works that include bitter , pessimistic descriptions of social classes . In ¨El Cochecito¨ we can find very fun and attractive characters , all of them caricatures of the "spanish way of life" and a mirror on the Spanish society by that time . A very good film which tended not to be very well received by the censor for its acidity and considered to be one of the best Spanish films of the history ; however, his strong portrait of Spanish society , plenty of sharpness and grisly ending , didn't please the pro-Franco authorities .¨El Cochecito¨ (1960) , one of the undisputed masterpieces and fundamental in filmography of Marco Ferreri where shows the miseries of an amoral society and shot at the beginning of his creativity , during his Spanish period , in a time cultural difficult , where the enormous censorship of the political regime, exacerbated the ingenuity and imagination of the scriptwriters , as the prestigious and prolific writer Rafael Azcona . Main and support cast are frankly magnificent . José Isbert is terrific as the retired septuagenarian man who becomes obsessed with owning a motorized wheelchair and when his penurious son refuses to buy a chair for him , the old man attempts several gambits to get one by faking infirmity. Top-notch secondaries actors ,such as : Pedro Porcel as his tight-fisted son , José Luis López Vázquez , Chus Lampreave , María Luisa Ponte , Ángel Álvarez, María Isbert, Antonio Jiménez Escribano , Antonio Riquelme , among others . It contains evocative cinematography in white and black by Julio Baena . Atmospheric and adequate musical score by Miguel Asins Arbo .

Another masterpiece by the notorious filmmaker Marco Ferreri who shows the lively as well as sad existence of an elderly man . It won several prizes : Sant Jordi Awards 1961 Winner Sant Jordi Best Film to Marco Ferreri , Best Spanish Actor : José Isbert and Venice Film Festival 1960 Winner FIPRESCI Prize Marco Ferreri , though the film was shown out of competition . Direction by Marco Ferreri is awesome , he shows his skill for edition , realizing long shots with crowd who moves easily , as he filmed three several polemic movies during the 50s , all of them written by Rafael Azcona and Ferreri himself : El Pisito (1958) , Los Chicos (1959) and El Cochecito (1960) , and all of them were beset by difficulties with the censors caused by thorny critical to social stratum .Ferreri's first foray into film work was filming commercials , and as promoter of a cinema magazine. Working in Spain from 1957, making his directorial debut there . Ferreri directed various notorious films , mainly outlandish and strange dramas with deep emotions . He made a lot of black comedies adding ironical observations of social conventions and middle-class sexual mores . He was at times criticised for his stridently bleak view of simple people and human nature . Ferreri was a prestigious writer and director, especially known for Harem (1967) ,The audience (1972), La grande bouffe (1973) , Yerma (1978) , Tales of ordinary madness (1981), Story of Piera (1983) , How Good the Whites Are The flesh (1988) , and The house of the smiles (1991). Rating 7.5/10 , pretty good . Essential and indispensable watching for Marco Ferreri aficionados . Better than average and well worth seeing .

All of the friends of Anselmo (Pepe Isbert, a genius) have their own disabled-adapted little cars, they go anywhere they want: to the main square, to the country... Anselmo's on his own, and he feels lonely. No way! He decides he also wants one of those cars (doesn't matter if he's not a disabled person) and he'll do ANYTHING to get one: to pretend he's been left paralyzed, to steal... WHATEVER it takes.

"El cochecito" is nothing but a classic of Spanish cinema (or of cinema in general) and such a referent of European realism. It is a so funny comedy written by Rafael Azcona (maybe the best Spanish scriptwriter ever) and placed on the impoverished streets of Madrid (late 50's).

You MUSTN'T miss this one (not if you love cinema).

*My rate: 9/10

After the many praises here I honestly have to tell that this movie IMHO is somewhat a let down.

The first 45-50 minutes of the movie felt like it should have been 10 maybe 15 minutes. The second half is actually the movie itself for wich the preparation took too long.

I don't know the book it was based on, maybe it didn't offer enough material for a full movie or maybe it couldn't be interpreted well enough.

I'd say it's still worth watching but so far this is my least favourite of the Isbert movies. I'd much rather suggest Calabuch, Bienvenido Mister Marshall or Verdugo if you haven't seen those yet...

If you like dark comedies, this is a fine film to watch. Some of the nuances may be lost to those that , have not experienced Spanish society/culture first hand, specifically during the Franco regime. The element of selfishness runs through very clearly - the young(er) treating the old as necessary nuisances, the old trying to squeeze the last few drops from life. Funny but dark.