A pair of Spanish truck drivers used to the game of escaping the police in smuggling operations , receive a new contract , overpaid in relation to the usual . As Paco (Fernando Sancho) , a truck driver who has always been involved in smuggling , hires Curro as his assistant, a young man (Juán Luis Galiardo) who wants to earn money without caring too much about the means to marry a young girl (Maria Casal) . The two drivers are surprised by an offer from a suspicious couple (Manuel Zarzo , Helga Liné) that far exceeds what they are used to receiving, but they have to transport illegal immigrants from Portugal to the French border.
A serious and dramatic film about immigration and racism in which some interesting roles are perfectly depicted and compellingly developed . A flick that was ahead of time , dealing with a thorny issue , illegal immigration . Filmed in stylistic and thrilling narrative , without leaving a trace the thought-provoking issues , in terms of dramatic excitement . Hard-edge social drama centers around immigration conflicts and it is one of the most strange cinematic forays in this theme . The flick can be defined as a realistic drama , an engaging fresco in the Seventies life and a social fable . At the beginning of the Spanish transition , in the 70s most films were ¨Destape¨ or nudism , that's why a movie that wasn't "tits and ass" like this ¨El Alijo¨ results to be very well considered . As "El Alijo" surprises us because of the subject it concerns : illegal immigration , at a time when words like "pateras" were related to beach and sun and not with "shipments" of slaves. An intelligent , moving and thoughtful movie with some little flaws and gaps . Anyway, its is compensated with the great performances from starring duo : Juan Luis Galiardo and Fernando Sancho . The best part of the film is the transformation of the two main roles in their reactions to the "load" of Portuguese emigrants that they carry like cattle hidden in the truck, as the two drivers of the truck maintain different view points but the trip helps them , as could not be less , to get to know each other and respect each other better . The two excellent protagonists are nicely accompanied by a good support cast , such as : Paloma Cela , Helga Liné , Manuel Zarzo and brief appearances from other familiar faces , such as : María Casal , Angel Alvarez , Francisco Cecilio, Venancio Muro, José Yepes , Luis Induni , Frank Braña , among others .
The motion picture was competent and professionally directed by Angel Del Pozo . And it won various prizes : National Syndicate of Spectacle, Spain 1976 Winner Prize of the National Syndicate of Spectacle to Best Director Ángel del Pozo and Best Artistic Achievement . Pozo is a good actor and director, known for several national and international productions : The three Musketeers (1973), Catlow , Treasure Island , The Man Called Noon, Leonor , Tarzan and the rainbow, A Bullet for the President , The Pirate , Eagles over London, and Horror Express (1972). And he directed some movies , such as : El hijo es mío, La promesa, ¿... Y el prójimo? , Escrito en América , Extraño matrimonio and El Alijo . He retired from acting in 1980, and from 1990 to 2008 he worked as a executive producer and public relations in Mediaset . Rating : 7/10 . Decent and better than average movie. In short : a good and appreciated film that was coldly received at the time, but being today well considered and topical.
