Miércoles de ceniza (1958)

Director:

Roberto Gavaldón

Writers:

Julio Alejandro (writer)
Luis G. Basurto (writer)

Release Date:

2 October 1958 (Mexico)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot Keywords:

Rape | Warfare | Soldier | Rebellion | Prostitution

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

María Félix	...	Victoria Rivas
Arturo de Córdova	...	Dr. Federico Lamadrid
Víctor Junco	...	José Antonio
Rodolfo Landa	...	El Violador
Andrea Palma	...	Rosa, amiga de Victoria
María Rivas	...	Silvia
María Teresa Rivas	...	Elvira
David Reynoso	...	Enrique, coronel
Carlos Fernández	...	Carlos
Enrique García Álvarez	...	Padre Gonzalez
Luis Aragón	...	General cristero
Consuelo Guerrero de Luna	...	Mujer del burdel
Arturo Soto Rangel	...	Notario
Cuco Sánchez	...	Soldado cantante
Arturo Castro 'Bigotón'	...	Borracho

Also Known As:

Ash Wednesday (International: English title)

Runtime:

106 min | West Germany:112 min (Berlin International Film Festival)

Country:

Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, Mexico

Company:

Cinematográfica Filmex S.A.

Mexico's Answer to Joan Crawford

Although some of the early scenes were filmed with striking black and white compositions, as the story unfolds, the film's style devolves into that of a standard glossy melodrama. However, the overwrought drama, whose title translates as "Ash Wednesday," has been done in style, and it is reminiscent of Hollywood's golden age of "women's pictures." This tale of unrequited love and retribution is told against an interesting backdrop of early 20th century Mexican history when Roman Catholic clerics and nuns were persecuted and anti-Catholic feelings ran high. The central character, Victoria, is a strong woman who carries a hatred for clerics from a devastating incident in her youth. Lana Turner or Joan Crawford would have chewed scenery in the part and probably have chewed Maria Felix to get the role. However, Maria Felix suffers and hates and wears high fashion with the best of Hollywood's leading ladies, and she has an elegance, beauty, and talent of her own that dominate the film. None of the male actors makes an impression, and the object of her supposed unrequited love elicits no visible sparks, which leaves the viewer mystified as to why she is attracted to him, especially when two younger and better looking men are interested in her. However, if you love Joan Crawford movies of the 40s and 50s, then you might want to wallow in this one. Note: the DVD is in Spanish with NO English subtitles.