Alambrista! (1977)

After the birth of his first child, Roberto, a young Mexican man slips across the border into the United States. Seeking work to support his family back home, he finds that working hard is not enough.

Director:

Robert M. Young

Writer:

Robert M. Young

Stars:

Domingo Ambriz, Trinidad Silva, Linda Gillen

4 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Domingo Ambriz	...	Roberto
Trinidad Silva	...	Joe
Linda Gillen	...	Sharon
Ned Beatty	...	Anglo Coyote
Jerry Hardin	...	Man in cafe
Julius Harris	...	2nd Drunk
Ludevina Mendez Salazar	...	Roberto's Wife
Maria Guadalupe Chavez	...	Roberto's Mother
Rafaela Cervantes de Gomez	...	Midwife
Feliz Cedano	...	Tomato Field Mayordomo
Edward Lopez	...	Contratista
Evelyn Chieko Saito	...	Strawberry Field Owner
Tom Tar	...	Strawberry Field Owner
Gabriel Segura	...	Strawberry Field Mayordomo
Paul Berrones	...	Berto

Storyline

After his daughter's birth, Roberto leaves his town in Michoacan to make money in the United States. He's "an illegal," crossing into California and taking work wherever he can: picking strawberries, grapes, lettuce, and cucumbers. He hitchhikes, rides freight trains, and depends on the kindness of strangers. Near Stockton, things look up when a sympathetic waitress gives him a place to live, and he gets a better job at a crop-dusting company. But immigration raids are a constant possibility that can end stability. Can Roberto hold onto his equilibrium in this foreign land where hard work is not enough?

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Plot Keywords:

helicopter | freight train | hitchhike | mexican | money | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

Spanish English

Release Date:

16 October 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Illegal

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmhaus

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min 96 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Robert M. Young's first feature film.

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Connections

Featured in The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American Cinema (2002)

User Reviews

This film is absolutely fantastic!

"Alambrista" is a groundbreaking film about a man's decision to move to United States and leave everything that he has behind to start a new life in the pursuit of the American Dream. In this new land, he learns that the American Dream is not easily acquired and maybe and impossibility to attain for some, and he is forced to make some tough choices. I liked this film because the directing is great and the mis-en-scene and the characters are strikingly realistic. The message at the end of the film is one of hope that there is a brighter future, in due time, for new immigrants,