The Penitent (1988)

Tension between a jealous husband, his wife who's attracted to his friend and the friend is rising as their small, deeply catholic, Mexican village is deciding who will be Christ during the possibly dangerous reenactment of the Crucifixion.

Director:

Cliff Osmond

Writer:

Cliff Osmond

Stars:

Raul Julia, Armand Assante, Rona De Ricci

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Raul Julia	...	Ramon Guerola
Armand Assante	...	Juan Mateo
Rona De Ricci	...	Celia Guerola (as Rona Freed)
Julie Carmen	...	Corina
Lucy Reina	...	Margarita
Eduardo López Rojas	...	Mayor
José González Rodríguez	...	Rezador
Francisco Mauri	...	Pitero
Justo Martínez	...	Enfermero
Enrique Novi	...	Jose
Valentina Hernandez	...	Dolo
Martin LaSalle	...	Miguel
José Antonio Estrada	...	Tomas
Juana Molinero	...	Ramon's Mother
José Chávez	...	Old Man

Storyline

Tension between a jealous husband, his wife who's attracted to his friend and the friend is rising as their small, deeply catholic, Mexican village is deciding who will be Christ during the possibly dangerous reenactment of the Crucifixion.

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Plot Keywords:

passion play | mexico | bare chested male | village | easter | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA Mexico

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 May 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

A vezeklés

Filming Locations:

San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ithaca, Vista Organisation, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

User Reviews

How an American film can challenge the European métier.

In many hamlets within southern Colorado, New Mexico and northern Mexico, a cult of Roman Catholic flagellants, Penitente, is active, its rites culminating each year just before Easter as one of the members from each village is chosen by lot to be crucified in the manner of Christ, and this exceptional film interlaces actions occurring from its scenario with this pious event. Raul Julia portrays Ramon Guerola, a devout penitent whose young bride Celia (Rona Freed) remains a virgin because of fear, but who is strongly attracted to Ramon's lifelong friend Juan Mateo (Armand Assante), newly released from prison and now visiting his compadre, and a romantic conflict which arises over Celia will be decided at last upon the cross. This is actor and acting teacher Cliff Osmond's only film as director, and it is simply splendid in every respect, with his screenplay spare and dramatically nuanced, and actors as strongly idiosyncratic as Julia and Assante being skillfully guided; a salutary score is contributed by Alex North and the work is deftly edited by Peter Taylor.