"La antorcha encendida" (1997) TV series

User Rating:

8.5/10   

Directors:

Gonzalo Martínez Ortega
Claudio Reyes

Writers:

Liliana Abud (adaptation)
Fausto Cerón-Medina (story)

Seasons:

unknown

Genre:

Drama | History | Romance

Plot Keywords:

Mexico

Cast

Ramón Abascal	...	Mariano Jiménez (1 episode, 1997)
Carlos Águila	...	González (1 episode, 1997)
Armando Araiza	...	Carrasquero (1 episode, 1997)
Dacia Arcaráz	...	Julia (1 episode, 1997)
Alejandra Ávalos	...	Ángela (1 episode, 1997)
Socorro Avelar	...	Dolores (1 episode, 1997)
Jaime Aymerich	...	Amigo Iturbide (1 episode, 1997)
Christian Bach	...	María Ignacia 'Güera' Rodríguez (1 episode, 1997)
Julio Beckles	...	Lorenzo Foncerrada (1 episode, 1997)
Odiseo Bichir	...	Fray Servando Teresa de Mier (1 episode, 1997)
Juan Carlos Bonet	...	Nicolas Bravo (1 episode, 1997)
Socorro Bonilla	...	Experanza (1 episode, 1997)
Julio Bracho	...	Simon Bolivar (1 episode, 1997)
Sergio Bustamante	...	Virrey José de Iturrigaray (1 episode, 1997)
Leticia Calderón	...	Teresa de Muñiz (1 episode, 1997)
René Casados	...	Agustín de Iturbide (1 episode, 1997)
Aurora Clavel	...	Ignacia (1 episode, 1997)
Leonardo Daniel	...	Juan Aldama (1 episode, 1997)
Katia del Río	...	Elena (1 episode, 1997)
Lorenzo de Rodas	...	Virrey Pablo de Irigoyen (1 episode, 1997)
Humberto Dupeyrón	...	Cuauthemoc (1 episode, 1997)
Humberto Elizondo	...	Foy Crousier (1 episode, 1997)
Natalia Esperón	...	Sonia (1 episode, 1997)
Isaura Espinoza	...	Martha (1 episode, 1997)
Juan Ferrara	...	Don Pedro de Soto (1 episode, 1997)
Luis Gatica	...	Juan Foncerrada (1 episode, 1997)
Luis Gimeno	...	Guillermo Aguirre y Viana (1 episode, 1997)
Ofelia Guilmáin	...	Doña Macaria de Soto (1 episode, 1997)
Aarón Hernán	...	Padre Julián de Ibarne (1 episode, 1997)
Alberto Inzúa	...	Avelardo (1 episode, 1997)
Jerardo	...	Santiago de Soto (1 episode, 1997)
Luz María Jerez	...	Catalina (1 episode, 1997)
Sergio Jiménez	...	Matías de Heredia (1 episode, 1997)
Ernesto Laguardia	...	Gral. Ignacio Allende (1 episode, 1997)
Angélica María	...	Doña Bernarda de Muñiz (1 episode, 1997)
Mario Iván Martínez	...	Arturo de la Colina (1 episode, 1997)
Toño Mauri	...	Andrés Quintana Roo (1 episode, 1997)
David Ostrosky	...	Mariano Abasolo (1 episode, 1997)
Juan Peláez	...	Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla (1 episode, 1997)
Patricia Reyes Spíndola	...	Doña Juana de Foncerrada (1 episode, 1997)
Sergio Reynoso	...	Don José María Morelos y Pavón (1 episode, 1997)
María Rivas	...	Virreina Inés de Jáuregui (1 episode, 1997)
Enrique Rocha	...	Virrey Félix María Calleja (1 episode, 1997)
María Rojo	...	Doña Josefa Ortíz de Domínguez (1 episode, 1997)
Gilberto Román	...	Hernán (1 episode, 1997)
Julieta Rosen	...	Manuela de Soto (1 episode, 1997)
Alejandro Ruiz	...	Diego Foncerrada (1 episode, 1997)
Leticia Sabater	...	Huajira (1 episode, 1997)
Carmen Salinas	...	Camila de Foncerrada (1 episode, 1997)
Sergio Sánchez	...	Jacinto de Muñiz (1 episode, 1997)
Eduardo Santamarina	...	Héctor (1 episode, 1997)
Ari Telch	...	Luis de Foncerrada (1 episode, 1997)
Alejandro Tommasi		(1 episode, 1997)
Luis Xavier	...	Felipe Gómez Crespo (1 episode, 1997)
Humberto Zurita	...	Mariano Foncerrada (1 episode, 1997)

Country:

Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Mexico

Company:

Televisa S.A. de C.V.

Epic telenovela that chronicles Mexico's War of Independence

Superb epic that recreates the turbulent events that led to Mexico's independence in 1821. While this is not the first telenovela to chronicle these events, the saga benefits from the presence of an excellent cast that includes Patricia Reyes Spindola, Aaron Hernan, Lorenzo de Rodas, Sergio Jimenez, Juan Pelaez, Enrique Rocha, and Maria Rojo.

The plot involving the Foncerrada family and the villainous Pedro de Soto is somewhat cliched, but this doesn't hamper the story. Juan Pelaez delivers an outstanding performance as independence leader Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, while Sergio Reynoso (who, prior to this, was largely known for starring in ultra violent action movies with his older brother, Jorge) portrays guerrilla commander Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon as a standard "movie tough guy." Enrique Rocha is perfectly cast as Spaniard viceroy Felix Maria Calleja, the primary enemy of Hidalgo and Morelos. Rene Casados gives a slightly melodramatic performance as Royalist Mexican officer Agustin Iturbide (he would later go over the top in his roles in "Tres Mujeres" and "Abrazame Muy Fuerte"), but he manages to restrain himself before going overboard. Roberto Ballestros and Humberto Elizondo, known for playing villains in telenovelas, are given the rare opportunity to play heroes for once: Elizondo plays Morelos' right hand, Hermenegildo Galeana, while Ballestros plays Vicente Guerrero, the last Morelos lieutenant that would help lead Mexico to independence in 1821. The only miscast is Ernesto La Guardia as Hidalgo's chief lieutenant, Ignacio Allende. Although La Guardia does his best to play the second-in-command, he seems to have some difficulty with the role.

The series succeeds in conveying the tragic irony of the war: rather than being a war between Mexican rebels and Spanish overlords, the struggle was a conflict between Mexican insurgents and Mexican troops that were fighting on the side of the Spanish crown. One interesting note is that the last episodes briefly include Francisco Javier Mina, the Spanish lawyer turned guerrilla fighter who was the only Spaniard to have fought for Mexico's independence.