The Galíndez File (2003)
"El misterio Galíndez" (original title)

On March 12, 1956, Basque Nationalist Jesús de Galíndez Suarez disappears from his apartment in New York, never heard from again. He had been working with the FBI and was about to publish a... See full summary »

Director:

Gerardo Herrero

Writers:

Ángeles González Sinde, Luis Marías,

Stars:

Saffron Burrows, Harvey Keitel, Eduard Fernández

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Saffron Burrows	...	Muriel Colber
Harvey Keitel	...	Edward Robards
Eduard Fernández	...	Galíndez
Guillermo Toledo	...	Ricardo
John Furey	...	Norman Radcliffe
Reynaldo Miravalles	...	Don Angelito
Chete Lera	...	Diplomático
Miriam Learra	...	Rosa
Carlos Padrón	...	Leon María Jara
Jacqueline Arenal	...	Gloria Moral
Mario Limonta	...	Areces (Old)
Joel Angelino	...	Don Angelito (Young)
Enrique Almirante	...	Trujillo
Hugo Reyes	...	Areces (Young)
Jorge Alí	...	Rivera Maculeto

Storyline

On March 12, 1956, Basque Nationalist Jesús de Galíndez Suarez disappears from his apartment in New York, never heard from again. He had been working with the FBI and was about to publish a book critical of Dominican strongman, Trujillo. In 1988, a graduate student, Muriel Colber, wants to make Galíndez the subject of her dissertation. She's in Spain doing research; finding little, she goes to Santo Domingo. At every turn, the CIA, in the person of agent Robards, tries to thwart her; and, at each turn, as she considers abandoning the project, someone offers new information, often contradictory. She wants the truth behind the Galíndez mystery; will she find it?

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Spain UK Italy Portugal Cuba France

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

26 September 2003 (Spain)

Also Known As:

The Galíndez File

Filming Locations:

Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

DMVB Films, Ensueño Films, Greenpoint Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min 126 min 116 min (IFC library print) 116 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Radcliffe is talking with Robards at the restaurant, his hand position on the beer glass changes.

User Reviews

Not as historical as it seems

I know, it's a movie. But when it comes to portray real life (in any matter) it should be as faithful as possible. I'm sorry, but "El Misterio Galíndez" isn't as accurate as it seems. Nor is the Dominican Republic depicted as it really is. In fact, it shocked me to see that the filming location for Santo Domingo was actually Cuba. And incredibly enough, movies with Cuban themes (Havana, The lost City, Bitter Sugar, The Godfather part II) were actually filmed in Santo Domingo! So what happened here? Why did they shoot the movie in Cuba instead of the D.R.? The Spanish dialogs with the Cuban accent are horrible! Those are not Dominicans! On the historic level, Galíndez would have never been hanged. He might as well been shot, decapitated or died from the inhumane torture he'd been receiving. Then, thrown his body in the Caribbean sea. But Trujillo would have never ordered death by strangulation. His sick mind wouldn't have allowed it.

Acting isn't delivered as expected. Harvey Keitel looks like he's just expecting a paycheck. I prefer the leading actress in "Deep Blue Sea". The rest of the cast would have been excellent in some Cuban movie, and the same goes for the selected shooting location.

I suggest "La fiesta del chivo" (The feast of the goat), from bestselling author Mario Vargas Llosa, directed by his cousin Luis Llosa. It's a bit more realistic with Dominican history. The Trujillo character is very well portrayed, and the Galindez incident is treated very briefly in this movie.