The Pearl (1947)

Quino is a Mexican diver who discovers a pearl at the bottom of the sea. He and his wife Juana, and their son have just taken possession of a pearl that is worth thousands. Everyday people ... See full summary »

Director:

Emilio Fernández

Writers:

John Steinbeck (original story), John Steinbeck (screenplay)

Stars:

Pedro Armendáriz, María Elena Marqués, Fernando Wagner

9 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Pedro Armendáriz	...	Quino
María Elena Marqués	...	Juana
Fernando Wagner	...	Dealer 1
Gilberto González	...	Aid 1
Charles Rooner	...	Doctor
Juan García	...	Aid 2
Alfonso Bedoya	...	Godfather
Raúl Lechuga	...	Dealer 2
Max Langler	...	Peasant
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Luz Alba
Richard Anderson
Guillermo Calles
Maria Elena Cuadros	...	Juanita
Columba Domínguez
Andrés Huesca

Storyline

Quino is a Mexican diver who discovers a pearl at the bottom of the sea. He and his wife Juana, and their son have just taken possession of a pearl that is worth thousands. Everyday people try to get in on the cash, even Pearl Dealers try to rip them off. When Quino is attacked one day, he kills his attackers in self defence. His brother suggests their only hope is to leave the village. But on their journey to give their son an education they never had, someone may just do anything to prevent it.

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Plot Keywords:

national film registry | screenplay adapted by author | based on novel | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Emilio Fernández, who was in love with Olivia de Havilland, thought she was the ideal actress to play the female starring role. De Havilland never knew of his secret love, but the director was able to get the government of Mexico City to change the name of the street he grew up on to "Dulce Olivia" (Sweet Olivia).

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Quotes

Narrator: This is a story that old men tell to children. They aren't sure where it happened or when.

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Alternate Versions

A short version (77') was shown in the USA, France and West Germany whereas a longer version (85 to 87') was shown in Mexico and East Germany.

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Connections

Alternate-language version of The Pearl (1948)

User Reviews

I never knew this existed

Adaptation of John Steinbeck's "The Pearl". I had to read the short novel in junior high. I found it bleak and depressing but powerful. I never even knew there was a film of this until TCM showed it tonight. I was very impressed.

It's a Mexican film and the story was changed to fit into that environment. I never even knew Mexico had a film industry back in the 1940s--films like this are never shown. That's a shame because this film was great. The acting was just OK but that's good--if it had been better acted this might have been unbearable. They didn't lighten up the book or change the ending like Hollywood would have done. And the direction and cinematography were just beautiful--this film should be seen just for the imagery alone. From the opening shot of the women in white robes standing silently by the sea the movie pulls you right in.

This is not for everyone. It's dark and depressing but just great. Despite the change of setting it retains all the power of the short novel. The only debit I could think of was the sometimes intrusive music score--some scenes would have worked much better silently. Still, well worth seeing. I give it an 8.

Details

Country:

Mexico USA

Language:

Spanish English

Release Date:

12 September 1947 (Mexico)

Also Known As:

The Pearl

Filming Locations:

Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico

Company Credits

Production Co:

Film Asociados Mexico-Americanos, Águila Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA High Fidelity)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1