Bullfighter and the Lady (1951)

Hoping to impress a beautiful senorita, an American visiting Mexico trains with a famous Mexican bullfighter and becomes a competing bullfighter himself.

Director:

Budd Boetticher

Writers:

James Edward Grant (screenplay), Budd Boetticher (story)

Stars:

Robert Stack, Joy Page, Gilbert Roland

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Stack	...	Johnny Regan
Joy Page	...	Anita de la Vega
Gilbert Roland	...	Manolo Estrada
Virginia Grey	...	Lisbeth Flood
John Hubbard	...	Barney Flood
Katy Jurado	...	Chelo Estrada
Antonio Gomez	...	Antonio Gómez
Ismael Pérez	...	Panchito
Rodolfo Acosta	...	Juan
Ruben Padilla	...	Dr. Sierra
Darío Ramírez	...	Pepe Mora
Luis Briones	...	Self - Torero
Luís Castro	...	Self - Torero
Ricardo Torres 'Bombita'	...	Self - Torero (archive footage)
Alfonso Ramírez Calesero	...	Self - Torero

Storyline

Johnny Regan, a U.S. citizen, goes to Mexico and takes up bullfighting as a lark, hoping to impress a Mexican beauty, Anita de la Vega. His lighthearted studying, under the tutelage of aging matador Manolo Estrada, leads to tragedy.

---

Plot Keywords:

mexico | matador | bullfighting | usa | tutor | 

---

Taglines:

COURAGEOUS MEN and BEAUTIFUL WOMEN In The Most DANGEROUS Game On Earth! (original three-sheet poster)

---

Genres:

Drama | Romance | Sport

---

Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

A Mexican stunt man was killed by a bull while filming a bullfighting sequence.

---

Alternate Versions

Cut to 87 minutes after premiere; recently restored to original 124-minutes length.

---

Connections

Featured in Budd Boetticher: A Man Can Do That (2005)

---

Soundtracks

Esta Noche (Tonight)
Music by Victor Young
Lyrics by Jack Elliott
Spanish lyrics by Aaron González

User Reviews

Good on the Corrida

I was surprised by this one. It is an excellent introduction to La Fiesta Brava, showing, for example, many versions of the Veronica as performed by the best Mexican matadors of the late 40s. Luis Procuna, Alfredo Leal, Silverio Perez and the great Carlos Arruza are absentees. Stack, apparently, mastered enough of the technique to perform ably with a heifer -- and that itself is not easy. The background of the corrida -- particularly the tienta (or testing) -- is well documented and the vast Plaza Mexico appears with dramatic effect -- both filled and totally empty. Some of the b/w sequences in the bullring are breathtaking. The problem with the film is Stack's character, who behaves very badly very consistently and really does not seem to learn from his vivid errors. Furthermore, he makes no effort to master even the rudiments of Spanish. Otherwise, the film is compelling. I also recommend the Azteca film of about the same period, "Torero," a documentary about Luis Procuna, starring Procuna. He does not need a stand-in. As an introduction to bullfighting that does not show much of the picing or the actual kill, I recommend "Bullfighter/Lady."

Details

Country:

USA Mexico

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

7 June 1951 (Mexico)

Also Known As:

Torero

Filming Locations:

Estudios Churubusco Azteca, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico

Company Credits

Production Co:

John Wayne Productions, Republic Pictures (I)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min 124 min (restored)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1