El (1953)

A husband's suave exterior unravels after his marriage, and he unleashes his paranoid and volatile temper on his wife, which escalates to more dangerous and unpredictable tantrums.

Director:

Luis Buñuel

Writers:

Luis Buñuel (story), Luis Alcoriza (story)

Stars:

Arturo de Córdova, Delia Garcés, Aurora Walker

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Arturo de Córdova	...	Francisco Galván de Montemayor
Delia Garcés	...	Gloria Vilalta
Aurora Walker	...	Doña Esperanza Vilalta
Carlos Martínez Baena	...	Padre Velasco
Manuel Dondé	...	Pablo
Rafael Banquells	...	Ricardo Luján
Fernando Casanova	...	Lic. Beltrán
José Pidal	...	Padre prior
Roberto Meyer	...	Licenciado
Luis Beristáin	...	Raúl Conde

Storyline

Francisco is rich, rather strict on principles, and still a bachelor. After meeting Gloria by accident, he is suddenly intent on her becoming his wife and courts her until she agrees to marry him. Francisco is a dedicated husband, but little by little his passion starts to exhibit disturbing traits. Nevertheless, Gloria meets with scepticism as she expresses her worries to their acquaintances.

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Plot Keywords:

possessiveness | jealous husband | insecurity | catholic church | bell tower | 

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Taglines:

Another motion picture from LUIS BUNUEL who gave you the unforgettable "The Young and the Damned"

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Buñuel has stated that he was disappointed by the film overall, but proud that French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan was known to screen the film for his students as an example of paranoia.

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Connections

Referenced in Vertigo (1958)

User Reviews

Good picture about love and jealousy , compellingly realized by the Spanish maestro , Luis Buñuel

"This Strange Passion" or ¨El¨ deals with Francisco (Arturo De Cordoba) is a rich man , rather strict on rules , and still a bachelor . After meeting Gloria Milata (Delia Garces), he thinks her the adequate woman and he is determined to marry her, and succeeds in winning her away from her fiancée, Raul Conde (Beristain) . The honeymoon and the following months have an unnerving effect on Gloria along with Francisco's rigid principles . She learns her husband results to be an irrationally jealous man . Francisco is a dedicated husband, but step by step his passion shows to exhibit paranoia and disturbing traits .

Another film masterpiece by the director of the prize-winning "The Young and the Damned" , being shot in three weeks by the great Luis Buñuel who even makes a cameo appearance as one of the monks. This rare movie is largely considered a Luis Buñuel's masterpiece . It is packed with thought-provoking drama, surreal moments , jealousy , criticism , paranoia and religious elements about Catholic Church ; furthermore Buñuel satirizies and outright attacks bourgeois lifestyles . Good acting by Arturo De Cordoba as the wealthy, religious and leery middle-aged Francisco Galván as well as Delia Garces as suffering spouse . This splendid Buñuel film was nominated Grand Prize in Cannes Film Festival (1953). Good and atmospheric cinematography by excellent Mexican cameraman Gabriel Figueroa , though being necessary a perfect remastering .

The motion picture was stunningly directed by the genius Luis Buñuel who was voted the 14th Greatest Director of all time . Moving to Mexico in the late 1940s, he teamed up with producer Óscar Dancigers and after a couple of unmemorable efforts shot back to international attention with the lacerating study of Mexican street urchins in ¨Los Olvidados¨ (1950), winning him the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival. He subsequently produced ¨Don Quintin Amargado¨ , ¨El Bruto¨, El¨, ¨Abismos De Pasion¨ , ¨Robinson Crusoe¨ , among others . But despite this new-found acclaim, Buñuel spent much of the next decade working on a variety of ultra-low-budget films, few of which made much impact outside Spanish-speaking countries , though many of them are well worth seeking out . After returning his native country, Spain, by making 'Viridiana' but this film was prohibited on the grounds of blasphemy, then Buñuel with his screenwriter Julio Alejandro go back Mexico where realizes in low budget 'Simon of the desert' and produced by Gustavo Alatriste . Buñuel went on directing in France where filmed other masterpieces such as ¨Belle De Jour¨, "The Milky Way" , "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie" , "The Phantom of Liberty" , his last picture was "That Obscure Object of Desire" shot in Spain .

Details

Country:

Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

9 July 1953 (Mexico)

Also Known As:

This Strange Passion

Filming Locations:

Estudios Tepeyac, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico

Company Credits

Production Co:

Producciones Tepeyac

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA High Fidelity)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1