Welcome Mr. Marshall! (1953)

After finding out that North American people are visiting the Spanish villages, the citizens of Villar del Río start preparing themselves to welcome them when they arrive.

Director:

Luis García Berlanga (as Luis G. Berlanga)

Writers:

Juan Antonio Bardem (story) (as J.A. Bardem), Luis García Berlanga (story) (as L.G. Berlanga)

Stars:

Lolita Sevilla, Manolo Morán, José Isbert

4 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lolita Sevilla	...	Carmen Vargas
Manolo Morán	...	Manolo
José Isbert	...	Don Pablo, el alcalde
Alberto Romea	...	Don Luis, el caballero
Elvira Quintillá	...	Señorita Eloísa, la maestra
Luis Pérez de León	...	Don Cosme, el cura
Félix Fernández	...	Don Emiliano, el médico
Fernando Aguirre	...	Geronimo - el secretario
Joaquín Roa	...	Julían - el pregonero
Nicolás D. Perchicot	...	Boticario (as Nicolás Perchicot)
José Franco	...	Delegado general
Rafael Alonso	...	Enviado
José María Rodríguez	...	José
Elisa Méndez	...	Doña Raquel
Matilde López Roldán	...	Doña Matilde

Storyline

The little village of Villar del Río is awaiting the song performance of Carmen Vargas, 'The Great Andalusian Star'. The quiet village is governed by a deaf, naughty and good-natured Mayor, who's only seeking the way to give life to the place. By the same time good news comes to the village: the arrival of North American high personalities that will give economical aid to the nation city by city, village by village. The Mayor doesn't know what to do to welcome them. Carmen Vargas's agent throws surprising initiatives, moving all the village people just to prepare a better reception for the foreigners. His idea is to disguise all the farmers as Andalusians and add colour to every street with typical decorations. All of them start to work, and also to dream and think about what they're going to request the Americans, who will come with lots of dollars. The day of the arrival everybody at Villar del Río is in the streets, from the Mayor to the newborn child...

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Plot Keywords:

mayor | american | dream | flamenco | stereotype | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish Latin English

Release Date:

4 April 1953 (Spain)

Also Known As:

Welcome Mr. Marshall!

Filming Locations:

C.E.A., Ciudad Lineal, Madrid, Spain

Company Credits

Production Co:

Unión Industrial Cinematográfica (UNINCI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

78 min (censored)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When the film was presented at the Cannes Film Festival, the production company had the idea of distributing $1 bills with the images of José Isbert and Lolita Sevilla in place of George Washington.

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Goofs

When Juan runs to the tractor during the dream sequence, the plywood resting over the back of the tractor falls to the ground. When Juan and his family board the tractor, the plywood is back against the back of the tractor and it falls again.

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Connections

Referenced in Aída: Así en el cielo como en la tienda (2007)

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Soundtracks

Tío páseme el río
Music by Juan Solano (as Maestro Solano)
Lyrics by José Antonio Ochaíta and Xandro Valerio
Performed by Lolita Sevilla

User Reviews

A film that gets better with each viewing

My appreciation of this film has been getting better and better each time I have watched it. The first time I sat to see Bienvenido Mister Marshall was many years ago. I was a child, and I remember that I liked it. But I didn't notice that it wasn't another funny film. Through repeated viewings, I have found more and more details and a solid structure that makes of this film one of the greatest ones I have ever seen. The personality of the Major is amazing. He's a complex person despite his envelope of bewildered, and -I guess- that's why he's the Major. But he's also wonderfully ingenuous, and so are the rest of the people of Villar del Río. That's why you root for the entire cast. And that's why you keep this film in your heart. It reminds you the innocence we lost and lets you by the end with deep melancholy.

Technically, this film is almost perfect. Good cast, superb performances, perfect music, and a dialogue that seems to be a 70-minute-long quote, where every single word can be remembered. To mention one of the many good moments of this "long quote", I will remember the one when the general delegate (José Franco) tells the Major (José Isbert) that he has to make a speech from the balcony to the Americans. The Major asks "And what shall I say?", and then the delegate replies that he can speak about several things including the industry. He asks again "What industry?", and the delegate replies "Well, just say anything, they don't speak Spanish so they won't understand". And, finally, the Major states: "Oh, I think I'm getting it..."

If you take a look at the best Spanish films of all time, you'll notice that 3 of the top 5 films are directed by Luis García Berlanga. That's not a coincidence. Berlanga is pure genius.

My rating is 9-10 out of 10.