The Rocket from Calabuch (1956)

Professor Jorge Serra Hamilton, an American scientist specialist in the atomic bomb, flees from their transcendental duties, in order to take shelter incognito and for a time in the idyllic... See full summary »

Director:

Luis García Berlanga

Writers:

Leonardo Martín (story), Leonardo Martín (screenplay)

Stars:

Edmund Gwenn, Valentina Cortese, Juan Calvo

6 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Edmund Gwenn	...	Prof. Jorge Serra Hamilton
Valentina Cortese	...	Eloisa, the Schoolmistress
Juan Calvo	...	Matías
Franco Fabrizi	...	Langosta (as Franco Fabrizzi)
Félix Fernández	...	Don Félix, the Priest
Nicolás D. Perchicot	...	Andrés (as Nicolás Perchicot)
Mario Berriatúa	...	Juan
Francisco Bernal	...	Crescencio
María Vico	...	Teresa (as Maruja Vico)
Isa Ferreiro	...	Carmen
Manuel Guitián	...	Don Leonardo
Casimiro Hurtado	...	Antonio
Pedro Beltrán	...	Fermín
Manuel Alexandre	...	Vicente (as Manuel Alejandre)
Lolo García	...	Felipe

Storyline

Professor Jorge Serra Hamilton, an American scientist specialist in the atomic bomb, flees from their transcendental duties, in order to take shelter incognito and for a time in the idyllic Spanish village of Calabuch, a small village on the Mediterranean shores. Oblivious to the relevance of their occasional guest, local residents spend their time engaged in their modest daily chores. The affable professor Hamilton not only integrates perfectly into the small town of Calabuch, forging a deep friendship with its neighbors, but there he will find happiness he craved for.

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Taglines:

Soar to Hilarious Heights as Edmund Gwenn Zooma Again in...

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

Spain Italy

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

19 September 1956 (Spain)

Also Known As:

The Rocket from Calabuch

Filming Locations:

Peñíscola, Castellón, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain

Company Credits

Production Co:

Águila Films, Films Costellazione

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Edmund Gwenn's final film.

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Connections

References La Lola se va a los puertos (1947)

User Reviews

Even Prison was Idyllic in a Place so Idyllic

I remember a story about a young man living in a country where nobody was very happy, nobody was very unhappy either. A friend of him had moved to another country and sent a letter about his new life. Once arrived in the new country he had been put in jail, for some minor offense or so. Well, he had color TV in prison, also plenty of food for breakfast. It seemed a formidable life there: the worst that could happen to you was access to color TV and a huge breakfast in the morning.

This story came to my mind as I was watching Calabuch: a rocket scientist disappears from his research laboratory (where people don't seem to be very happy, not very unhappy either), and goes to a small fishing village where nobody knows him. He is immediately arrested for loitering, but the prison is as idyllic as everything and everybody there. To be frank, there is no color TV (the movie was made in 1956), but otherwise the prison is merely a very convenient bed-and-breakfast. During the day you are free to walk outside. The villagers take the man for an old tramp and everybody sympathizes with him instantly. Prison, people, traditions, church, chess games and phone service, even corrida, all is idyllic.

Maybe the movie is like the story above: too idyllic to be true. Which means that the film director (like the guy who had sent the letter to his friend) intended actually to communicate that life was not that perfect after all.

Or maybe we shouldn't suspect the film director of any hidden intentions, that's also possible: what if he wanted to make just a funny movie? A special note for Edmund Gwenn. It was his last role in a feature film and he was as irresistible as he had been throughout all his long artistic career. Gwenn was 79 by that time.