The Realm of Fortune

This is a fine adaptation of one of the few stories of Juan Rulfo, a fine Mexican novelist who, unfortunately wrote only a handful of pieces.

The movie does a fine job in translating a very complex story about a professional cock-fight trainer and gambler who, after a twist of fate, finds his luck, both good and bad, in a beautiful female singer portrayed by gorgeous Blanca Guerra at her best.

As usual, movie adaptations of novels lost a lot of the original richness, but even taking into consideration that loss, this movie makes a wonderful job in portraying not only the cockfighting and gambling world in rural Mexico, but also in reflecting and criticizing the society involved in such practices.

Not only that, see after the multilayered role of Blanca Guerra as Bernarda, La Caponera. First, her relations with the cockfighters-gamblers. Then, the relation with her daughter.

Arturo Ripstein's used real locations in central rural Mexico, so the movie has a real-life feel. Some shots are Eisenstein's like, although since it was filmed in color it is hard to fully appreciate them.