El crimen del Padre Amaro (2002)

Politics and sexual passions threaten to corrupt a young, newly-ordained priest in a small Mexican town.

Director:

Carlos Carrera

Writers:

Vicente Leñero, Eça de Queirós (novel)

Stars:

Gael García Bernal, Ana Claudia Talancón, Sancho Gracia

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 21 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gael García Bernal	...	Padre Amaro
Ana Claudia Talancón	...	Amelia
Sancho Gracia	...	Padre Benito Díaz
Angélica Aragón	...	Augustina Sanjuanera
Luisa Huertas	...	Dionisia
Ernesto Gómez Cruz	...	Obispo
Gastón Melo	...	Martín
Andrés Montiel	...	Rubén de la Rosa
Damián Alcázar	...	Padre Natalio Pérez
Gerardo Moscoso	...	Doc
Alfredo Gonzáles	...	Viejo / Old Man
Verónica Langer	...	Amparito
Pedro Armendáriz Jr.	...	Presidente Municipal Gordo (as Pedro Armendáriz)
Lorenzo de Rodas	...	Don Paco de la Rosa
Roger Nevares	...	Padre Galván

Storyline

Recently ordained a priest, 24-year-old Father Amaro is sent to a small parish church in Los Reyes, Mexico to assist the aging Father Benito in his daily work. Benito--for years a fixture in the church as well as the community--welcomes Father Amaro into a new life of unseen challenges. Upon arriving in Los Reyes, the ambitious Father Amaro meets Amelia, a beautiful 16-year-old girl whose religious devotion soon becomes helplessly entangles in a growing attraction to the new priest. Amelia is quickly following into the footsteps of her mother, Sanjuanera, who has been engaged in a long-time affair with Father Benito. Amaro soon discovers that corruption and the Church are old acquaintances in Los Reyes. Father Benito has been receiving financial help from the region's drug lord for the construction of a new health clinic. As well, another priest in the diocese, Father Natalio, is suspected of assisting guerilla troops in the highlands. Maenwhile, Amelia and Father Amaro have fallen in...

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Plot Keywords:

priest | church | corruption | sex scene | female frontal nudity | 

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Taglines:

One of the most controversial films ever made

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality, language and some disturbing images

Details

Official Sites:

Columbia Tristar [France] Official site

Country:

Mexico Spain Argentina France

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

13 December 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Crime of Padre Amaro

Filming Locations:

Coatepec, Veracruz, Mexico

Box Office

Budget:

$1,800,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

€429,915 (Spain), 10 November 2002, Limited Release

Opening Weekend USA:

$496,290, 17 November 2002, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$5,709,616, 6 April 2003

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alameda Films,Artcam International,Blu Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie is based on the 1875 novel of the same name by 'Eça De Queiroz'.

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Goofs

When Amaro is carrying Amelia out of the clinic and into the car, the old man who opens the car door and holds it for Amaro slams the car door into the camera, which looses its orientation for a while - and there even is a sound.

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Quotes

Padre Benito: That I told you? Really?
Augustina Sanjuanera: That you told me.
Padre Benito: I hope God agrees with it.

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Crazy Credits

"In memoriam Paco Rabal"

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Connections

Referenced in Promoción (Prohibida su venta) (2003)

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Soundtracks

Mitad de Mí
Written by Fernando Riba & Kiko Campos
Performed by José Guadalupe Esparza

User Reviews

One of the Best (or Maybe The Best) Movies of the Year

In 2002, in a small town in Mexico, Father Amaro (Gael Garcia Bernal), a young and promising priest, is assigned for that parochial. He is going to substitute Father Benito Diaz (Sancho Gracia), an old and corrupt priest of that community. Father Amaro is the protégé of the Bishop (Ernesto Gómez Cruz). Father Amaro meets Amelita (the gorgeous and sexy actress Ana Claudia Talancón), the very devoted catholic girlfriend of Rubén (Andrés Montiel), an atheist young journalist. Father Amaro also meets other priests of the neighbor towns in their periodical meeting in the church. In an environment of corruption and hypocrisy, Amelita and Father Amaro fall in love to each other. This relationship, full of lust and sin, leads them to a tragic and hypocrite end. Yesterday I watched this movie, which it is in my opinion, one of the best (or maybe the best) I have watched in 2003. I agree that the story is controversial and probably some (or most) of Catholics will not like it. It touches many wounds in this religion. The classic story of Eça de Queiroz, written in 1871, is greatly adapted for the present days. I have never had the chance of visiting Mexico, but in Brazil, in the Twenty-First Century, we have many country towns like the one showed in this wonderful film. The celibate was created in the Middle Ages by the Catholic Church to increase their wealth. How a normal man can keep the celibate is something that has never been clear for me. Lust, desire, is normal in a young man like the character of Father Amaro. In this movie, we have a young priest having a sinful relation with a very sensual girl. An older priest has a hypocrite relationship with an old widow (the mother of Amelita). This movie is indeed a great adaptation of a beautiful romance, with great performances and direction. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): "O Crime do Padre Amaro" ("The Crime of Father Amaro")