El Río y la Muerte
Luis Buñuel
Dr Gerardo Anguiano grew up in the town, far from his native village, which has been decimated by vendettas. When he is in hospital he is visited by Rómulo, the last surviving man in the Menchaca line, the Anguiano's rival family. These families have been confronting each other in hatred and violence. Felipe, Gerardo's father, had killed Rómulo's, and Rómulo wants reparation...
With : Columba Dominguez, Miguel Torruco, Joaquin Cordero, Jaime Fernandez, Victor Alcocer, Silvia Derbez, Humberto Almazan
Screenplay : Luis Buñuel, Luis Alcoriza, d'après le roman Muro blanco sobre roca negra de Miguel Alvarez Acosta
Image : Raúl Martínez Solares
Sound : José de Pérez, Rafael Ruis Esparza
Music : Raúl Lavista
Editing : Luis Buñuel, Jorge Bustos
Decors : José G. Jara
Screenplay : Luis Buñuel, Luis Alcoriza, d'après le roman Muro blanco sobre roca negra de Miguel Alvarez Acosta
Image : Raúl Martínez Solares
Sound : José de Pérez, Rafael Ruis Esparza
Music : Raúl Lavista
Editing : Luis Buñuel, Jorge Bustos
Decors : José G. Jara
Production : Clasa Films Mundiales, Armando Orive Alba
Distribution: Colifilms
Distribution: Colifilms
"For the first time in my life I have made a film with a specific message and I had a guilty conscience. The message was highly questionable; something like "if all men went to university there would be fewer crimes" (Luis Buñuel). But even if the film is somewhat oversimplistic – civilisation as opposed to barbarism – he nevertheless provides an opportunity to think about the origins and permanence of violence. "What interested me in the book was the element of lack of respect for human life", explained Buñuel. Revenge upon revenge in the two families, customs and codes of honour are intrinsically linked to crime here. In the film the violence takes on a certain cultural dimension, built on regional rites which span over several generations without ever being questioned.