Reportaje (1953)

The pairing of two of the most famous and well-loved stars of Mexican cinema make this a comedy to remember! Pedro Infante and Maria Felix were both icons of the silver screen before Pedro's tragic death in a plane crash in 1957. Maria was the quintessential Mexican movie star refusing to learn English and assuming a self-styled "tough woman" persona ultimately achieving international acclaim throughout Latin America and Spain. REPORTAJE (The Report) stars both of them and takes place on New Year's Eve at a celebration where a wealthy newspaper owner makes a bargain: he'll award 10000 pesos to the journalist who turns up the best New Year's scoop. The writers scatter scouring the city for the best tip on a journey that takes them everywhere from parties to hospitals in a race for the best story.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: LATIN/COMEDY Rating: NR UPC: 655690100907 Manufacturer No: VIS-DV1009 Product Description

STARSTUDDED EXTRAVAGANZA MEXICAN STYLE

First of all, we may consider "Reportaje" a real curiosity since it was conceived to benefit PECIME (The Union of Mexican Film Journalists) and ANDA (The Union of Mexican Actors). Consequently, everybody in the film industry was asked to participate and contribute to the production of this movie which, when completed, did no justice to all the great talents involved in its making. In other words, it should have been a much better film...

In spite of all the short comings, "Reportaje" is a real treat since it's made up of a series of vignettes featuring the greatest and most popular actors of the so called "golden era of Mexican films." You just have to love a movie where Libertad Lamarque and Pedro Vargas, playing themselves, are trying to land a gig as a singing duo in a night club. In order to impress the management they perfom (in a beautifully composed close-up by cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa)the old standard "Quiereme Mucho." Priceless!

The same can be said to the battle of sexes segment in which a furious Maria Felix, in a horrible nightgown and cold cream all over her face, is kept awake by Jorge Negrete singing on the next room. Later, Maria takes off the face cream, dresses up, and seduces Negrete. The fact that Maria and Jorge were married in real life makes the exchange between them even more precious.

However, the vignette featuring Dolores del Rio and Arturo de Cordova -as a couple on the brink of divorce- and the weird storyline starring Pedro Infante and Carmen Sevilla are much too somber and too heavy handed for a film that should have been light and fun from beginning to end.

There is not much more to say about "Reportaje" except that on the DVD edition they list Sarita Montiel as being in the cast but she does not show up in the film. There's a possibility that Miss Montiel and other actors were involved in the original project but were edited out of the final cut. Pity! September 16, 2008

Great!

This is an interesting movie, where we can see most of the actors from Mexican cinema golden age. Anybody who likes classical Mexican cinema should have it. February 14, 2008

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