DramaFantasy

Macario

- Macabre, haunting and wonderful

Poor, hungry peasant Macario longs for just one good meal on the Day of the Dead. After his wife cooks a turkey for him, he meets three apparitions, the Devil, God, and Death. Each asks him to share his turkey, but he refuses all except Death. In return, Death gives him a bottle of water which will heal any illness. Soon, Macario is more wealthy than the village doctor, which draws the attention of the feared Inquisition.

Release Date : 1960-05-09

Language :Spanish

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Clasa Films Mundiales

Production Country : Mexico

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Macario

Original Name : Ignacio López Tarso

Gender : Male

Character Name : Esposa de Macario

Original Name : Pina Pellicer

Gender : Female

Character Name : La muerte

Original Name : Enrique Lucero

Gender : Male

Character Name : Don Ramiro

Original Name : Mario Alberto Rodríguez

Gender : Male

Character Name : El Demonio

Original Name : José Gálvez

Gender : Male

Character Name : Virrey

Original Name : Eduardo Fajardo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Virreina

Original Name : Consuelo Frank

Gender : Female

Character Name :

Original Name : José Dupeyrón

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chona

Original Name : Celia Tejeda

Gender : Female

Character Name : Verdugo infartado (uncredited)

Original Name : Luis Aceves Castañeda

Gender : Male

Character Name : Inquisidor (uncredited)

Original Name : Miguel Arenas

Gender : Male

Character Name : Don Alfredo, panadero (uncredited)

Original Name : Alfredo Wally Barrón

Gender : Male

Character Name : Vecina de Macario (uncredited)

Original Name : Queta Carrasco

Gender : Female

Character Name : Nieto de abuelo enfermo (uncredited)

Original Name : Felipe de Flores

Gender : Male

Character Name : Viuda (uncredited)

Original Name : Alicia del Lago

Gender : Female

Character Name : Enviado de la inquisicion (uncredited)

Original Name : Manuel Dondé

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hija de Macario (uncredited)

Original Name : Elizabeth Dupeyrón

Gender : Female

Character Name : Vecina de Macario (uncredited)

Original Name : Enedina Díaz de León

Gender : Male

Character Name : Inquisidor (uncredited)

Original Name : Enrique García Álvarez

Gender : Male

Character Name : Señora recomendando caldo de zopilote. (uncredited)

Original Name : Leonor Gómez

Gender : Female

Character Name : Doña Eulalia, esposa de Don Ramíro (uncredited)

Original Name : Sonia Infante

Gender : Female

Character Name : Vecina de Macario (uncredited)

Original Name : Inés Murillo

Gender : Female

Character Name : Abuelo enfermo (uncredited)

Original Name : Manuel Noriega

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sacerdote (uncredited)

Original Name : Francisco Pando

Gender : Male

Character Name : Comadre de Chona (uncredited)

Original Name : Lidia Franco

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dios

Original Name : José Luis Jiménez

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-10-19

Ignacio López Tarso is super in this superior adaptation of the Traven story "The Third Guest". He and his wife (Pina Pellicer) are living an all but hand-to-mouth existence with their young family - who reminded me frequently of baby birds in a nest constantly looking to be fed. He collects and sells firewood to the local bakery, she takes in laundry and does mending work. It's whilst he is delivering his wood that he sees half a dozen plump turkeys being roasted in the bakery ovens for a local grandee. The smell and the sight of these sizzling birds leads him to vow that he will not eat again until he can devour an whole bird - all by himself! For days he declines his food, but a slight contretemps between his wife and one of her clients might just provide for his deliverance... Heading into the forest with his unexpected fayre he encounters three individuals who offer him varying degrees of "riches" if he will share. He shows wisdom until an emaciated character tugs too hard on his heart strings. His reward is a gourde of water from the spring of life. One drop of this will stave off death from even the most terminally ill - well it will, most of the time! He uses his newfound power sparingly at first, but soon he garners fame and fortune and the attention of the Holy Inquisition. Having survived his perilous trip through the forest, can he now survive the suspicions of his own race? There is a very basic, but hugely effective, visual effect that allows us to follow his journey with his newly arrived friend (Enrique Lucero) and the direction from Roberto Galvadón allows us to begin to appreciate, slowly, quite what choice the eponymous character has, perhaps unwittingly - perhaps not - chosen for himself. The score complements well, as does the general aesthetic of this film and I really did enjoy the mix of the fantasy, sacrifice and the social comment. It looks great on a big screen, but is well worth a watch on any screen.