DramaAdventure

The Pearl

- Steinbeck's most talked-about story!

Fisherman Quino and his wife Juana are very poor and desperate because the town's foreign doctor refuses to treat their son Coyotito, who has been bitten by a scorpion. When Quino unexpectedly finds a magnificent pearl in the sea, Juana senses that the discovery will only bring them misfortune and tries to convince her husband to return it to the sea.

Release Date : 1947-09-12

Language :SpanishEnglish

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Águila Films

Production Country : Mexico

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Quino

Original Name : Pedro Armendáriz

Gender : Male

Character Name : Juana

Original Name : María Elena Marqués

Gender : Female

Character Name :

Original Name : Fernando Wagner

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Gilberto González

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Charles Rooner

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Juan García

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Alfonso Bedoya

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Raúl Lechuga

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Max Langler

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Luz Alba

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Guillermo Calles

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Columba Domínguez

Gender : Female

Character Name :

Original Name : Andrés Huesca

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Margarito Luna

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Pepita Morillo

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Beatriz Ramos

Gender : Female

Character Name :

Original Name : Enriqueta Reza

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Victoria Sastre

Gender : Female

Character Name :

Original Name : Irma Torres

Gender : Female

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

This is a story that old men tell to children. They aren't sure where it happened or when. The Pearl is directed by Emilio Fernández and John Steinbeck co-adapts his own novella of the same name with Fernández and Jack Wagner. It stars Pedro Armendariz, María Elena Marqués, Fernando Wagner, Gilberto González, Juan García and Charles Rooner. Music is by Antonio Díaz Conde and cinematography by Gabriel Figueroa. We are in La Paz, Mexico, and when Quino and Juana's son is stung by a scorpion the couple are anguished by not having the finances to pay for medical treatment. Hope springs eternal when Quino discovers a large pearl, something which is seemingly the answer to their prayers - is it? What we basically have here is a morality play about the corruption of greed. Once the pearl of the title is discovered the ugliness of mankind rears its vile head. People around Quino and Juana - a homely honest but poor couple - suddenly have designs on the financial gains that the pearl can bring - with some of them willing to commit cardinal sins to achieve their aim. The pearl also begins to drive a wedge between the loving couple, and thus we are held enthral of the story to see exactly where this will all end up? Though it's not very subtle in the telling, with Steinbeck's literary bent often as heavy as a sledgehammer, this is undeniably compelling stuff. That it's also a visual delight also considerably aids the viewing experience. Fernández and Figueroa bring truly atmospheric cinematography into play as a key character of the piece, with kinked frames and low level shots perfectly embracing the discord of the troubling human conditioning on view. Come 1947 what we would come to know as the film noir style of film making was in full effect, fans of such should for sure add The Pearl to their must seek out lists. 8/10