From the Can-Can to the Mambo
| From the Can-Can to the Mambo | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Chano Urueta |
| Written by | Chano Urueta José Luis de Celis |
| Produced by | Guillermo Calderón José Luis Calderón Pedro A. Calderón |
| Starring | Joaquín Pardavé Abel Salazar Rosita Fornés |
| Cinematography | Víctor Herrera |
| Edited by | Alfredo Rosas Priego |
| Music by | Antonio Díaz Conde |
Production company | Producciones Calderón |
Release date |
|
Running time | 107 minutes |
| Country | Mexico |
| Language | Spanish |
From the Can-Can to the Mambo (Spanish: Del can-can al mambo) is a 1951 Mexican musical comedy film directed by Chano Urueta and starring Joaquín Pardavé, Abel Salazar and Rosita Fornés.[1][2] It was shot at the Churubusco Studios in Mexico City. The film's sets were designed by the art director Manuel Fontanals.
Plot
Susanita (Rosita Fornés) is a young student attending a highly strict and traditional girls' academy overseen by Don Pierino (Joaquín Pardavé), a highly conservative and old-fashioned professor of history and morals. Susanita has a deep passion for contemporary rhythm and dance, which clashes heavily with the severe, rigid disciplinary rules imposed on the student body by the school's faculty.
The generational conflict escalates dramatically when Susanita meets a charismatic young man named Roberto (Abel Salazar). Roberto is an energetic musician and dance instructor who specializes in modern tropical sounds, specifically the newly exploding Afro-Cuban mambo rhythm. Recognizing Susanita's talent, Roberto encourages her to embrace her passion and invites her to perform outside the strict confines of her school environment.
This modern influence sets off an uncontrollable wave of artistic rebellion within the academy, as Susanita and her fellow classmates abandon their classical routines to covertly practice lively mambo steps. Don Pierino attempts to crack down on the growing defiance to preserve the school's traditional reputation, but he finds himself repeatedly outmaneuvered by the clever students and Roberto. Through a series of comedic confrontations, musical numbers, and escalating misunderstandings, the traditional faculty is forced to confront the evolution of pop culture. Ultimately, the contagious energy of the modern rhythms breaks down the old barriers, culminating in a festive final performance where the old guard and the new generation reconcile, bridging the cultural gap between the classic can-can era and the contemporary mambo movement.
Cast
- Joaquín Pardavé as Don Susanito Llueve o Truene
- Abel Salazar as Roberto
- Rosita Fornés as Clotilde
- Rosario Gutiérrez as Martha
- Maruja Grifell as Señorita Prefecta
- Arturo Martínez as Américo Pisaflores
- José María Linares-Rivas as Don Ramiro Martell
- Gloria Mange as Amiga de Martha, estudiante
- Pepita Morillo as Mimi
- Dámaso Pérez Prado as Self
- Los Tres Diamantes as Themselves
- Chelo La Rue as Self
References
Bibliography
- Amador, María Luisa. Cartelera cinematográfica, 1950-1959. UNAM, 1985.
- Navitski, Rielle & Poppe, Nicolas (ed.) Cosmopolitan Film Cultures in Latin America, 1896–1960. Indiana University Press, 2017.
- Riera, Emilio García. Historia documental del cine mexicano: 1951-1952. Universidad de Guadalajara, 1992