To the Sound of the Marimba
| To the Sound of the Marimba | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Juan Bustillo Oro |
| Written by | Augusto Martínez Olmedilla (play) Juan Bustillo Oro Humberto Gómez Landero |
| Produced by | Jesús Grovas |
| Starring | Sara García Fernando Soler Marina Tamayo |
| Cinematography | Jack Draper |
| Edited by | Mario González |
| Music by | Alberto Domínguez |
Production company | Grovas-Oro Films |
| Distributed by | Clasa-Mohme |
Release date |
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Running time | 137 minutes |
| Country | Mexico |
| Language | Spanish |
To the Sound of the Marimba (Spanish: Al son de la marimba) is a 1941 Mexican musical comedy film directed by Juan Bustillo Oro, who also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Humberto Gómez Landero.[1] It stars Sara García, Fernando Soler, Marina Tamayo, and Joaquín Pardavé.[2][3] The film was produced by Grovas-Oro Films during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema and shot at the Clasa Studios in Mexico City.[1][4]
Adapted from a popular theatrical comedy by Carlos Arniches, the narrative explores class tensions, regional identity, and deceptive courtships when an impoverished aristocratic family from Chiapas attempts to restore their wealth by marrying their daughter into a wealthy estate.[5] The film's sets were designed by the art director Carlos Toussaint, and its musical sequences extensively highlight the traditional folk music of southern Mexico.[1][5]
Plot
The Escobar family is an aristocratic household from Chiapas facing a severe financial crisis. Driven by a desperate need to restore their high-society lifestyle and wealth, the patriarch, Don Palemón Escobar (Fernando Soler), and his greedy wife, Doña Cornelia (Sara García), aggressively orchestrate a marriage plot for their sweet-natured daughter, Margarita (Marina Tamayo). Their target is Felipe del Río (Emilio Tuero), a deeply honorable and wealthy landowner from out of town. While Palemón treats Felipe with deceptive hospitality to secure his fortune, Margarita genuinely falls in love with him, completely unaware of her parents' underlying financial manipulations.
Felipe becomes highly suspicious of the family's extreme doting and questionable motives. To discover whether Margarita truly loves him for his character or is simply targeting his money, Felipe forms a partnership with his loyal, witty ranch hand, Agapito Cuerda (Joaquín Pardavé). Together, they execute an elaborate deception by fabricating a financial crisis to test the household's true colors. Upon hearing the news of his supposed financial ruin, Palemón and Cornelia immediately drop their mask of affection, subjecting Felipe to severe social rejections and attempting to call off the engagement.
Margarita, however, defies her overbearing parents, openly choosing to stand by the supposedly bankrupt suitor and proving her love is completely unconditional. With the family's true moral character exposed, Felipe reveals his structural trap and actual wealth, permanently shaming the social-climbing parents while happily marrying Margarita. Surprisingly, moved by the young couple's integrity, Palemón and Cornelia undergo a moral shift, demonstrating genuine, unselfish affection for their new son-in-law by the end of the film. Throughout the comedic entanglements, the script extensively integrates traditional regional vocabulary, idiomatic phrases, and musical compositions unique to the culture of Chiapas.
Main cast
- Fernando Soler as Palemón Escobar
- Emilio Tuero as Don Felipe del Río
- Marina Tamayo as Margarita Escobar
- Joaquín Pardavé as Agapito Cuerda
- Sara García as Doña Cornelia Escobar
- Dolores Camarillo as Pita
- Virginia Serret as Sofía Escobar
- Alfredo Varela as Luis Escobar
- Joaquín Coss as Acreedor
- Manuel Noriega as Acreedor
- Salvador Quiroz as Acreedor
- Miguel Manzano as José María
References
- 1 2 3 "Bustillo Oro, Juan". Diccionario de Directores del Cine Mexicano. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
- ↑ "Al son de la marimba (1941)". IMDb. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
- ↑ "Al son de la marimba (1941)". FilmAffinity. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
- ↑ "Al Son de la Marimba". Apple TV. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
- 1 2 "Al son de la marimba (1941)". Morelia International Film Festival (FICM). Retrieved August 10, 2026.
Bibliography
- Brill, Olaf (ed.) Expressionism in the Cinema. Edinburgh University Press, 19 Feb 2016.
External links