Watch Maria Candelaria (1943)

Watch Maria Candelaria (1943)

Mexican Film, Drama, Romance
English title: Portrait of a Maria

Cannes Film Festival, 1946: Winner: Grand Prix, Best Cinematography
BFI London Film Festival, 2024- Official Selection
Locarno International Film Festival, 1947- Winner: Best Cinematography

"Maria Candelaria" is a classic 1943 Mexican film directed by Emilio Fernández. It's a key work of the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema and a powerful example of cinematic Muralism, a style inspired by the Mexican muralist movement. The film tells a tragic love story set in a visually stunning, but socially stratified, Xochimilco. More on Wikipedia or Mubi

Synopsis

The film is a flashback told by a painter who is arrested for using a photograph of a nude Maria Candelaria as a model for a painting. He recounts her story, which is set in 1909. María Candelaria (played by Dolores del Río) and Lorenzo Rafael (played by Pedro Armendáriz) are two young Indigenous people from Xochimilco who are deeply in love. Their love, however, is constantly challenged by the prejudice and hostility of their community. María is ostracized because her mother was a prostitute. Lorenzo is poor and his efforts to sell flowers are thwarted by the local villain, Don Damián, who lusts after María. The couple's struggles come to a head when María contracts malaria and Lorenzo, desperate for medicine, is forced to steal it. This act of desperation leads to a series of tragic events that culminate in the community turning on María, who they mistakenly believe is a prostitute like her mother.

Themes and Style

The film's themes are deeply rooted in Mexican identity and social issues. It explores the conflict between traditional Indigenous life and the pressures of modernization, as well as the pervasive issues of poverty, prejudice, and social injustice.

Emilio Fernández's direction, often in collaboration with cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa, creates a unique aesthetic. The use of high-contrast black and white photography, deep focus, and dramatic shadows gives the film a painterly quality. Figueroa's cinematography is famous for its breathtaking shots of landscapes, lakes, and the people of Xochimilco. This visual style, often referred to as "Mexican Muralism" in film, aims to capture the spirit of Mexico through its people and land, much like the work of muralists Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros. The film's poetic and often somber tone is further enhanced by its mournful score by Francisco Domínguez.

Legacy

"María Candelaria" was a critical and commercial success, winning the Grand Prix (the precursor to the Palme d'Or) at the 1946 Cannes Film Festival, making it the first Latin American film to achieve this honor. The film solidified the international stardom of its leads, Dolores del Río and Pedro Armendáriz, who became iconic figures of the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema. Its enduring legacy lies in its beautiful cinematography, powerful performances, and its poignant portrayal of a love story against the backdrop of a deeply unequal society. It remains a cornerstone of Mexican and world cinema.

What's Good About the Film

• Cinematography: This is arguably the film's greatest strength. Gabriel Figueroa's black-and-white cinematography is nothing short of magnificent. He uses high-contrast lighting and deep focus to create stunning, painterly compositions that elevate the story from a simple melodrama to a grand, poetic work. The shots of Xochimilco's landscapes and the dignified, often pensive, faces of the characters are iconic and represent a high point of world cinema. The visual style is often referred to as "Mexican Muralism" on screen, drawing a direct parallel to the work of artists like Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros.

• Acting: Dolores del Río and Pedro Armendáriz deliver compelling performances as the star-crossed lovers. Del Río, a Hollywood star returning to her native Mexico, imbues María Candelaria with a tragic grace and quiet dignity. Armendáriz's portrayal of Lorenzo Rafael is equally strong, capturing a mix of raw emotion and protective love. Their on-screen chemistry is palpable and makes their plight deeply moving.

• Social Commentary: At the time of its release, the film was praised for its positive and dignified portrayal of Indigenous people. The central couple, María and Lorenzo, are depicted as honest, hardworking, and pure, in stark contrast to the bigoted villagers and the predatory Don Damián. The film's condemnation of hypocrisy, social prejudice, and the exploitation of the poor resonated strongly with audiences and critics.

• Legacy and International Recognition: "María Candelaria" put Mexican cinema on the global map by winning the Grand Prix at the 1946 Cannes Film Festival. This victory was a major milestone, marking the first time a Latin American film had won the festival's top prize. It solidified the careers of its creators and cemented the film's place in cinema history.

What's Not So Good About the Film

• Dated Melodrama: The film's story is a classic melodrama, and its conventions can feel a bit heavy-handed to a modern audience. The plot is filled with a relentless series of tragic events, and the characters are often archetypes of good and evil. Don Damián is a mustache-twirling villain, and the villagers are portrayed as one-dimensionally cruel and judgmental. This can make the narrative feel less nuanced than contemporary films.

• Stereotypical Portrayals: While the film was groundbreaking for its positive representation of Indigenous people, it has also faced criticism for perpetuating a different kind of stereotype: the "noble savage." María and Lorenzo are portrayed as beautiful, pure, and simple, almost as relics of a pre-colonial past. Some critics argue that this idealizes them in a way that robs them of their complexity and agency, fitting them into an artistic vision rather than depicting them as fully realized individuals with a place in modern society.

• The Problematic "Indigenismo" Movement: The film is a key example of the "indigenismo" movement in Mexican art and culture, which sought to re-evaluate and glorify Indigenous identity. However, critics point out that this movement was often led by the intellectual, non-Indigenous elite (like director Emilio Fernández), and their artistic portrayals, while well-intentioned, could still reinforce a hierarchical view of race and culture. Dolores del Río, a white actress of European descent, playing an Indigenous woman is also a point of modern criticism.

Full film (English subtitles) 

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