Nice adaptation based on the successful play El Alcalde de Zalamea , an excellent drama written by the prestigious writer Pedro Calderon de la Barca (1600-1681). It is a famous and very interpreted play written during the Spanish Gold Century , a masterpiece of the Baroque Literature and set in the Spain/Portugal war . It deals with a garrison of Spanish Tercios commanded by Don Lope : Jose Marco Davo heading for Portugal , as they stop at a village located in Extremadura : Zalamea . There captain Don Alvaro : Alfredo Mayo stands at Don Pedro Crespo's home . Don Pedro is an upright and extremely honorable man and has a beautiful and virginal daughter called Isabel : Isabel De Pomes . But Isabel is kidnapped and raped by Don Alvaro and Pedro Crespo asks him for marry her , as he saves his honour . During the family trauma Don Pedro is elected Mayor of Zalamea , but Don Alvaro renounces this engagement and Crespo seeks justice .
This is an enjoyable and well set drama with agreeable elements , fine performances , some brief parts of comedy , fencing and thoughtful events . The well known plot is nicely developed , being the argumental theme : the precious Honor . As Pedro Crespo very well performed by Manuel Luna tells the famous sentence : Honor is the valuable state of the spiritual soul and Soul is only God . Alfredo Mayo as the proud and egoistic captain Don Alvaro gives also a fine acting , as well as Jose Marco Davo as the commander Don Lope. Support cast is pretty good , full of known Spanish secondaries by that time , such as : Jose Orjas , Jose Prada, Maria Fernanda Docon , Bove , Arturo Marin , and special mention for Fernando Rey in a brief interpretation as King Felipe II .
The picture has adequate setting by the notorious designer Enrique Alarcon , including atmospheric cinematography by Sebastian Perera, and shot in Sevilla studios . And an evocative and sensitive musical score by Juan Quintero. The motion picture was professionally directed by Jose G Maesso . He was an important writer , producer and director . He made a few films as Sucedio en Sevilla , El gran crucero and Clan de inmorales. His essential labour was as a producer and writer . He created a powerful production company : Tecisa . As he made several coproductions as Scherezade, America rugiente , El diablo se lleva muertos , Sumario sangriento para Estefania , Coartada en disco rojo , Mayra and notorious Spaghetti Westerns as Django, Minessota Clay Tierra Brutal , los despiadados , El precio de un hombre , Zarabanda, and Pistoleros de casa grande. .
This Alcalde De Zalamea has been adapted in silent cinema 1914 by Juan Sola with Joaquin Carrasco , Enrique Jimenez ; and by Mario Camus 1973 : La Leyenda del Alcalde Zalamea with Francisco Rabal , Teresa Rabal , Antonio Iranzo , Julio Nuñez , Mario Pardo , Fernando Fernan Gomez , Luis Marin .
5 out of 5 found this helpful