Skeleton of Mrs. Morales (1960) User Reviews (14)

A rare film where the audience is rooting for the man to kill his wife!

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 8 December 2014]

I love films from all over the world and I understand that this makes me kind of weird--particularly here in the United States where most folks have little tolerance for subtitles. Perhaps it's because I have seen and reviewed so many films that I often look for something different--and The Skeleton of Mrs. Morales is certainly different-- and in some very good ways.

In the past, I've written some articles about cheesy Mexican films-- such as the Aztec mummy films and the luchador (masked wrestler) films of the 60s and 70s. These films are pretty bad, but also are wonderful for a good laugh. But this does NOT mean that all Mexican films of yesterday are bad or silly--there are plenty of wonderful older Mexican movies that I've seen and I hope to see many more. For examples, the comedies of Cantinflas are quite charming and Pedro Infante's musicals are quite enjoyable--plus I am always hopeful that readers will write to me to recommend their favorites (hint, hint--PLEASE send me the names of your favorites)!

The Skeleton of Mrs. Morales is an interesting tale because it's one of the few older films I've seen that would seem to endorse murder! Like the wonderful Hollywood film The Suspect (with Charles Laughton), the story is about a nice man who is married to a truly horrible woman. However, Mrs. Morales is unusual in her awfulness because she is two-faced. To her many friends in the local church and her extended family, she is a virtual saint who is forced to live with a terrible husband who drinks too much, abuses her and is irreverent. However, this is all part of Mrs. Morales' sick personality disorder. He is actually a very good husband and tries to love her, but she is both frigid and very cruel towards him--and being married to her is impossible. She wants others to think she's a martyr for staying with such a monster and he just wants a wife who will love him and so he puts up with a lot during their long and very unhappy marriage. All the while, most audience members are hoping that Dr. Morales will either leave this woman or kill her. I was rooting for him to kill her--especially after she smashes the camera he saved up to buy for two years and then convinced her friends that HE beat her! What's next? Well, the word 'skeleton' is in the title...so you might be able to guess SOME of what will happen. However, like all wonderful dark comedies, guessing exactly what will happen is just about impossible! And it features a wonderful twist ending that made me smile.

The bottom line is that while most people are much more likely to watch a recent Hollywood movie, there are wonderful films waiting to be discovered from all over the world. And, in the case of The Skeleton of Mrs. Morales, you don't have to travel that far from Hollywood to find a classic.

Exquisite black humor movie

[andrescardenasg · 8/10 · 15 August 2005]

Few times has the Mexican movies industry explored this type of comedy. This particular film is surprisingly very well made, specially since its 2 main characters are played by an Actor, Arturo de Cordova, and an Actress, Amparo Rivelles, whose background is in tragic and/or very formal performances. It is a story of a married couple whose life has come to the point of a disaster, basically due to the jealousness of the wife. The Husband a taxidermist announces to their friends that she has gone to another City on vacations, but keeps in his shop an skeleton. This of course is the center plot of the movie and all black humor situations are derived from this. The movie is light and keeps the viewers entertained throughout its entire length.

Excellent acting, cinematography

[Will-E-Wanka · 9/10 · 29 November 2020]

I've seen quite a few cheezeball Mexican dramas. This is NOT one of those - it is a fine ensemble performance, with very high technical values. Most of the acting is top-notch. Some great 'Hitchcockian' camera angles and lighting- especially close-ups.

If I were to criticize this film mildly, it's that it views like a stage play. Perhaps it started this way? Anyway, I really enjoyed it thoroughly.

The director/writer had one brilliantly mad sense of humor.

[fred-roberts · 10/10 · 2 November 2001]

This film is charmingly macabre, about a taxidermist with a sincere love and lust for life, and his terrible antithesis of a wife. The performances are absolutely convincing, and the pompous catholic padre is unforgettable during the confession at the end, as is the lead character. The attention to detail makes it a pleasure to watch this film again and again.

Great Mexican film

[voacor · 10/10 · 12 May 2005]

I used to have tape of this movie I made when it appeared on TV down in Mexico City during one of my visits there years ago. I only saw it a couple of times and don't have the tape anymore. I was always hoping it would come out on DVD.

This film could be compared to some of Alfred Hitchcock's more macabre and darkly humorous films. This was made towards the end of the golden period in Mexican cinema. In the 1960's things took a turn towards the cheesy side and only within the past several years has Mexican cinema seen a bit of a turnaround, with some world-class productions.

The black and white photography is excellent and the acting is superb in this film about a man who stuffs animals for a living and has a wife who is even colder than the dead creatures in his workshop. I won't say more so as not to have any spoilers. See it if you can.

Engaging and unique

[Jeremy_Urquhart · 7/10 · 9 August 2022]

This is a very good crime/comedy/horror movie that's very straightforward, but remains well-made and entertaining throughout. It's about a taxidermist stuck in a loveless marriage who gets the idea one day that maybe he can pull off the perfect crime, and be rid of his wife for good. Naturally, things spiral out of control and get very chaotic from there.

There's less horror elements than I was expecting, for a movie with the word "skeleton" in the title. Taxidermy is creepy, and the house that most of the film takes place in looks unsettling, but it's probably more of a pitch-black comedy over anything else.

And as a dark comedy, it works well. The acting's all very good, and the otherwise dark story becomes more entertaining because of the film's interesting, surprisingly comedic tone.

I wasn't in love with the film overall, but for a straightforward, fairly short, darkly comedic crime movie, it worked well. I can imagine that if the Coen Brothers have seen this, they'd be pretty big fans.

Skeleton Story

[EdgarST · 10/10 · 10 July 2011]

Although there is no doubt that "El esqueleto de la señora Morales" is a cult film, it caused no big impression in 1960. The style was too conventional, but there is a playful fluctuation between extremes that moves the story, and makes the film an attractive, enjoyable and enduring production. It is —above anything else— the work of Spanish scriptwriter Luis Alcoriza, who wrote without his usual collaborators (his Austrian wife Janet Riesenfeld, or Spanish Luis Buñuel), in a more direct relation with "Mexicanity", in contrast to Buñuel, who favored everything French, although a few of his best works were about the Mexican cultural being, from Alcoriza's scripts, as "Los olvidados", and "Él". However there is nothing in Alcoriza's filmography as "The Skeleton of Mrs. Morales". The source is an attractive tale told in first person, by Welsh author Arthur Machen, who introduced the search of the Holy Grail in contemporary British literature, and influenced the works of Lovecraft and other authors of the macabre. "The Islington Mystery" (1927) is not a horror tale. It is a direct narration about imperfect crimes, a duel between certainty and probability with a few characters, in which the protagonist Harold Boale does get away with murder, as he sails to the New World and finds a young Swedish wife after killing his detestable wife, a Mrs. Boale who is hardly alive for more than two sentences, giving way to her sister as the leading feminine character: Mary Aspinall, a nurse who is suspicious of the reasons Harold gives to explain why his wife is missing. There is also a medicine student in the plot, who buys a skeleton with a deformed leg and presents it as "evidence" to the police, which leads to Boale's trial, the part of the tale I enjoyed the most, led by a brilliant defense attorney. In Alcoriza's adaptation —more sardonic and moralizing than Machen's tale—, Pablo Morales (Arturo de Córdova) exhibits his wife's skeleton in his shop window, goes through a similar trial as Boale, but has a different ending. The atmosphere of I World War, which in Machen's tale distracts from clumsy crimes and unresolved disappearances, is turned into the fears of Mexican middle class, and the repression of the Catholic church. Morales enjoys a few little pleasures in life: a photographic camera, occasional talks with his friends at the local bar, and, first of all, his work as taxidermist. His wife, a good looking woman with a deformed leg and lameness, is his enemy, rejects his sexual advances, and is allied to the local priest. Morales tries to deal with his sexual urges because —as a rare bird inside the Catholic universe, and unfortunately for him— he is faithful. In spite of his skillful tasks and a few defensible titles (especially comedies), the filmography of director Rogelio A. González has nothing comparable to "El esqueleto de la señora Morales". On the other hand, the film triggered Alcoriza's career, perhaps because he could have made a better job. The following year, he directed his first film, followed by remarkable titles as "Tlayucán", "Tiburoneros", and "Tarahumara".

Till death us do part.

[brogmiller · 7/10 · 17 September 2021]

Master of the macabre Arthur Machen loosely based his novel 'The Islington Mystery' on Dr. Crippen's murder of his wife Cora. Although he retained some of the circumstances he changed the characters to Mr. & Mrs. Boale. In this adaptation by screenwriter Luis Alcoriza, they have become Dr. Pablo Morales and his wife Gloria.

There seems to be an unwritten law which exists to this day that when a wife is murdered or missing, presumed dead, the prime suspect is invariably the husband. Taxidermist Morales has more cause for murder than most as his wife subjects him to relentless mental and emotional torture whilst presenting herself as the victim to her hideous relations, his brutal brother and an over-zealous Catholic priest. Morales confides to a friend early on in the film that to commit a murder, be tried for it and acquitted is the ultimate achievement. Our hero almost makes it but of course there is always the unexpected............

This is definitely for those who like their comedies 'black'(apologies to the 'woke' patrol) The camera angles, lighting effects and Raúl Lavista's score add immeasurably to the film's gruesome nature.

It is the performance of Artúro de Cordova as Morales that carries the day. He has always excelled at characters with an 'edge' and his casting here is a masterstroke. This film was made as Mexico's Golden Age, of which he was one of the brightest stars, was rapidly coming to a close and he himself in his early fifties. Sadly incapacitated by a stroke in 1967, this is, to my knowledge, the last of his great roles. The part of his insufferable spouse Gloria is a difficult one to play and Amparo Rivelles convinces as a woman who must at some stage have been an engaging partner before disease and excessive piety took their toll.

Luis Alcoriza had a fruitful working relationship with Luis Bunuel which included 'Exterminating Angel' and 'El', the latter gifting de Córdova another marvellous role. Although Rogelio A. Gonzalez does a pretty good job here one cannot help but wonder how Bunuel would have handled this material.

Both this film and the works of Arthur Machen have had a strong influence on director Guillermo del Toro. One is hardly surprised.

SOUTH OF THE BORDER CLASSIC

[kirbylee70-599-526179 · 8/10 · 9 March 2020]

One of the truly great things about movies being released on disc is that it provides an opportunity for movie fans to see movies they might otherwise miss. The majority of theaters in this country fail to feature foreign films and finding classic films is near impossible there. At one time select theaters tried to accommodate those fans but those days dwindled when VHS arrived and have grown fewer with disc on hand at affordable prices. So when a good movie comes along that is considered both a classic and an older film that's reason to rejoice. One such film is SKELETON OF MRS. MORALES.

By many accounts the film is considered a classic ranking number 19 in the list of the 100 best films of Mexican cinema. So when I heard it was being released I was anxious to see if it was worth that ranking. I'm pleased to say that yes, it does.

The story involves the title characters, an unhappy woman prone to hypochondria, self-righteousness and spreading gossip about her husband. Gloria Morales (Amparo Rivelles) is a shrew of a woman who pleads her case before the local priest telling him about how poorly she is treated when her husband steps out for a drink. She accuses him of being an alcoholic, of ignoring her and of blasphemy, all of which enrages the priest.

Pablo Morales (Arturo de Córdova) is honestly a simple man, loved by the kids in the neighborhood. A taxidermist by trade he spends his days working to provide for his wife and dealing with her issues. He loves her and wants to spend time with her but she brushes off his romantic endeavors telling him to go wash with alcohol to take off the stink of his profession. When he sits down to enjoy a steak, she complains about the smell acting as if she's going to be sick, saying it reminds her of the work he does in his shop downstairs.

Pablo has one dream, of owning a new camera so he can take pictures of his friends and the children in the neighborhood. When he goes to get his money to buy it, he finds Gloria has taken his money and given it to the church. He insists on it being returned which once more infuriates the priest and embarrasses Gloria. She wants to donate the money so she can have her name in the church for all to praise her for.

At one point Gloria attempts to poison the hawk that Pablo has been caring for, helping it mend. When the maid catches her she fires the maid threatening to spread lies about her. Later on in a fit of rage she smashes Pablo's camera. After 15 years of dealing with her issues, he's had enough. What happens from there makes for an interesting and at times truly funny film.

The movie is being released by VCI as part of their Classicos Del Cine Mexicano series. They've done a fine job of cleaning up the film offering it on blu-ray for the first time with a restored 2k version. The image is sharp, clean and near perfect, a black and white film that uses the form of shadow and light to perfection.

The biggest gripe many will have is that the film isn't dubbed. For those who have an issue I say stop complaining and give it a shot. The subtitles here are clearly visible and nicely done and no one should have a problem reading them. Open up the world to your movie viewing experience.

As for this movie I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it. There wasn't a moment in the film when I wanted to press the fast forward button of get on with things. Each moment was enjoyable and the story fantastic. Give this one a watch.

An essential film

[BandSAboutMovies · 6/10 · 22 January 2021]

Based on Arthur Machen's 1927 short story "The Islington Mystery," this Rogelio A. González-directed (Chanoc, Dr. Satán y La Magia Negra) film is considered by many to be a classic of Mexican film, not just Mexican horror.

It's the story of taxidermist Dr. Pablo Morales (Arturo de Córdova, For Whom the Bell Tolls) who is stuck in a dead marriage to the hypochondriacal and ultra-religious Gloria (Amparo Rivelles, The Nail). He's dreamed of having children or even a moment of affection from his wife, who tells him that he smells of the dead.

Pablo finds another dream. He saves for a camera, but he gives the money to the church, so he must save up again. Despite his wife convincing the community that he's an abuser and a drunk, he somehow finally gets his camera.

Mrs. Morales responds by breaking it.

That's when too much is too much, so the kindly man kills his wife, dissects her and displays her skeleton in his storefront.

The priest is convinced that our protagonist is guilty, as is nearly everyone else in town, after Mrs. Morales has painted him as a drunk, a wife-beater and a general ne'er do well. That's when this movie shifts into a courtroom film.

Well, Mr. Morales escapes the law. But he can't escape God.

Screenwriter Luis Alcoriza was very influenced by Bunuel, which comes through in this. I love that Mexican cinema of the 1950's - or at least my experience of it - is monsters and luchadors on one side and mind-bending art films on the other.

MMMM = macabre Mexican movie masterpiece!

[rickmacnamara · 10/10 · 27 December 2021]

The Skeleton of Mrs. Morales is a rare gem and should be seen by all fans of the macabre and dark humor. Dr. Morales is also one of those fascinating anti-heroes, like the much later Dexter Morgan, whose actions are ghastly but understandable and you can't help sympathizing with him at some level.

**SPOILER ALERT**

Yes, he murders his wife. Yes, he gives false testimony to the Police and in Court. But in comparison to the actions of others in this movie, he exemplifies goodness and patience and is ultimately the best person of them all, with that one time exception of killing his wife in a quick and non violent way.

Some of the dialogues and monologues in this movie are priceless and reminded me so much of certain classic episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents from around the same time period, especially the famous episode in which a wife kills her philandering husband with a frozen leg of lamb, which she later serves to the officers investigating his death.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Worthy of a thousand Mexican Waves!

[Coventry · 9/10 · 9 March 2023]

Upon discovering the existence of "The Skeleton of Mrs. Morales" and being amazed at the high rating and exclusively positive reviews around here, I instantly put the film on top of my must-see list. Thank the heavens for the digital era because there's an impeccably restored version with subtitles freely available on YouTube.

I tried not to get carried away and set my expectations only medium-high, as ratings & reviews can be misleading, but it rapidly became clear that "The Skeleton of Mrs. Morales" truly deserves all the praising superlatives and love it receives. Especially for a low-budgeted movie from early sixties' Mexico, it's a uniquely original and extraordinarily intelligent combo of pitch-black comedy and atmospheric horror.

It's deeply admirable how writer Louis Alcoriza and director Rogelio A. González toy around with the common horror standards and turn the viewers' logical expectations upside down. When you read the rudimentary premise of a taxidermist who plots to murder his wife, you automatically complete the rest of the film in your mind. But you'll be wrong, I assure you, like everyone else. Protagonist Pablo Morales is not the evil animal-stuffer and wife-slayer that you picture him to be. He loves to have a drink, but he's not a violent drunk. His housemaid idolizes him, but he doesn't take advantage of her. He has a sinister profession, but he's a well-doer to all children in the community. His marriage has ended years ago already, but he keeps hoping to get lucky. In fact, Pablo Morales is one of the nicest and most likeable men to ever appear on screen.

His beautiful wife Gloria, on the other hand, is - hard as it may sound to believe - one of the meanest, most manipulative, and downright loathsome women to ever appear on screen! She's disgusted by her husband's taxidermist activities, she spreads vicious lies about him being an abusive alcoholic and adulterer, and eventually even frames him for domestic violence he didn't commit. To make it all worse and more revolving, Gloria Morales behaves like a martyr and a saint towards the outside world, and obviously the myopic Catholic community in town supports her. When Pablo finally reached his personal limit and develops a plan to murder Gloria, it comes across as a giant relief to the viewer. This might even be one of those rare films where you hope the killer will get away with it.

The performances of Arturo de Córdova and Amparo Rivelles are exquisite, and the entire supportive cast contributes a great deal as well. The script is full of clever, ingenious, and incredibly funny little details, like the lady with a severe bladder issue and the confession moment. The ending is also fabulous. You know in the back of your head that in cinema crime never goes unpunished, but this excellent film nevertheless surprises us once more with a brilliant twist.

Extremly well made and original piece of Mexican cinema.

[cevarturo · 9/10 · 5 June 2021]

It's a very nice example of Mexican black humor. The story is shocking as it is original and relatable, which makes the viewer reflect on the moral dilemma presented.

Even if you're not interested in Mexican cinema this is a must see.

Masterpiece of Black Humor

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 22 April 2023]

The taxidermist Dr. Pablo Morales (Arturo de Córdova) is a good man that loves children and animals and to drink a few beers with his three best friends. He has been married for fifteen years with the wicked, frigid, cruel and manipulative self-righteous Gloria Morales (Amparo Rivelles), who has one leg with poliomyelitis, and turns his life into hell on Earth. She lies to the Priest Artemio Familiar (Antonio Bravo) and his nosy and gossipy neighbors and sister and brother-in-law from her congregation, telling them that Dr. Morales is an abusive man that beats her. Indeed, Dr. Morales loved her and has paid the mortgage of his old house where they live to please her and now is saving money to buy a camera that is his dream. When Gloria tries to poison his pet, their servant Meche (Rosenda Monteros), who treats Dr. Morales very nice, does not allow and is fired and expelled by Gloria. She tells her to leave the house immediately, otherwise she will accuse Meche of theft. When the seller reduces her commission to allow Dr. Morales to buy the camera, the object becomes his pride and joy. Soon Gloria breaks his camera into pieces and Dr. Morales kills her. How will he explain the absence of his wife?

"El esqueleto de la señora Morales", a.k.a. "Skeleton of Mrs. Morales", is a Mexican masterpiece of black humor. This film is a must-see for fans of this genre, since it is impossible to describe the cruel treatment of Gloria Morales to her husband. The viewer will certainly hope that he is considered not guilty in the trial. His confession to the nosy priest and the black humor in the end is very funny and unique. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Esqueleto da Sra. Morales" ("The Skeleton of Mrs. Morales")