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Herod's Law

Original title: La ley de Herodes
  • 19991999
  • RR
  • 2h 3m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
6K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
La ley de Herodes (1999)
Mexico, 1949. The fable of a janitor turned Mayor on a little town lost in the Mexican desert, who gradually realizes how far his new acquainted power and corruption can get him.
Play trailer2:08
1 Video
14 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Crime
  • Mystery

Mexico, 1949. The fable of a janitor turned Mayor on a little town lost in the Mexican desert, who gradually realizes how far his new acquainted power and corruption can get him.Mexico, 1949. The fable of a janitor turned Mayor on a little town lost in the Mexican desert, who gradually realizes how far his new acquainted power and corruption can get him.Mexico, 1949. The fable of a janitor turned Mayor on a little town lost in the Mexican desert, who gradually realizes how far his new acquainted power and corruption can get him.

IMDb RATING
7.8/10
6K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Luis Estrada
  • Writers
    • Luis Estrada(screenplay)
    • Vicente Leñero(screenplay)
    • Fernando Javier León Rodríguez(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Damián Alcázar
    • Pedro Armendáriz Jr.
    • Delia Casanova
Top credits
  • Director
    • Luis Estrada
  • Writers
    • Luis Estrada(screenplay)
    • Vicente Leñero(screenplay)
    • Fernando Javier León Rodríguez(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Damián Alcázar
    • Pedro Armendáriz Jr.
    • Delia Casanova
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 33User reviews
    • 14Critic reviews
    • 64Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 20 wins & 8 nominations

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:08
    Trailer

    Photos14

    La ley de Herodes (1999)
    La ley de Herodes (1999)
    La ley de Herodes (1999)
    Todo el poder (2000)
    Damián Alcázar in La ley de Herodes (1999)
    Damián Alcázar and Leticia Huijara in La ley de Herodes (1999)
    Damián Alcázar in La ley de Herodes (1999)
    La ley de Herodes (1999)
    La ley de Herodes (1999)
    La ley de Herodes (1999)
    La ley de Herodes (1999)
    La ley de Herodes (1999)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Damián Alcázar
    Damián Alcázar
    • Juan Vargasas Juan Vargas
    Pedro Armendáriz Jr.
    Pedro Armendáriz Jr.
    • Lópezas López
    Delia Casanova
    Delia Casanova
    • Rosaas Rosa
    Juan Carlos Colombo
    Juan Carlos Colombo
    • Ramírezas Ramírez
    Alex Cox
    Alex Cox
    • Gringoas Gringo
    Miguel Ángel Fuentes
    Miguel Ángel Fuentes
    • Panchoas Pancho
    Noemí García
    • Secretariaas Secretaria
    Guillermo Gil
    • Curaas Cura
    Ernesto Gómez Cruz
    Ernesto Gómez Cruz
    • Gobernadoras Gobernador
    Leticia Huijara
    Leticia Huijara
    • Gloriaas Gloria
    Luis de Icaza
    • Alcalde Alfredo Garcíaas Alcalde Alfredo García
    Eugenia Leñero
    • Esposa del nuevo alcaldeas Esposa del nuevo alcalde
    Eduardo López Rojas
    • Doctoras Doctor
    Yari Lorenzo
    • Esmeraldaas Esmeralda
    Pedro Lorza
    • Cadáveras Cadáver
    Lucía Muñoz
    • Rocíoas Rocío
    Jesús Ochoa
    Jesús Ochoa
    • Nuevo alcaldeas Nuevo alcalde
    Manuel Ojeda
    Manuel Ojeda
    • Cantineroas Cantinero
    • Director
      • Luis Estrada
    • Writers
      • Luis Estrada(screenplay) (story)
      • Vicente Leñero(screenplay)
      • Fernando Javier León Rodríguez(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    After the corrupt former Mayor is killed by the peasants, poor janitor Juan Vargas is appointed new Mayor of a desert town in central Mexico. Although he tries to bring the motto of the ruling party to town (modernity, peace and progress) he realizes soon that there's nothing to do against corruption... except to become corrupt. Step by step, helped by his pistol, Juan Vargas becomes the law and the worst Major in the town's history. —Maximiliano Maza <mmaza@campus.mty.itesm.mx>
    • timeframe 1940s
    • adultery
    • black comedy
    • bar
    • brothel
    • 23 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Crime
      • Mystery
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for violence, sexuality and language
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This movie's release was forbidden for several years. From the time that filming started, the Mexican government wasn't happy about it, mainly because it presented a bad image of that administration. The filmmakers fought back, and the conflict reached the press, so the movie had to be released, to avoid rumors about political censorship.
    • Quotes

      Juan Vargas: No me hables en inglés, hijo de la chingada; ahora si, pinche gringo, se acabó la deuda externa!

    • Connections
      Followed by Hell (2010)
    • Soundtracks
      Que me lleve la tristezza
      Music and Lyrics by Marcial Alejandro

      Performed by Salvador "El Negro" Ojeda

    User reviews33

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    A fantastic satire about corruption in Mexico
    Satire is very difficult to pull off, but this one is a classic. It works beautifully, it's cleverly crafted, it's devilishly funny. The acting is superb. It was a joy to see Isela Vega again! I can't remember any other Mexican movie being as devastatingly critical of our "perfect dictatorship" as this one. It's really a pretty accurate depiction of the morass that corruption has created in Mexico and of the attitude of the ruling party towards the nation. The impunity, the cynicism, the paternalism, the graft, the slime, the crime, it's no exaggeration. The government is so out of touch and so stupid that they even tried to censor it. Needless to say, the movie has been playing to packed houses in Mexico. I hope it breaks all box office records. Even better, it should be Mexico's entry to the Academy Awards.
    helpful•12
    4
    • aztecp
    • Apr 14, 2000

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 18, 2000 (Mexico)
    • Country of origin
      • Mexico
    • Languages
      • Spanish
      • English
      • Nahuatl
    • Also known as
      • Herodes lag
    • Filming locations
      • Zapotitlán, Puebla, Mexico
    • Production companies
      • Alta Vista Films
      • Bandidos Films
      • Fondo para la Producción Cinematográfica de Calidad (FOPROCINE)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $52,000
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $6,515
      • Jun 15, 2003
    • Gross worldwide
      • $52,000
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 3 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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