La Zandunga. (The Zandunga)

Reviewed by Rafael Ocasio, Agnes Scott Coll., Decatur, GA -- Críticas, 1/15/2008

(México, 1937) b&w. Spanish. (English subtitles). 100 mins. Phoenix Entertainment Group. 2007. DVD. $14.95. ROMANCE 

Mexican Lupe Vélez, who appeared frequently in Hollywood’s silent films, stars in a romantic film that combines musical folklore with attraction of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in southern Mexico. Vélez plays Lupe, a beautiful young woman torn between two men, both attractive but with opposite personalities. Ramón is the safe choice—a local young man, he is well trusted—while Juancho (played by leading man Arturo de Córdoba), a sailor and a stranger to the village, must prove himself worthy of Lupe’s love. The plot thickens when a third contender, don Anastasio, tries to buy Lupe’s father’s good will in a plot that would have forced Lupe to marry him. Lupe’s choice is ultimately facilitated by an unexpected twist in the story. Although highly formulaic, the film is a good example of Mexico’s earliest interest in producing musical films. La Zandunga is a traditional Mexican dance performed by women wearing oddly shaped hats, a tradition effectively incorporated into the film’s plot. Recommended for collections on Mexican films.