Reviews

Who would be able nowadays to join the top-stars of cinema all in the same movie, in the same story?. And not only bring them together, but make with them a great film. Each and every quality of the mega stars that take part in this movie is extremely well understood by this enormous director. The arrogance and the elegance of Arturo De Cordoba and Dolores del Río, the kindness of Pedro Infante, the haughtiness of María Felix and the strength of Jorge Negrete, who was the heart and soul of this project, convert "Reportaje" one of the jewels of the golden age of the Mexican cinema. The music, the drama or the comedy of its seven episodes are all in the perfect spot. A reflect of a time filled with lots of great stars which is now terribly lost. This films marks the top moment of the golden age of cinema. There are only three stars that don't appear in the movie: Pedro Armendariz, Cantinflas and Sara García. In the episode called "A Divorce" there is a Diego Rivera's paint, above the chimney, of Dolores del Río. What I like the most is how Emilio Fernandez relates separates stories without losing interest and how fine he mixes stars, music, drama, love an laughing.

"Juncal" simply makes a panoramic vision of how great the bullfighter life is. The series, along with Carlos Velo's "Torero" (Mex. 1957), is the mirror where every taurine fan and professional should reflect. Cause almost every space of the taurine culture is describe, "Juncal" is the perfect door to enter to the taurine world, even if you don't understand a word or you don't like the bullfights you'll find yourself in the series course.

In a way, "Juncal" is nothing but a life story. The father that leaves his family, the unfaithful lover or the young boy that dreams with glory. The great cultural achievement with the exposure of Cordoba, Seville, Madrid the music and, obviously, the taurine sequences gives a romantic but real vision of this "polemic" Hispanic phenomenon.