Reviews

Set in Mexico City in the 1940s, Gumaro Perez (Joaquin Pardave) is married to a wife (Sara Garcia) who is interested only in money, and appearances. She pretends to be the Countess of Salvatierra while treating Gumaro with no respect. She wants their daughters to marry rich men. Gumaro is forced to leave home. He is helped by a couple of people, he becomes a beggar and realizes he has been too weak and the only way out is to finally find the courage to face his wife.

Excellent performances by Joaquin Pardave and Sara Garcia who appear in other movies as a couple with different names. Great to have a good laugh with the family.

I saw this movie back in the 80's and it is wonderful to be able to see it again. Every line, every gesture, every scene in which Katherine Hepburn and/or Henry Fonda appear is a real joy. As we get older, we appreciate their wonderful work. If you liked this film, I highly recommend you to see "Wrestling Ernst Hemmingway" and "The Straight Story". We can benefit from listening to our elders and remembering we (hopefully) one day will be in their shoes. The generational gap between Billy and Norman can only be filled with mutual care and respect, so it is also a good idea to see this film in family, especially if you can gather grandparents and grandchildren. I did and it has worked miracles on their already good ties.

I have seen this movie several times along my life, and have always been impressed by the way the music influences the viewer: You are taken from sheer happiness to awe and to disgust, and then to shock. After having seen Schlinder's list, Jacob the liar, the Pianist, and a few more movies about the Holocaust, I had to see Cabaret again.

It continues to be as shocking as well as fascinating, and it sheds more light on how the Germans were led by the Nazi to commit such "understandable, yet unforgivable deeds".