Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Cantinflas

Off on our hols. On the night flight over I watched Cantinflas, a biopic of Mexico’s most famous actor, Mario Moreno (1911-93). Known professionally as Cantinflas (the downtrodden but philosophising character he played in most of his films - not dissimilar to Charlie Chaplin’s tramp), he was best known in the west for his role as Passepartout in Around the World in 80 Days.  
As an aide, the making of the 1956 Hollywood classic is a running theme throughout the biopic and we get an idea of how crazily ambitious Around the World was. Aside from David Niven and Cantinflas, the film starred or cameoed Noel Coward, John Gielgud, Marlene Dietrich, Frank Sinatra, Buster Keaton, Trevor Howard, Shirley MacLaine and scores of other stars, hundreds of extras, produced by a man (John Todd) who’d never made a film before, and directed by another (Michael Anderson) who’d previously given us the austere 1984. It was a wonder the film got made at all. Anyway, enjoyed Cantinflas and Oscar Jaenada is fantastic as Moreno.

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