
Produced on a grand scale, the Mexican Talpa relates the simple story of two brothers. The older of the siblings, Tanilo (Victor Manuel Mendoza) is a well-to-do family man; the other, Estaban (Jamie Fernandez), is one step above a wastrel. When Tanilo is felled by illness, Estaban is forced to take over the family's blacksmith business. He also inaugurates a romance with Tanilo's attractive young wife Juana (Lilia Prado). Punishment is eventually doled out in a manner which suggests that God Himself is exacting retribution on the adulterous couple. Originally released at 87 minutes, Talpa was pared down to 73 minutes for American consumption.
Directed by Alfredo B. Crevenna, Talpa leans on a strong ensemble — Lilia Prado, Víctor Manuel Mendoza, Jaime Fernández — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1956.
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17-year-old Ainara is a student at a Catholic secondary school, and is about to take her final year exams and choose her future university course. To everyone’s surprise, this brilliant young girl announces to her family that she wants to take part in an induction period at a convent in order to embrace the religious life. Nobody was expecting this. While her father seems to be won over by his daughter’s aspirations, for Maite, Ainara’s aunt, this unexpected vocation is the manifestation of a deeper problem.
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