MEXICAN FILM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26625, 22 November 1947, Page 9

MEXICAN FILM

“PORTRAIT OF MARIA” The evidence which has been shown through the film institute movement of public interest in films away from the routine groove has encouraged distributors to release'foreign productions on the New Zealand circuit. Probably the first Mexican film to be shown locally, commenced its Dunedin season at the St. James Theatre yesterday—- “ Portrait of Maria,” with Dolores del Rio in the leading role. It may not be a cinema masterpiece, but it has a clear and taking beauty of its own that freshens the eye and quickens the imagination. . “ Portrait of Maria is a very simple story about an outcast Indian girl who lives by selling flowers on a garden Island in Lake Xochimilcho. She is tormented by her superstitious neighbours because of the reputation of her mother, and the taint is thought to be hereditary. She finds one honest man who wants to marry her, and another man, equally honest, but misguided, who wants to paint Her portrait. Neither of .them, though with the best of intentions, brings her good fortune, and in the end she is stoned to death by her self-righteous neighbours. Then, sin being expiated in death, she is given a magnificent funeral. Dolores del Rio, working again in her native country, looks more beautiful and acts far better than she ever did in Hollywood. Her finelymodelled face needs no tricks of the make-up department to lend it beauty and serenity. The crowd scenes are well managed, and the camera work is always impressive, the cloud effects being outstanding. “Portrait of Maria” has only one drawback. When a film has been produced in one language and is being released to people who speak another, the man who has to translate the film has two choices—to make a new sound track or to synchronise as far as possible with the lip movements of the players, or to keep the original dialogue and add explanatory sub-titles. The first course has been taken in this instance, and the mock simplicity of the dubbed in dialgoue is no match for the real simplicity of the picture. Nevertheless, “ Portrait of Maria ” remains a restrained and sympathetic film which offers entertainment far removed from the mass-production works of Hollywood.