Bienvenido Mister Marshall (1953)

Director:

Luis García Berlanga

Writers:

Juan Antonio Bardem (story) and
Luis García Berlanga (story) ...

Release Date:

4 April 1953 (Spain)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

After finding out that North American people are visiting the Spanish villages, the citizens of Villar del Río start preparing themselves to welcome them when they arrive.

Awards:

5 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

José Isbert	...	Don Pablo, el alcalde
Lolita Sevilla	...	Carmen Vargas
Alberto Romea	...	Don Luis, el caballero
Manolo Morán	...	Manolo
Luis Pérez de León	...	Don Cosme, el cura
Elvira Quintillá	...	Señorita Eloísa, la maestra
Félix Fernández	...	Don Emiliano, el médico
Nicolás D. Perchicot	...	Boticario (as Nicolás Perchicot)
Joaquín Roa	...	Pregonero
Fernando Aguirre	...	Geronimo - el secretario
José Franco	...	Delegado general
Rafael Alonso	...	Enviado
José María Rodríguez	...	José
Elisa Méndez	...	Doña Raquel
Matilde López Roldán	...	Doña Matilde

Also Known As:

¡Bienvenido, Mister Marshall! (poster title)
Bienvenido Mr. Marshall (Spain) (alternative spelling)
Welcome Mr. Marshall

Runtime:

95 min | Spain:78 min (cut version)

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Spain:13 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

C.E.A., Ciudad Lineal, Madrid, Spain

Company:

Unión Industrial Cinematográfica (UNINCI)

Trivia:

Voted fifth best Spanish film by professionals and critics in 1996 Spanish cinema centenary.

Movie Connections:

Featured in El sueño de la maestra (2002)

Soundtrack:

De Sevilla al Canadá

A film that gets better with each viewing

My appreciation of this film has been getting better and better each time I have watched it. The first time I sat to see Bienvenido Mister Marshall was many years ago. I was a child, and I remember that I liked it. But I didn't notice that it wasn't another funny film. Through repeated viewings, I have found more and more details and a solid structure that makes of this film one of the greatest ones I have ever seen. The personality of the Major is amazing. He's a complex person despite his envelope of bewildered, and -I guess- that's why he's the Major. But he's also wonderfully ingenuous, and so are the rest of the people of Villar del Río. That's why you root for the entire cast. And that's why you keep this film in your heart. It reminds you the innocence we lost and lets you by the end with deep melancholy.

Technically, this film is almost perfect. Good cast, superb performances, perfect music, and a dialogue that seems to be a 70-minute-long quote, where every single word can be remembered. To mention one of the many good moments of this "long quote", I will remember the one when the general delegate (José Franco) tells the Major (José Isbert) that he has to make a speech from the balcony to the Americans. The Major asks "And what shall I say?", and then the delegate replies that he can speak about several things including the industry. He asks again "What industry?", and the delegate replies "Well, just say anything, they don't speak Spanish so they won't understand". And, finally, the Major states: "Oh, I think I'm getting it..."

If you take a look at the best Spanish films of all time, you'll notice that 3 of the top 5 films are directed by Luis García Berlanga. That's not a coincidence. Berlanga is pure genius.

My rating is 9-10 out of 10.