[Author]by Joanna Hidalgo[/Author]
The legend of one of the most endearing and beloved figures of mexican cinema is revived in Cantinflas, the Movie. One of the most ambitious productions recently completed in Mexico.
After obtaining the biographical rights of Fortino Mario Alfonso Moreno Reyes, the Producers Adolfo Franco and Vidal Kantu of Kenio Films narrate the personal and artistic life of Mario Moreno from his beginnings until he reached the theater and establish itself as one of the most recognized comedians of the time.
Óscar Jaenada plays a dual role of re-incarnating the two contrasting personalities of Mario Moreno: the comedian and the entrepreneur. Goya Awarded Jaenada, as best actor for “Shrimp Island” in 2005, has raised controversy in the leading role of the film. Movie fans expected a Mexican actor in charge of reviving an iconic character of Mexico like Cantinflas.
The fact is Jaenada has a physical resemblance of Cantinflas, the gestures, style, voice and famous “cantinfleos”. Jaenada efforts on preparing and getting into the character took almost six months for him to be able to develop the scenes of dance, improvisation and grace similar to Cantinflas.
In an interview with El Reportero, Jaenada said that his contact with Cantinflas was as a child when his parents saw the films of Cantinflas. “The first memory I have of Cantinflas is seeing my parents laughing while watching his movies. Sundays in Spain, Cantinflas films were always present. Later, when I was around 10,12, or 15 years old, I used to watch some of short highlights of his best films on my own.”
The preparation of Jaenada implied to replace the Spanish accent with the “Cantinflas” Moreno Mario style and prevent from appearing phony and contrived in the performance. “My preparation was twofold not only did I have to play the character that everyone knows, which is Cantinflas, but also I needed to give life to Mario Moreno, the man, the husband, the leader, the politician, which are very different and unfamiliar faces that most of the people are not familiar with”, says Jaenada. “Cantinflas represents the people and the people identify with it. For (us) Spanish, Cantinflas is Mexico.”
The ambitious production of three million and more than 1,500 extras, includes in its broad range of distinguished Mexican figures as Ilse Salas, Bárbara Mori, Joaquín Cosío, Otto Sirgo, Adal Ramones, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Gabriela de la Garza, Ana Layevska, Mario Iván Martínez y Rafael Amaya, to name a few.
The film has the direction of Sebastian del Amo, who had been away from the media after participating in the cinematography of “Sex, Shame and Tears” (1999), “Green Stones “(2001), and Sin Sentido (2002).
Cantinflas, the Movie hopes to connect with the American public and more than 50 million Spanish speakers living in the United States, which was created in a bilingual way. The film will be released first in the United States and will be in theaters starting Aug. 29, then two weeks later presented in Mexico.
Mario Moreno Cantinflas was a comic actor writer, and producer. He gave life to different characters. From a shoeshiner, a priest, a teacher, or a dancer. His international fame did not bury their humble origins that were always present both in its multifaceted character and his interest in helping the disadvantaged classes, either directly or from the union trenches supporting their fellow acting guild.
He managed to shoot about 50 films and build a successful career that earned him recognition in Hollywood. Charlie Chaplin once said he was the best comedian alive, and Moreno has been referred to as the “Charlie Chaplin of Mexico”.
The public in the United States remembers him as ‘Passepartout’ in the spectacular production film “Around the World in 80 Days” (novel by Jules Verne), work that marked the debut of “Cantinflas” in the English-speaking market in Hollywood, and for which he was awarded in the same year with the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a musical or Comedy. Also, the film won the Oscar for Best Picture. Variety magazine said at the time that the similar Chaplin style and gimmicks of Mario Moreno contributed to the success of the film, which grossed $ 42 million at the box office. As a result of this production, “Cantinflas” became the highest-paid comedian in the world.
Each of the stories in which he participated in reflected a significant moment of the idiosyncrasies of the Mexican people. As part of the National Actors Association (ANDA), Moreno replaced Jorge Negrete as the actor’s union leader. As the new leader of the ANDA, he founded the House of Actors. In 1952, true to its principles, campaigned in favor of the poor to build a social habitat.
Mario Moreno ‘Cantinflas’ was born in Aug. 12, 1911, and died of lung cancer on April 20, 1993, in Mexico City.
