Ahí está el detalle
Encyclopedia
Ahí está el detalle is a 1940 Mexican comedy film directed by Juan Bustillo Oro and starring Cantinflas
, Joaquín Pardavé
, Sara García
with Sofía Álvarez
and Dolores Camarillo
. It was the twelfth film in Cantinflas' career, and the best one considered by Mexican film critics, for it is considered the tenth of Mexico's one-hundred best films. The film was released internationally as Here Is the Point and in the United States
as You're Missing the Point.
The film's last scene is based on the true events involving Mexican criminal Álvaro Chapa and his public declarations that inspired Cantinflas' form of speech for this film also known as "cantinfleada". The film's director Juan Bustillo Oro based it largely on his experience as a pro bono
lawyer at the Cárcel de Belén. The film was completed in only three weeks and the only problems during filming were caused by Cantinflas' improvisation, because of what he considered to be a poorly written script.
Cantinflas is the boyfriend of Paz, the maid of the household of Cayetano Lastre. It is dinnertime and Cantinflas waits outside the mansion for Paz's whistle: a sign for Cantinflas to enter the kitchen to eat. This is because there is a dog in the front yard named "Bobby", and Paz's boss does not know about Cantinflas' entrances into the house. Although like other times Cantinflas goes straight to eat, this time his girlfriend has one favor for him to do, that of killing the dog "Bobby" who has had a sudden attack of rabies and does not let Cayetano leave for an appointment. If he does not kill the dog, he does not get to eat. Cantinflas is nervous about the idea, but eventually kills him with a gun. However, inside the house, Cayetano plans a scheme to unfoil his wife Dolores del Paso's "supposed" adultery with her ex-boyfriend Bobby Lechuga. Dolores does not hold a relationship with Bobby Lechuga, but Cayetano's over-bearing jealousy makes him think otherwise.
Cantinflas
Fortino Mario Alfonso Moreno Reyes , was a Mexican comic film actor, producer, and screenwriter known professionally as Cantinflas. He often portrayed impoverished campesinos or a peasant of pelado origin...
, Joaquín Pardavé
Joaquín Pardavé
Joaquín Pardavé Arce was a Mexican film actor, director, songwriter and screenwriter of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. He was best known for starring and directing various comedy films during the 1940s...
, Sara García
Sara García
Sara García was a Mexican actress who made her biggest mark during the "Golden Age of Mexican cinema". During the 1940s and 1950s, she often played the part of a no-nonsense but lovable grandmother in numerous Mexican films...
with Sofía Álvarez
Sofía Álvarez
Sofía Álvarez was a Colombian-born Mexican film actress.-Selected filmography:-External links:...
and Dolores Camarillo
Dolores Camarillo
Dolores Camarillo was a Mexican character actress of film, television, and theater. She also was a makeup artist for films, and was frequently billed as "Fraustita".-Personal life:...
. It was the twelfth film in Cantinflas' career, and the best one considered by Mexican film critics, for it is considered the tenth of Mexico's one-hundred best films. The film was released internationally as Here Is the Point and in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as You're Missing the Point.
The film's last scene is based on the true events involving Mexican criminal Álvaro Chapa and his public declarations that inspired Cantinflas' form of speech for this film also known as "cantinfleada". The film's director Juan Bustillo Oro based it largely on his experience as a pro bono
Pro bono
Pro bono publico is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service. It is common in the legal profession and is increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms...
lawyer at the Cárcel de Belén. The film was completed in only three weeks and the only problems during filming were caused by Cantinflas' improvisation, because of what he considered to be a poorly written script.
Plot summary
Starring characters
- Mario Moreno "Cantinflas"CantinflasFortino Mario Alfonso Moreno Reyes , was a Mexican comic film actor, producer, and screenwriter known professionally as Cantinflas. He often portrayed impoverished campesinos or a peasant of pelado origin...
as Cantinflas: A peladoPeladoIn Mexican culture in society, pelado is "a term invented to describe a certain class of urban "bum" in Mexico in the 1920s."Mexico has a long tradition of urban poverty, beginning with the léperos, a segregated caste of Mestizos, Central American people, and illegitimate Criollos during the...
who does not consider work being an honest form of living. He is the fiancé of Paz, although they cannot marry because he does not have a job. In order for Paz to disguise him, she and Dolores present him to Cayetano as Dolores' long-lost brother Leonardo del Paso. Cantinflas lives well after that, for only a short time.
- Joaquín PardavéJoaquín PardavéJoaquín Pardavé Arce was a Mexican film actor, director, songwriter and screenwriter of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. He was best known for starring and directing various comedy films during the 1940s...
as Cayetano Lastre: An affluent entrepreneur, husband of Dolores del Paso. He constantly suspects that is wife is committing adultery behind his back, although this is not true. Cayetano is also eager to find his wife's brother, a key for him to receive his father-in-law's inheritance.
- Sara GarcíaSara GarcíaSara García was a Mexican actress who made her biggest mark during the "Golden Age of Mexican cinema". During the 1940s and 1950s, she often played the part of a no-nonsense but lovable grandmother in numerous Mexican films...
as Clotilde Regalado: The mistress of the real Leonardo del Paso. She and Leonardo are the parents of a large brood of children. Clotilde states that Leonardo would always promise to marry her after their first son, but after many other children he forgot. Clotilde had been a single mother ever since, until she finds out about Leonardo's return to the Lastres' home and goes to reclaim a place for her and her children there.
- Sofía ÁlvarezSofía ÁlvarezSofía Álvarez was a Colombian-born Mexican film actress.-Selected filmography:-External links:...
as Dolores del Paso de Lastre: The wife of Cayetano Lastre. She is nervous about some love letters that she wrote to her ex-boyfriend Bobby Lechuga years ago. Bobby bribes Dolores to give him money or else he will give such letters to Cayetano. When Cantinflas is found in the house, Cayetano mistakes him as Dolores' lover. To disguise this mistake, Dolores says that he is actually her brother Leonardo del Paso.
- Dolores CamarilloDolores CamarilloDolores Camarillo was a Mexican character actress of film, television, and theater. She also was a makeup artist for films, and was frequently billed as "Fraustita".-Personal life:...
as Paz "Pacita": The maid of the Lastre household, and girlfriend of Cantinflas. She serves Cantinflas food she cooks for the Lastres at dinnertime, although all this unknown to them. She detests his unwillingness to work, and justifies it because of her love toward him. When Cantinflas is taken as Leonardo del Paso, he changes his attitude toward her, being more demanding since now he is in a higher status. In the end, Cantinflas is again nice and kind toward her, all this only to eat free food.
Supporting characters
- Manuel Noriega as the judge who rules during Cantinflas' case as Leonardo del Paso.
- Antonio R. Frausto as Cantinflas' defendant lawyer during the case.
- Agustín Isunza as prosecutor who is against Leonardo's acts.
- Antonio Bravo as Bobby Lechuga also known as "El Fox Terrier", the ex-boyfriend of Dolores, murdered in self-defense by the real Leonardo del Paso.
- Francisco Jambrina as the real Leonardo del Paso, brother of Dolores and father of Clotilde's children.
- Joaquín Coss as the magistrate.
- Eduardo Arozamena as the deaf judge who marries Cantinflas and Clotilde.
- Rafael Icardo as the dumb sheriff who is hired by Cayetano to unveil Dolores' supposed adultery.
- Alfredo Varela, Jr. as the federal scribe during the reinstatement of the del Paso inheritance.
- Ángel T. Sala as the inspector.
- Estanislao Schillinsky as the deaf judge's assistant.
- Max Langler as the policeman.
- Narciso BusquetsNarciso BusquetsNarciso Busquets was a Mexican actor of film, television, theater, radio, and voice-over. He also directed a film, Sin fortuna, in 1980. Busquets started his acting career in 1937, as a child actor, and appeared as one of Cantinflas' sons in Ahí está el detalle...
as one of Cantinflas' many sons, in reality, Leonardo and Clotilde's child. - Wilfrido Moreno as an extra.
- Adolfo Bernáldez as an extra.