Nobleza gaucha (1915 film)
Encyclopedia
Nobleza gaucha is a 1915 Argentine
silent film
, loosely based on the Martín Fierro
by José Hernández and Santos Vega by Rafael Obligado
. It was directed by Eduardo Martinez de la Pera, who shared credit with Humberto Cairo, the producer, and Ernesto Gunche, the cinematographer.
, travels to La Pampa in search for horses. He hires Juan, a noble gaucho
that tames horses for a living, to aid him in his search. On that very day, Juan rescues a damsel in distress
, María, from a crazed horse. Don José Gran then kidnaps María and goes back to Buenos Aires with her. Juan decides to go uptown and rescue her; a fellow ranchhand, Don Genaro, tags along.
Juan and Don Genaro try to go by cart to Buenos Aires, but the vehicle gets stuck, so they take the train instead. Once in Buenos Aires, they ask for directions and end up chasing a fleeing streetcar that takes them all the way to Gran's mansion. Don Genaro gets in trouble for smoking in the streetcar, and decides not to be involved in María's rescue, preferring instead to go shopping for supplies. Juan infiltrates the mansion and waits for Don Gran to arrive; he then fights him and overpowers him. María, who had been previously assaulted by Gran, is supposed dead by Juan and mourns her.
As María wakes up, Gran creeps up behind Juan, ready to kill him, but Juan blocks the stab and overcomes him once more. As he is about to kill him, María stops him, claiming that a gaucho would never kill a defenseless man. They escape the mansion and happily board the train home. The last shot shows Don Genaro on his way to the train, losing his step and scattering the supplies over the street. He picks them up, waving young boys away, and picks his way up.
After María and Juan return to the country, Gran plans a revenge. He talks the 'comisario' and accuses falsely Juan of being a 'cuatrero'. The 'comisario' begins a search of Juan. María tells Juan to escape. Juan finds Gran and starts a pursuit on horses. Gran reaches a 'zanja' and falls down. Juan goes down and try to help him, but Gran dies. Justice wins. The film ends.
. The film earned about $1,000,000 upon its release, resulting in the highest-grossing Argentine film of its times. Using the money earned, de la Pera went on to make his second (and last) film in 1916, Hasta después de la muerte ("Until After Death"). The movie did poorly and caused de la Pera to retire.
Since then, the movie has spanned a series of remake
s, most notable of which is the 1937 remake
, directed by Francisco Mugica
.
Cinema of Argentina
The cinema of Argentina has a tradition dating back to the late nineteenth century, and continues to play a role in the culture of Argentina....
silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
, loosely based on the Martín Fierro
Martín Fierro
Martín Fierro is a 2,316 line epic poem by the Argentine writer José Hernández. The poem was originally published in two parts, El Gaucho Martín Fierro and La Vuelta de Martín Fierro . The poem is, in part, a protest against the modernist tendencies of Argentine president Domingo Faustino Sarmiento...
by José Hernández and Santos Vega by Rafael Obligado
Rafael Obligado
Rafael Obligado was an Argentine poet and playwright.Obligado was the son of María Jacinta Ortiz Urién and Luis Obligado y Saavedra. During the 1880s, he became known as el poeta del Paraná . He wrote poetry with gaucho themes, but using cultured and educated language...
. It was directed by Eduardo Martinez de la Pera, who shared credit with Humberto Cairo, the producer, and Ernesto Gunche, the cinematographer.
Synopsis
Don José Gran, a rich businessman from Buenos AiresBuenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, travels to La Pampa in search for horses. He hires Juan, a noble gaucho
Gaucho
Gaucho is a term commonly used to describe residents of the South American pampas, chacos, or Patagonian grasslands, found principally in parts of Argentina, Uruguay, Southern Chile, and Southern Brazil...
that tames horses for a living, to aid him in his search. On that very day, Juan rescues a damsel in distress
Damsel in distress
The subject of the damsel in distress, or persecuted maiden, is a classic theme in world literature, art, and film. She is usually a beautiful young woman placed in a dire predicament by a villain or monster and who requires a hero to achieve her rescue. She has become a stock character of fiction,...
, María, from a crazed horse. Don José Gran then kidnaps María and goes back to Buenos Aires with her. Juan decides to go uptown and rescue her; a fellow ranchhand, Don Genaro, tags along.
Juan and Don Genaro try to go by cart to Buenos Aires, but the vehicle gets stuck, so they take the train instead. Once in Buenos Aires, they ask for directions and end up chasing a fleeing streetcar that takes them all the way to Gran's mansion. Don Genaro gets in trouble for smoking in the streetcar, and decides not to be involved in María's rescue, preferring instead to go shopping for supplies. Juan infiltrates the mansion and waits for Don Gran to arrive; he then fights him and overpowers him. María, who had been previously assaulted by Gran, is supposed dead by Juan and mourns her.
As María wakes up, Gran creeps up behind Juan, ready to kill him, but Juan blocks the stab and overcomes him once more. As he is about to kill him, María stops him, claiming that a gaucho would never kill a defenseless man. They escape the mansion and happily board the train home. The last shot shows Don Genaro on his way to the train, losing his step and scattering the supplies over the street. He picks them up, waving young boys away, and picks his way up.
After María and Juan return to the country, Gran plans a revenge. He talks the 'comisario' and accuses falsely Juan of being a 'cuatrero'. The 'comisario' begins a search of Juan. María tells Juan to escape. Juan finds Gran and starts a pursuit on horses. Gran reaches a 'zanja' and falls down. Juan goes down and try to help him, but Gran dies. Justice wins. The film ends.
Reception
Nobleza gaucha was director de la Pera's debut in cinema. The film was made roughly with $20,000 in budgetBudget
A budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...
. The film earned about $1,000,000 upon its release, resulting in the highest-grossing Argentine film of its times. Using the money earned, de la Pera went on to make his second (and last) film in 1916, Hasta después de la muerte ("Until After Death"). The movie did poorly and caused de la Pera to retire.
Since then, the movie has spanned a series of remake
Remake
A remake is a piece of media based primarily on an earlier work of the same medium.-Film:The term "remake" is generally used in reference to a movie which uses an earlier movie as the main source material, rather than in reference to a second, later movie based on the same source...
s, most notable of which is the 1937 remake
Nobleza gaucha (1937 film)
Nobleza gaucha is a 1937 Argentine film directed by Sebastián M. Naón, remade from the 1915 original, Nobleza gaucha....
, directed by Francisco Mugica
Francisco Múgica
Francisco Múgica was an Argentine film director, film editor and cinematographer....
.