The Great Madcap

The Great Madcap

92 mins | Comedy | Nov. 25, 1949

Buñuel's first "comeback" film since "L'Age d'Or" in 1930 (he made only a few musicals in the interim), "El Gran Calavera" concerns a family's attempts to change the patriarch's somewhat indulgent and hedonistic ways by fooling him into thinking his large fortune is gone. They assume a life of poverty in Mexico in an attempt to teach him a lesson. However, he discovers it's a ruse, but continues to perpetuate the facade of ignorance while sneaking off during the day to conduct his thriving business. Why? To teach his family a lesson - they are all lazy, worthless leeches!

The Great Madcap

92 mins | Comedy | Nov. 25, 1949

The Great Madcap
Buñuel's first "comeback" film since "L'Age d'Or" in 1930 (he made only a few musicals in the interim), "El Gran Calavera" concerns a family's attempts to change the patriarch's somewhat indulgent and hedonistic ways by fooling him into thinking his large fortune is gone. They assume a life of poverty in Mexico in an attempt to teach him a lesson. However, he discovers it's a ruse, but continues to perpetuate the facade of ignorance while sneaking off during the day to conduct his thriving business. Why? To teach his family a lesson - they are all lazy, worthless leeches!
IMDb rating 7.1
Producers Ultramar Films
Original title El gran calavera
Directors Moises M. Delgado, Luis Buñuel
Writers Adolfo Torrado, Janet Alcoriza, Luis Alcoriza

Cast

Fernando Soler

as Ramiro de la Mata

Rosario Granados

as Virginia de la Mata

Andrés Soler

as Ladislao de la Mata

Rubén Rojo

as Pablo

Gustavo Rojo

as Eduardo de la Mata

Maruja Grifell

as Milagros

Francisco Jambrina

as Gregorio de la Mata

Luis Alcoriza

as Alfredo

Antonio Bravo

as Alfonso

Antonio Monsell

as Juan, mayordomo

María Luisa Serrano

as Mamá de Alfredo

Daniel Arroyo

as Invitado a fiesta (uncredited)

Ana María Hernández

as Invitada a fiesta (uncredited)

Josefina Burgos

as Empleada de Ramiro (uncredited)

Ángel Infante

as Empleada de Ramiro (uncredited)

Carmen Cabrera

as Doña Chole, mamá de Pablo (uncredited)

José Chávez

as Prisionero (uncredited)

Leonor Gómez

as Vecina vecindad (uncredited)

Pepe Martínez

as (uncredited)

Juan Pulido

as (uncredited)

Nicolás Rodríguez

as Don Carmelito (uncredited)