Second and last part of the famous "Garcia" Series, this one follows up with the conclusion of the deadly rivalry between the Garcia and Lopez families. A bit darker than the first one (Los Tres Garcia), it presents that strange, particular brand of moviemaking that marked Mexican Cinema's Golden Age: Music intermissions (the most attractive ones being, obviously, Pedro Infante's songs), comic relief subplots and characters, and some very dark moments.
Characters are constructed around some relatively simple cliches: Pedro Infante as the loudmouthed, ever-active Charro which was so often his character, who gets drunk and fights anyone within sight at the slightest provocation; Abel Salazar as the shy rancher who has a hard time getting to girls, and Victor Manuel Mendoza as the poet, an elegant and worldly-wise man. Over them, the heavy (Very heavy!) figure of cigar-smoking Grandma Garcia (Sara Garcia, lovely as ever, which mostly keeps a, hum, limited screen time, but is actually pivotal to the plot resolution), which uses her heavy Iron Hand to keep the Three Young Garcias from facing the Lopez family, as their fathers once did. She remains a landmark of Mexican cinema, being able to switch from playing the Straight part in small sketches (disseminated throughout the movies) to becoming the dramatic "voice beyond the grave", so to speak, that guides Pedro Infante's character to taking the decisions that ultimately resolve the story.
The Drama involved in the final "duel" scene between the "last (free) men standing" of both the Garcia and Lopez families is not to be missed. You'll know who they are when the moment comes.
Ismael Rodriguez at his best, in that strange kind of comedy that never fails to entertain, and that delivers laughter, sighs, slapstick, tears, screams and, to some degree, adventure, in a single, easy to swallow, package. Epic, yes, and even a Cult movie, to some degree...
Characters are constructed around some relatively simple cliches: Pedro Infante as the loudmouthed, ever-active Charro which was so often his character, who gets drunk and fights anyone within sight at the slightest provocation; Abel Salazar as the shy rancher who has a hard time getting to girls, and Victor Manuel Mendoza as the poet, an elegant and worldly-wise man. Over them, the heavy (Very heavy!) figure of cigar-smoking Grandma Garcia (Sara Garcia, lovely as ever, which mostly keeps a, hum, limited screen time, but is actually pivotal to the plot resolution), which uses her heavy Iron Hand to keep the Three Young Garcias from facing the Lopez family, as their fathers once did. She remains a landmark of Mexican cinema, being able to switch from playing the Straight part in small sketches (disseminated throughout the movies) to becoming the dramatic "voice beyond the grave", so to speak, that guides Pedro Infante's character to taking the decisions that ultimately resolve the story.
The Drama involved in the final "duel" scene between the "last (free) men standing" of both the Garcia and Lopez families is not to be missed. You'll know who they are when the moment comes.
Ismael Rodriguez at his best, in that strange kind of comedy that never fails to entertain, and that delivers laughter, sighs, slapstick, tears, screams and, to some degree, adventure, in a single, easy to swallow, package. Epic, yes, and even a Cult movie, to some degree...
