Si yo fuera diputado (1952) Poster

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7/10
A gentle and satisfying farce upon a sympathetic barber with very good intention
ma-cortes15 July 2022
A well-meaning and comedy classic , starring the beloved Mexican comedian with amusement , entertainment , mirth and diversion .Good-natured and warmhearted Cantinflas comedy , here playing an atypical and likeable barber (Fortino Mario Alfonso Moreno Reyes, aka "Cantinflas") . As Cantinflas stars as the owner of a barbershop, where he studies law with the help of Tio Juan (Andres Soler), once a very successful attorney but is now too ill to practice. Before long, Cantinflas begins his law practice and goes on to win many cases. Tired of the same politicians, who never do anything to improve their welfare , eventually he runs for office against the local political machine. In ¨Si yo fuera diputado¨(1952) Cantinflas is a good-feeling barber sometimes resorting to wordly solutions to problems . Along the way our outlandish barber makes good acts , helping people , fine assistance , and clashes repeatedly with the local cacique . Then the unfortunate people from a poor neighborhood decide to support the local barber boy for public office. Meantime , Cantinflas takes on a powerful and nasty wealthy owner who eventually uses his hoodlums to expel the rebel barber . Here Cantinflas is simply the coolest barber ever !

A nice , entertaining and agreeable comedy with a lot of humorous, enjoyable sketches about an unconventional , botcher barber who delivers goodness , help and happiness . It is the hilarious all new adventure of that imprudent , impish , impossible droll role magnificently played by the splendid Cantinflas. He created an intimate and likable character whose roundabout phrases and meaningless speeches confounded those around him, but delighted Spanish-speaking audiences for decades . Most laughs are supposed to come from watching the barber do such outrageous and unusual things while organizing peculiar tricks to get his attractive purports . "Cantinflas," created a simple, universal character whose roundabout phrases and meaningless speeches confounded those around him, but delighted Spanish-speaking audiences for decades in several films as Volar Joven, El Circo, El Gendarme Desconocido, El Mago, El Señor Fotografo, Los Tres Mosqueteros, and Si Yo Fuera Diputado, El Bolero de Raquel, El Analfabeto, El Padrecito, and Su Excelencia. Mario "Cantinflas" Moreno, whom the legendary comedian Charlie Chaplin dubbed "the funniest man in the world," began his career in the 1930s in the "carpas" or tent shows of Mexico City. After early attempts to find his comedic voice, he embraced his own heritage as a lowly slum dweller, and audiences enthusiastically endorsed this comic persona. With his tiny mustache tipping the corner of his mouth, a cockeyed cap over dark, disheveled hair, dirty vest and a rope for a belt, Cantinflas became the idol of the masses by satirizing the police and politicians.

As a pioneer in the Mexican film industry, Cantinflas helped usher in its golden era. His foray into American cinema landed him a Golden Globe as Best Actor for his role in Michael Anderson's Around the World in Eighty Days (1956), and in George Sidney's Pepe (1960) but his comedic presence shined brightest in his Spanish language films. People everywhere identified with the struggles of this winsome ragamuffin, and when he died in 1993 , thousands endured a violent downpour in order to touch his casket as it lay in state. His funeral was a national event, lasting three days and attended by the presidents of Mexico, Peru, and El Salvador, and the United States Senate held a moment of silence for him.

Comedy and romance are blended in just about every movie , usually crude interference upsets others while he falls in love only to have his hopes dashed . It's a familiar formula that we can find in vaudeville and the films of Buster Keaton , Charles Chaplin and Laurel & Hardy, among many others. This Si yo fuera diputado (1952) is a successful , charming satire, and in my opinion it results one on the best Mario Moreno Cantinflas movies . Alongside Cantinflas there appears some human and credible roles , special mention for André Soler with whom Cantinflas formed a beloved couple , both of them perform two good-tempered men with virtues and shortcomings but above all two good-natured human beings . This is a simple fun and exhilarating film about an unusual barber versus a mean wealthy owner along with other adventures and misfortunes shown in a mass collection of vignetttes . Cantinflas' career was very long from the Forties to Eighties . Throughout his fruitful career Cantinflas performed good-tempered and kind people , mostly low-class characters . Equally , he played motley roles with all kinds of jobs, as he was street cleaner , a teacher , a doctor, an actor , an extra , a scientist , a clown, a fireman , a porter , an elevador operador, a photographer , a prospector , cowboy , a student , Hotel manager , an Ambassador , Bellboy , a police officer , magician , a priest , among others . These roles to be interpreted in films as El Profe , Bombero Atómico, El Supersabio, El Analfabeto, El Extra , Sube Y Baja , El Conserje , El Mago, Por Mis Pistolas , El Circo, Su excelencia, El Señor Doctor , El Señor Fotógrafo , El Patrullero, Por Mis Pistolas , and his last one : El Barrendero.

The motion picture was competently directed by Miguel Maria Delgado in his usual style , and he was Cantinflas' ordinary filmmaker . Rating : 7/10. Above average Cantinflas movie . A childhood favorite , appointed to tremendous fans of the great Cantinflas. Essential and indispensable seeing for Cantinflas fans .
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8/10
A very good comedy.
zutterjp485 December 2019
A poor and honest barber,Cantinflas, speaks about laws with his most famous client,uncle Juan, a lawyer (he cuts his hair and Don Juan gives him lessons of law).Cantinflas becomes little by little the protector of the poor people in his neighborhood.Don Juan asks him to represent him in some trials and Cantinflas is very sucessful.Time has come for the election: Cantinflas will be candidate for congressman (in Spanish we use the word diputado) : his rival will be the cacique ,Don Próculo who has won the last elections.The poor people will help Cantinflas with a lot of small donations and their votes,but Don Próculo will use use all the tricks and intrigues against his small rival.This film made in 1952 is a strong critic about the elections in Mexico and in many other countries of Latin America, about the tricks and intrigues that were using the caciques in these elections .This strong critic is made with a lot of humour. The people who have seen some films of Cantinflas will appreciate again the talent of Cantinflas for oratory.And of course we shall have a little love story, because Cantinflas and the niece of Don Juan will fall in love. One of the best films of Cantinflas.
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9/10
Cantinflas at best!!
huguinhg19 July 2020
An excellent comedy that portrays the Mexican society of the 50s. One of my favorites. A humble barber who, seeing social injustices, decides to campaign as a local congressman.
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