Fever Mounts at El Pao

Originality and sophistication are expected from Luis Buñuel, so my review of this film, which is more avant-garde compared to its romantic storyline towards the mainstream, is somewhat sober, but I was, nevertheless, satisfied. Buñuel had a long history in Latin America and he knew the mentality of the local people and the essence of the functioning of the political system like the back of his hand, and it shows in the film. There is a piece of Buñuel himself, a piece of Marquez devoid of the overlay of magical realism, and a piece of good old Benito Traven. When I was in high school, I was very interested in the culture and history of Latin America, and I think this film captures the atmosphere of the regimes there in the 1950s quite well. The dramatic storyline is intense, and at the end of the film, the protagonist faces a difficult decision where none of the options are clear. Overall impression: 75%. (05/26/2009)