El Hijo del crack (meaning "Son of the Star"[1]) is a 1953 Argentine football drama film co-directed by Leopoldo Torre Nilsson and Leopoldo Torres Ríos[2] and starring Armando Bo and Oscar Rovito. The film, a tale of a dwindling professional football star and his son was released on December 15, 1953[3][4] in Normandie cinema in Buenos Aires. The cast involved major professional football players of the time as Mario Boyé, Tucho Méndez and Ángel Labruna and journalists such as Fioravanti. It is the last film in which Leopoldo Torres Ríos and Leopoldo Torre Nilsson (father and son[5][6]) worked together. The 77 minute film[7] was produced by Sociedad Independiente Filmadora Argentina (SIFA).
| El Hijo del crack | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Leopoldo Torre Nilsson and Leopoldo Torres Ríos |
| Produced by | Armando Bo |
| Starring | Armando Bo, Óscar Rovito, Miriam Sucre, Francisco Pablo Donadio |
| Cinematography | Enrique Wallfisch |
| Edited by | Rosalino Caterbeti |
| Music by | Alberto Gnecco and José Rodríguez Faure |
Production company | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 77 minutes |
| Country | Argentina |
| Language | Spanish |
Plot
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Mario Lopez (Oscar Rovito) is a child, the son of an aging footballer (Armando Bo) . On the one hand, while his father is disowned by supporters for being no longer physically able to play it, he tries to convince himself that this is a temporary decline and he will return to his former star status. On the other hand, his mother and his maternal grandfather, reject the world of football and the street, arguing that it is a primitive world and inadequate, isolating him. Only his son remains a major fan. Dying from a serious illness, he tries to please his fans once more and regain his legendary status.
Cast
edit- Armando Bo as Héctor 'Balazo' López
- Óscar Rovito as Mario López
- Miriam Sucre as María del Carmen de López
- Francisco Pablo Donadio as Alvarado
- Pedro Laxalt
- Héctor Armendáriz
- Alberto Rinaldi
- Rolando Dumas
- Nelson de la Fuente
- Carlos Benso
Reception
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The International Film Guide described the film as a "purely commercial work", unlike many of Torre Nilson's other films such as El Crimen de Oribe (1950) and later films which were more art films with attention to themes, plot and psychological aspects.[8][9] Jorge Miguel Couselo in his 1984 book Historia del cine argentino remarked that "despite a poor script, [the film] showed seriousness" and praised the talent and performance by Oscar Rovito playing the son.[10] Ricardo Oliveri in his 1997 book Cine argentino: crónica de 100 años concurred that Rovito had contributed a good performance and described the film as an "agreeable product".[11] The Institute de Literatura Argentina highlighted the strong presence of the father and son in the film and noted its neorealist elements and charge.[12]
References
edit- ^ University of California, Berkeley (1966). Film quarterly. University of California Press. p. 135. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
- ^ Plazaola, Luis Trelles (1989). South American cinema: dictionary of film makers. La Editorial, UPR. p. 203. ISBN 978-0-8477-2011-8. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
- ^ Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes (Buenos Aires) (1988). Historia general del arte en la Argentina. Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes. ISBN 978-950-612-000-9. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
- ^ "El hijo del crack (1953)". Cinenacional. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
- ^ Wakeman, John (1987). World Film Directors: 1945-1985. H.W. Wilson. p. 1111. ISBN 978-0-8242-0763-2. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
- ^ Cowie, Peter (1 December 1975). 50 major film-makers. A. S. Barnes. p. 246. ISBN 978-0-498-01255-6. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
- ^ "El Hijo del crack". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
- ^ Cowie, Peter (1967). International film guide. Tantivy Press. p. 31. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
- ^ Núbila, Domingo di (1960). Historia del cine argentino. Edición Cruz de Malta; distribudores: Editorial Schapire. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
- ^ Couselo, Jorge Miguel (1984). Historia del cine argentino. Lectorum Pubns. p. 98. ISBN 9789502501055. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
- ^ Oliveri, Ricardo García (1997). Cine argentino: crónica de 100 años. Manrique Zago Ediciones. p. 99. ISBN 9789875090163. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
- ^ Institute de Literatura Argentina "Ricardo Rojas." (1999). Relecturas, reescrituras: articulaciones discursivas. Programa L.A.C. p. 580. ISBN 9789879816400. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
External links
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