I wonder what this movie is about. It was released in 1953 under the title Sueños de Gloria (Dreams of Glory). Its IMDB entry is all but empty, a bare bones entry if ever there was one. It stars Miroslava Stern, who simply went by Miroslava for most of her roles, and Luis Aguilar. Judging from the poster I'd say this movie is about a swimmer and a race car driver, both ambitious and in love. I'm assuming to make it even more dramatic one of them must sacrifice his/her dreams to follow/pursue the dreams of the other. But that's all guesswork. And then there's this: Click on the poster to enlarge it. On the hood of the car you will see the face of Donald Duck. Yes, Donald Duck. I don't know how he figures into the story and given that there is no information on this movie to be found (don't bother Googling, you'll just get a bunch of song links, the IMDB page and the poster I've put up here) I guess I'll never know. Still, if anyone has any knowledge of the story I'd like to hear it.
Miroslava is known to most people for her work with Luis Buñuel in the film Ensayo de un Crimen, released in 1955, although I've never seen it (but the poster is terrific). Sadly, she committed suicide at 29 just after the movie finished shooting, a movie which could have catapulted her into bigger international roles. There's not much more I know about Miroslava outside of that and her Wikipedia entry is fairly scant. I guess I just wanted to mention her in case anyone did know anything about her or her films. Netflix has two of her movies available: La Muerte Enamorada (1951) which sounds like a charming comedy from it's synopsis and a Joel McCrea film directed by Jacques Tourneur in 1955, Stranger on Horseback. I've added both to my queue as my curiosity is piqued. Maybe I'll love them or maybe I won't but isn't seeking out the hard to find, uncovering the unseen and watching movies outside our comfort zone of knowledge what blogging and cinephilia are all about? I think so. I'm glad I stumbled upon that poster for Sueños de Gloria today. If nothing else, I look forward to learning a little something about an actress of which I previously knew nothing, and sharing it with you. And if you already know all about her, please, share it with me. Thanks.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Unseen Cinema: Sueños de Gloria
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13 comments:
I would very much like to see Ensayo de un Crimen.
I guess it's time to organize a visit the film vaults of Mexico. Either that, or if you get Spanish language television, keep your eyes peeled on the scheduled movies.
Bill, I was surprised it wasn't available on DVD but then I have to remind myself how much out there is unavailable.
Peter, I wonder if channels like Telemundo would even bother running old Mexican films in favor of ones from the eighties on.
Did you see this piece on the Buñuel film? In my opinion, it’s one of his best pictures. As for Sueños de Gloria, you may want to see if it was issued under a different title. Amazon has a couple of Miroslava’s films here.
Thanks. That review makes me really want to see it. It's for sale on Amazon, I may have to get it.
I didn't see Sueños de Gloria under any other name so I guess that one's gone for good, or packed away in a dark corner of a salt mine somewhere.
If you have an all-region player, I believe you can get Archibaldo de la Cruz on the same disc with El/This Strange Passion. It's another excellent Buñuel film.
I forgot to mention: that's Miroslava on the floor in the photos on Lee's website. I went back to Objects of Desire to see if Buñuel mentions her in the interview, but he doesn't discuss her in any great detail.
Archibaldo de la Cruz is a magnificent appraisal of Catholic guilt. Archibaldo can't control his thoughts, feelings and daydreams -- but they all go against his faith, prompting him to turn himself in to the police, guilty of guilty thinking.
It may be Buñuel's only "straight" narrative.
I thought that was her on the floor. And I don't have a region free DVD player yet but I can copy region free DVDs on my computer and then burn them on disc for a Region 1 player. I may have to do that because all three of those films are unknown to me and I'd love to see them all.
Greg-
The woman looks like a diver in that poster.
Maybe there is a climactic scene where she cliff dives and he drives off a cliff. OR, maybe she dives off a cliff and into his car (and out of his dreams).
There's a rock song somewhere in that description.
I love this poster and I join with Flickhead in recommending the DVD of El/Arcibaldo de la Cruz as being completely unmissable. I didn't realise that Miroslava died so soon after making the Bunuel film and I can't even remember which role she played (there are quite a few actresses in it) but I'll rewatch it in memoriam, once I get the Carradine memorial fest over with.
Paul, thanks. I really look forward to seeing it now and will definitely look for Miroslava. I'm going to order my copy and burn it to region-1 since I don't have a region-free player.
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