La Coquito

Adela Portales "La Coquito" (Iliana Ross) is a gorgeous Cuban cupletista who has begun her artistic career in Havana , where she lives with her authoritarian mother (Amparo Rivelles) , there she's seen by a greedy entrepreneur (Juanito Navarro) who hires her to premiere in Madrid as a great vedette . In the Madrid of the 20s , she successfully bursts in the main theater , getting splendorous recognition . Her life is spent between erotic couplés and dealing with men that his mother agrees to in exchange for large sums of money. Among these men, there are three (Fernando Allende as a young revolutionary , Carlos Bracho as a ruthless aristocrat , Pancho Córdoba as an old benefactor) who will influence the girl decisively.

Musical drama full of songs and charming scenarios ,it is based on the life of a vedette nickname "Coquito" reminiscing about her glorious spectacles when she was received like a goddess , as well as her turbulent past and distresses ; being regularly written and paced by Pedro Masó . Based on real-life of a very famous "cupletera" in Spain and France around the end of the 1800s . Dealing with La Coquito's rising , becoming the singing sensation at the time with the popular Cuplés . Cuplés results to be songs that are erotic , fun , sexy and usually sung in double sense . The actress who consecrated this sub-genre about Spanish Musical Revista and Cuplés was Sara Montiel and his big successes such as : ¨La Violetera¨, ¨La Bella Lola¨, ¨Mi Ultimo tango¨ and especially ¨El Ultimo Cuplé¨. The film had problems with censorship due to some brief erotic elements . Stars Iliana Ross , Pedro Olea's own discovery with whom would repeat acting in ¨Puente Aereo¨, she is a lousy actress , however , in her musical scenes is frankly well as one very highly sensual singer , making lavish utilization of her considerable physical assets , attractive countenance , charms and whatever scenic ability was necessary . She's well accompanied by a good cast , such as : Amparo Rivelles, Fernando Allende, Carlos Bracho, Juanito Navarro, Pancho Córdova, Alfredo Alba, José Franco, Alejandro Ulloa, Rafael Navarro , among others.

This Spanish/Mexican co-production is an average picture , being middlingly directed by Pedro Masó in his usual style and had limited but enough success at the Spanish box office . Pedro was a writer/producer and director , especially known for La Coquito (1977), Atraco a Las Tres (1962) and El Turismo Es Un Gran Invento (1968). Many actors and technicians worked and ate thanks to the huge success of his films . Those contained entertaining stories , dramas , and great number of comedies with many nude girls , laughs and slapstick . Pedro was a craftsman producer/filmmaker and writer , in fact he wrote a lot of scripts in his long and fruitful career . These films are filled with humor that still holds up , especially for those not easily offended ; being sometimes cheesy and gross-out with numerous naughty and picaresque situations such as sex jokes , adulteries , crazy events , absurd situations , jealousy , and erotic scenes . Plus , they partially reflected the mood and the reality of Spain during Francoist epoch and in the immediate Post-Franco era , dealing with politic juncture about the post-Franquismo in similar style to other films from this period . Pedro worked with notorious actors as José Luis López Vázquez , Alberto Closas , Tony Leblanc , Manolo Gómez Bur , Paco Martínez Soria and several others . Pedro got a prolific career , as a writer and as a director , especially in comedy genre , as he directed : Puente Aéreo 1981 , 127 Millones Libres Impuestos 1980 , El Divorcio Que Viene 1979 , La Familia Bien Gracias , La Miel 1979 , La Coquito 1977 , La Menor 1976 , Las Adolescentes 1975 , Un Hombre Como Los Demás 1974 , Una Chica y Un Señor 1974 , Experiencia Prematrimonial 1972 , Las Colocadas 1972 and Las Ibéricas F. C. 1971. Rating : 5.5/10 . Mediocre but passable and acceptable.