6/10
Amiable , sympathetic but dated comedy from writer Miguel Mihura with nice acting by the always splendid Fernando Fernán Gómez
26 September 2021
Average but passable Spanish comedy with the great Fernando Fernán Gómez that had success enough at the box office . It deals with Don José (Fernando Fernan Gómez) , a single , notorious doctor who is about to be given his nomination as a director of the Antianemic Institute and when the gossips about his relations run throughout that's why he decides to break up with his young lover Fanny (Patty Shepard) , a former call-girl . So , to convince Fanny , José tells her that he is going to marry a woman he has gotten pregnant . Along the way , her alleged , fake father (Manolo Gómez Bur) want to speak with her to convince to let marry his daughter to wealthy suitor Don José , but then things go wrong .

Embarrassing and amusing comedy that contains silly events , laughs , entertainment and absurd situations . This is just a movie to spend a while , some gags might be fun for you , some will fall flat . It takes a simple concept , a duo of shameless friends : Fernando Fernán Gómez , Manolo Gómez Bur execute lies and tricks to carry out their main purports : to break up a long-time lover at no cost . Humor is sometimes cheesy and gross-out with numerous naughty and picaresque situations such as itchy jokes , betrayals , adulteries , jealousy , and brief erotic scenes . The film attempts to give laughs and it works here and there , resulting in an amusing though failed film . My feelings are extremely mixed but I must admit there are some slight and no very enjoyable laughters ; however , it also packs uneven comedy , simple humor , and farcical happenings . There are some diverting jokes in the film and the cast , playing eccentric characters make cosy fit . ¨Las Panteras se comen a los Ricos" is an essential and fundamental representation on the Spanish comedy . Of course, due to the age when it was made it was subject to a lot of constraints , being really a funny movie to pass a good time . For example, sex scenes are quite light, even a priest would approve of them and probably did. At that time, all movies were censored in Spain . Nowadays , some spectators will also probably feel outraged about the opinions and permissiveness to men on the ladies at the time . It benefits from the efficient acting by Fernando Fernan Gómez and Manolo Gómez Bur , the latter steals the show as a false father . While Fernando Fernán Gómez provides the main and best acting as the wealthy doctor who wants to break up hisbeloved fiancee because he thinks that this is no longer in fashion and is also frowned upon in the case of someone who , like him , is about to occupy an elevated position with the imminence of an important job . In addition , the support cast is frankly excellent , filled with familiar faces and ordinary Spanish secondaries, including some gorgeous and promising actresses , such as : Fiorella Faltoyano , Ingrid Garbo , María Luisa San José , Mara Goyanes Mara Goyanes , Fernando Bilbao , Rafael Hernández and of course Gracita Morales in her eternal role as a likeable servant.

The film was regular but professionally directed by Ramon Fernández adding ridiculous situations, great number of zooms and lousy pacing , at times . Ramon was a decent craftsman , expert on Spanish comedy . His film debut was ¨Aquí Están Las Vicetiples¨ thanks to producer Vicente Escrivá , being followed by ¨Ahí Va Otro Recluta¨ , ¨Simón Contamos Contigo¨, ¨Matrimonio Al Desnudo¨, ¨Doctor Me Gustan Las Mujeres¨ and the successful sentimental comedy ¨Margarita Se LLama Mi Amor (1961) ¨ . He also made other genres as kiddies films , such as : ¨El Cristo Del Océano¨, ¨Aventuras De Enrique Y Ana¨ and a police story , at his best , : ¨Rueda De Sospechosos¨. And an adequate adaptation of the classic written by Luis Vélez Guevara : ¨El Diablo Cojuelo¨. And his biggest hit : ¨No Desearas el Vecino del quinto¨ or "Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Fifth Floor Neighbour" resulted to be the most box office film of the Spanish cinema until ¨The Others¨, or ¨Los Otros¨ by Alejandro Amenábar . Rating : 5.5/ 10. Acceptable , passable but corny Spanish comedy .
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