Product Details

• Actors: Arturo Meza, Marco Antonio Treviño, Guadalupe Del Toro, Letícia Lupercio, Josefina González
• Directors: Jaime Humberto Hermosillo
• Writers: Jaime Humberto Hermosillo, Jorge López Páez
• Producers: Guillermo del Toro, Manuel Barbachano Ponce
• Format: Color, DVD, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: Spanish
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Vanguard Cinema
• DVD Release Date: April 30, 2002
• Run Time: 90 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005Y719
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #210,458 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Dona Herlinda and Her Son" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Doña Herlinda is a delightfully singular movie character, a doting widow who wants it all--a happy son, grandchildren, and the respect of her neighbor--and quietly, lovingly manipulates the world around her to get it. Her devoted son, Rodolfo, is gay, but that's no problem: she practically adopts Ramon, his young lover, and even moves him into their house ("Rodolfo's bedroom is big," she smiles with convincing innocence) while simultaneously arranging for Ramon's marriage. Writer-director Jaime Humberto Hermosillo has nothing but respect for his characters, especially Guadalupe Del Toro's sweet and sly Doña Herlinda, a woman who projects naïve innocence while determinedly stage-managing her unconventional family unit. In other hands this might be a recipe for tragedy, but Hermosillo spins it into a lovingly subversive comedy of tolerance, acceptance, and keeping up appearances. --Sean Axmaker

Product Description

A shrewd & loving mother invites her sons boyfriend to move in with them in this wickedly funny & uplifting comedy of sexual manners. Studio: Vanguard Cinema Release Date: 03/25/2003 Run time: 90 minutes Rating: Nr

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life in Mexico, December 2, 2002

By 

Roger W. Davenport "neurologyroger" (Brooklyn, New York United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dona Herlinda and Her Son (DVD)

I lived in Guadalajara--in fact I came out in Guadalajara. Mexico oozes sexuality from its every pore and yet the sexual restrictions in the country are tremendous and probably contribute to the enormous amount of homosexuality that exists. A single man, especially a professional, will not succeed in Mexico unless he is married and that creates the enormous "bisexual" population which is really gay men married to "tapar el ojo al macho." It is foreign to the American experience; two men living together is still groundbreaking in Mexico. This movie captures every gay Mexican male's fantasy: a mother who not only accepts her son's gayness but moves the earth and a bit of heaven too so that her son can be properly married and have his lover at hand. It is sly and cunning and it is delicious. If you know Mexico you know how subversive this film was. And it continues to be. It is not a relic--homosexual habits change slowly in Mexico. And Dona Herlinda does not "ignore" her son making out with his lover in the garden when she brings them lemonade. He is doing exactly what she expects him to be doing and her blithe offer of lemonade as though they were reading books is bitingly hilarious. You do not have to live in Mexico to appreciate the almost black humor of this film which was made in the 80's when WE in the US were still watching Sly and Ahnuld collect sweat on their pecs. Imagine a land where homosexual behavior can be so repressed and then a film like this comes along and sticks its finger in society's eye. Spectacular in concept and execution.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good film - poor dvd, June 14, 2002

By 

W. Oliver (Alabama) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dona Herlinda and Her Son (DVD)

This strange and unconventional film is refreshing in its honesty. It is the story of a controlling mother who makes life happy for everyone by moving in her gay son's lover to live with them yet also arranging a heterosexual marriage for him so that she can have grandchildren! The refreshing aspect of the film is that the situations are presented naturally and without pretext. Even the gay sex scenes are playfully done (although not explicit), something you would rarely see in an American film. It is a funny and entertaining film, well acted and directed, and an interesting depiction of South American culture and home life.

Now for the bad news - the dvd is poorly presented. It's obvious that no digital enhancement was done. It resembles an old tv episode with dark shadows, bleeding colors and the picture is extremely soft. It is shown in full screen format (it was probably filmed that way, although I can't be sure). But worst of all, the sub-titles are atrocious! They appear only as the characters are speaking and, as the Spanish language is spoken fast, there are many instances when the text appears so ridiculously quick that you don't have time to read it!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A charming Mexican Romantic Comedy, June 15, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Dona Herlinda and Her Son (DVD)

Anyone who has any familarity with Mexican culture will immediately identify with this movie. The son who does his mother's bidding no matter what. The young woman who marries to escape the constrictions of the family. The closeted nature of gay life in Mexico. The mother who works to make sure her son is happy as well as presents the proper appearance in society. Someone from the United States might wonder what all the fuss is about. But the movie touches on the Mexican world view and gay people in a compassionate manner for the time. A good training manual for any gringo who decides to involve himself with a Mexican male.