Product Details

• Actors: Dolores del Rio, Pedro Armendáriz, Víctor Junco, Paco Fuentes, Arturo Soto Rangel
• Directors: Emilio Fernández
• Writers: Emilio Fernández, Mauricio Magdaleno
• Producers: Felipe Subervielle
• Format: Black & White, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: Spanish
• 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: Lions Gate
• DVD Release Date: April 29, 2008
• Run Time: 208 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• ASIN: B0013XZ6PM
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #53,555 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Nuestro Cine Clasico: Las Abandonadas/Bugambilia" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

LAS ABANDONADAS/BUGAMBILIA - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Golden Years of the Mexican Silver Screen, October 6, 2009

By 

Chuck Snow (PA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Nuestro Cine Clasico: Las Abandonadas/Bugambilia (DVD)

These two classics for the price of one are a bargain indeed. They represent the Mexican Film industry during its peak years in the 1940's. Unfortunately, there are no English subtitles or Extras. 'Las Abandonadas' is a period piece set in the early part of the 20th century. It is the rather melodramatic telling of a young woman who is seduced and duped. She has an illegitimate child (a no-no in those days) and moves to the city. There she becomes quite the elegant courtesan (at a bordello that looks like the Presidential Palace of a small European republic!). A general for the rebels catches her attention and she becomes his mistress. I will not give away the subsequent series of tragic events or plot twists (reminiscent of Madame X). Needless to say, this being a vehicle for screen legend Dolores Del Rio, the whole affair is quite over the top, but sumptuously served. Del Rio's performance holds the whole thing together; the lady goes from A to Z and back. Her performance is absolutely mesmerizing going from naive young lass, to elegant prostitute, to crazy lowlife, to pathetic old woman. Leading man Pedro Armendariz is stuck with the thankless role of a fraudulent oportunist, but acquits himself with his usual class act.

The second Feature, 'Buganbilia,' another period piece, presents a Mexican version of Scarlett O'Hara: a spoiled young heiress, her papa's pampered daughter falls for a lower echelon rancher (Pedro Armendariz) causing her father's ire. I will not go any further so as not to spoil the fun. Needless to say, such a vain peacock ends up paying for her frivolity. Again, this a a sumptuous presentation of doomed lovers fighting the adverse odds with gorgeous photography and top notch production values. Though rather mature for her role, Del Rio is served well by her director and her cameraman, if only the scripts had avoided the usual spate of clichés. These films are perfect examples of escapist cinema at its very best with a very rooted sense of national pride and tradition. There will never be the likes of these epics again. Their equivalent would be the British Gainsborough epics of the 40's starring Margaret Lockwood and Stewart Granger. Lions Gate should be commended for committing these two Del Rio opuses to pristine DVD's. You will not be sorry to add this one to your collection.