'' Divinas palabras '' (

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

: ''Divine Words'') is a

1987 File:1987 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The MS Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes after leaving the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, killing 193; Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, k ...

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

directed by

José Luis García Sánchez José Luis García Sánchez (born 22 September 1941) is a Spanish film director, screenwriter and producer. He has directed 30 films since 1968. He wrote for the 1973 film ''Habla, mudita'', which was entered into the 23rd Berlin International ...

. It stars

Ana Belén María del Pilar Cuesta Acosta (born 27 May 1951, Madrid), known professionally as Ana Belén, is a Spanish actress and singer. Life/career Born in 1951, Ana Belén is the oldest of three children. Her father was a cook in Hotel Palace, and ...

Francisco Rabal Francisco Rabal Valera (8 March 1926 – 29 August 2001), better known as Paco Rabal, was a Spanish actor, director, and screenwriter born in Águilas, a town in the south-western part of the province of Murcia, Spain. Throughout his career, Raba ...

and

Imanol Arias Manuel María Arias Domínguez (born 26 April 1956 in Riaño, León, Spain) better known as Imanol Arias, is a Spanish actor and film director. Career Imanol Arias began his career with a travelling theatre group performing in the Basque C ...

. The film is based upon the play by

Ramón del Valle-Inclán Ramón María del Valle-Inclán y de la Peña (in Vilanova de Arousa, Galicia, Spain, 28 October 1866 – Santiago de Compostela, 5 January 1936) was a Spanish dramatist, novelist and member of the Spanish Generation of 98. He is considered pe ...

. A Mexican adaptation was released in 1977 starring the Mexican actress

Silvia Pinal Silvia Pinal Hidalgo (born 12 September 1931) is a Mexican actress. She began her career in the theater, venturing into cinema in 1949. Her film work and popularity in her native country led her to work in Europe (Spain and Italy). Pinal achiev ...

and directed by

Juan Ibáñez Juan Ibáñez (April 20, 1938 – September 12, 2000) was a Mexican actor, film director, producer and writer. He was born in Guanajuato, Guanajuato and died in Mexico City. Works *''Un alma pura'', (1965) writer, director *'' Los caifanes'' (a. ...

Plot

The setting of the film is the province of Galicia, circa, 1920, in the impoverished village of San Clemente. Since the Village has no priest, ecclesiastic authority falls to Pedro Gailo, the sacristan, who has a young beautiful wife Mari Gaila. Greedy for any money that comes their way and eager to leave San Clemente and her husband, Mari cares for a hydrocephalus-stricken child and uses him to beg for alms. The child becomes the source of their wealth. Comfortable in the joint guardianship of the child with her sister-in-law Marica, Mari Gaila, encouraged by another beggar woman nicknamed “la Tatula’, decides to go to various fairs and festivals and there puts the hydrocephalus dwarf on display, in order to wheedle funds from good-natured, pitying, sympathetic people. Her husband, Pedro, the sacristan, is afraid that Mari’s activities will ruin his reputation, but his love of money overcomes his fear and pride. Maria Galia sets out for the nearest city, confronting a world she never knew existed, full of music, cattle trading fairs and picturesque people. She becomes the object of desire of other nomad beggars like herself, especially shrewd tricksters like Septimio Miau. Drawn sexually to this handsome outlaw, after a mild flirtation with him she leaves for home, loaded with money. The townspeople begin to gossip about her sudden wealth and freedom to leave the village at will. Mari Gaila meets up with Septimo again, teams up with him, using the hydrocephalus child as a freak exhibit, and decides to run off with him. While they are making love, the locals ply the hydrocephalus child with liquor at the local tavern, causing his death. Septimo deserts Mari Gaila, who becomes ill and returns to the sacristan, empty handed. But Pedro Gailo uses his nephew’s corpse, showing off his gigantic member to families in other villages to make money. Later, Septimo returns and Rosa la Tatula acts as a go between. The lovers meet in a forest, consummate their affair and are caught by their jealous neighbors. Disgraced, desperate and poor, Mari Gaila is stripped nude, spat upon, mocked and stoned. The crowd ends its vengeance when Pedro, the sacristan, pronounces the “divine words" in Latin: “Let him who is free of sin cast the first stone”. These words in the midst of such squalor are ironic yet miraculous, causing the crowd to disperse and look into their own motives. They are downtrodden peasants caught in a claustrophobic world, scheming, dirty people with nowhere to go. After the crowd leaves, Pedro maintains a saintly pose, forgiving his adulterous wife. Mari Gaila seems too clean and noble to have groveled in this squalor and comes off seeming almost saintly herself.

Cast

– Mari Gaila *

– Pedro Gailo *

– Septimo Miau *

Esperanza Roy Esperanza Fuentes Roy (born 22 November 1935) is a Spanish actress. Career Roy began acting with revue shows before she debuted in film in 1962. Prior to acting, Roy had trained professionals as a dancer. In the 1970s, Roy would appear in seve ...

– Rosa, LaTatula *

Aurora Bautista Aurora Bautista Zúmel (15 October 1925 – 27 August 2012) was a Spanish film actress. Bautista was born in Valladolid, and died in Madrid, aged 86. Selected filmography *1948 '' Madness for Love'', by Juan de Orduña *1950 '' Pequeñece ...

- Marcia del reino *

Juan Echanove Juan Echanove Labanda (born 1 April 1961, in Madrid) is a Spanish actor. At Gijón International Film Festival in 2002, he received the Nacho Martínez Award. Selected filmography *''Manolete'' (Menno Meyjes, 2008) *'' Alatriste'' (Agustín D� ...

– Miguelin, el padrones

External links

*{{imdb title, 0092901 Spanish drama films 1987 films Films set in the 1920s Films directed by José Luis García Sánchez