''The Doorman'' (Spanish: ''El portero''), also known as ''Puerta, joven'' (Spanish: ''Door, Young Man'' or ''The Door, Please''), is a 1950 Mexican comedy film directed by

Miguel M. Delgado Miguel Melitón Delgado Pardavé (17 May 1905 – 2 January 1994) was a Mexican film director and screenwriter best known for directing thirty-three of Cantinflas' films, under contract of Posa Films. He directed 139 films between 1941 and 19 ...

and starring

Cantinflas Mario Fortino Alfonso Moreno Reyes (12 August 1911 – 20 April 1993), known by the stage name Cantinflas (), was a Mexican comedian, actor, and filmmaker. He is considered to have been the most widely-accomplished Mexican comedian and is cele ...

and

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 ...

Plot

The ''portero'' or doorman of a humble neighborhood (Cantinflas) also writes letters to his neighbors for extra money. He falls in love with his beautiful neighbor, Rosita (Pinal), who cannot walk, while a young military man is also in love with the girl. The doorman wants his neighbor to be happy, so he writes letters to her, but signing as her military admirer. Meanwhile, the doorman has a plan for her to walk again, by earning money at the horse races to pay for her operation.

Cast

as El portero *

as Rosa María ("Rosita") *

Carlos Martínez Baena Carlos Martínez Baena (7 May 1889 – 29 May 1971) was a Spanish-Mexican actor. At a young age he moved to Mexico with his family where he became a journalist. He appeared in more than seventy films from 1931 to 1970. Selected filmography Re ...

as Don Sebastián, el profe *

Óscar Pulido Óscar Pulido (1906–1974) was a Mexican actor who acted in over 100 Mexican films. Selected filmography *''The Unknown Policeman'' (1941) * ''A Day with the Devil'' (1945) * ''Rough But Respectable'' (1949) * '' Autumn and Spring'' (1949) * ' ...

as Elpidio *Josefina del Mar as La vecina bailarina * Fernando Casanova as Raúl *

José Baviera José Baviera (17 August 1906 – 13 August 1981) was a Spanish film actor. He appeared in more than 190 films and television shows between 1924 and 1979. He starred in Luis Buñuel's 1962 film ''The Exterminating Angel''. Selected filmogra ...

as Dr. Perfecto Lozano *

Conchita Gentil Arcos Conchita Gentil Arcos (1897 – 23 December 1982) was a Mexican actress of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema as a character actress in supporting roles. She was the sister of María Gentil Arcos, also an actress in the Golden Age of Mexican cinema; ...

as Doña Cuca, vecina *

Pepe Martínez Pepe Martínez (José Martínez León, 8 September 1922 – 1984) was a Spanish flamenco guitarist born into a musical family, in the Seville quarter of Macarena, Seville, Macarena. His mother, Isabel, was famous for her singing of religiousl ...

as Profesor examinador * Pitouto as Don Fortino *Ricardo Adalid as Amigo de Raúl en fiesta (uncredited) *Luis Badillo as El turco (uncredited) *Stephen Berne as Masajista (uncredited) *

Victorio Blanco Victorio Blanco (1893–1977) was a Mexican film actor.Riera p.220 He enjoyed a lengthy and prolific career, appearing in around three hundred films. Selected filmography * ''Judas'' (1936) * '' The Midnight Ghost'' (1940) * ''Simón Bolívar'' ( ...

as Hombre en velorio (uncredited) *Carmen Cabrera as Miembra del patronato (uncredited) *Jaime Calpe as Estudiante inteligente (uncredited) *Rodolfo Calvo as Hombre en velorio (uncredited) *Flora Alicia Campos as Clienta sirvienta del portero (uncredited) *

Lupe Carriles María Guadalupe Carriles, known as Lupe Carriles, (25 December 1913 – 6 February 1964) was a Mexican character actress. Career One of her many memorable roles is as "La Trompeta" in ''La cucaracha'' (1959), starring María Félix. Although she ...

as Vecina chismosa (uncredited) *Enrique Carrillo as El tarzán, vecino pachuco (uncredited) *Mario Castillo as Felipe León Bravo, el diputado (uncredited) *Jorge Chesterking as John, amigo de Perfecto (uncredited) *Felipe de Flores as Amigo de Raúl en fiesta (uncredited) *

Lupe del Castillo Lupe del Castillo was a Mexican actress who appeared during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema in supporting roles, usually as a maid or an elderly woman. Her films include '' Peach Blossom'' (1945), ''Rosenda'' (1948), and ''Comisario en turno'' (1 ...

as Vecina (uncredited) *Edmundo Espino as Esposo de Guadalupe (uncredited) *

María Gentil Arcos María Gentil Arcos (11 April 1905 – 18 July 1965) was a Spanish-Mexican actress of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema as a character actress in supporting roles. She was the sister of Conchita Gentil Arcos, also an actress in the Golden Age ...

as Vecina chismosa (uncredited) *Elodia Hernández as Doña Guadalupe (uncredited) *Regino Herrera as Vecino (uncredited) *Rafael Icardo as Secretario (uncredited) *Jaime Jiménez Pons as Estudiante (uncredited) *Paco Martínez as Miembro del patronato (uncredited) *José Luis Moreno as Estudiante (uncredited) *José Pardavé as Lechero (uncredited) *Ismael Pérez as Estudiante (uncredited) *Jorge Pérez as Estudiante (uncredited) *

Salvador Quiroz Salvador Quiroz (1892–1956) was a Mexican film actor.Kohner, p. 355 Selected filmography * ''Michael Strogoff'' (1944) * ''Summer Hotel'' (1944) * ''My Memories of Mexico'' (1944) * '' The Black Ace'' (1944) *'' The Disobedient Son'' (1945) * ...

as Empleado de carrera de caballos (uncredited) *Humberto Rodríguez as Empleado de secretaría (uncredited) *Félix Samper as Miembro del patronato barbudo (uncredited) *María Valdealde as Miembra del patronato (uncredited)

Themes and analysis

John Mraz noted that the film was one of two in which Cantinflas made "disparaging, if humorous remarks" about the ''

pachuco Pachucos are male members of a counterculture associated with zoot suit fashion, jazz and swing music, a distinct dialect known as '' caló'', and self-empowerment in rejecting assimilation into Anglo-American society that emerged in El Paso ...

'' style popularized by fellow comedian

Germán Valdés Germán Genaro Cipriano Gómez Valdés y Castillo (19 September 1915 – 29 June 1973), known professionally as Tin-Tan, was a Mexican actor, singer and comedian who was born in Mexico City but was raised and began his career in Ciudad Juarez, ...

("Tin-Tan"), the other being ''

If I Were a Congressman ''If I Were a Congressman'' (Spanish: ''Si yo fuera diputado'') is a 1952 Mexican comedy film directed by Miguel M. Delgado and starring Cantinflas, Gloria Mange and Andrés Soler.Zolov p.95 The film's art direction was by Gunther Gerszo. Plot ...

''. Neufeld, Matthews and Beezley cite the film as an example of comedians imitating and making fun of the same themes, such as macho characters drowning their sorrows in ''

ranchera Ranchera () or canción ranchera is a genre of traditional music of Mexico. It dates to before the years of the Mexican Revolution. Rancheras today are played in virtually all regional Mexican music styles. Drawing on rural traditional folk music ...

'' films.

References

Bibliography

* * * *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Doorman, The 1950 films 1950 comedy films Mexican comedy films Films directed by Miguel M. Delgado Mexican black-and-white films 1950s Mexican films 1950s Spanish-language films