''The Mustard Grain'' ( es, El grano de mostaza, links=no) is a 1962 Spanish

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed and written by

José Luis Sáenz de Heredia José Luis Sáenz de Heredia (10 April 1911 – 4 November 1992) was a Spanish film director. He was born in Madrid. His film ''Ten Ready Rifles'' was entered into the 9th Berlin International Film Festival. Filmography * ''Patricio miró ...

. It stars

Manolo Gómez Bur Manolo Gómez Bur (21 April 1917 – 30 May 1991) was a Spanish actor of theatre and films. He appeared in over 90 films between 1943 and 1983. He was born in Madrid and he was soon an actor and he died in Andalucía, Spain. Selected filmogr ...

Rafael Alonso Rafael Alonso Ochoa (5 July 1920 – 24 October 1998) was a Spanish actor. He appeared in more than 120 films and television shows between 1951 and 1998. Selected filmography * ''Malibran's Song'' (1951) * ''Welcome Mr. Marshall!'' (1953) ...

, Amparo Soler Leal,

Gracita Morales María Gracia Morales Carvajal (11 November 1928 – 3 April 1995) better known as Gracita Morales was a classic Spanish film actress with a famous high-pitched voice. She was one of the most popular Spanish actresses of the 1960s and 1970s, i ...

and

José Bódalo José Bódalo Zúffoli (March 24, 1916 – July 24, 1985) was an Argentine born Spanish film actor. Biography Bódalo was born in Córdoba, Argentina, the son of Rome-born actress Eugenia Zúffoli and Spanish actor and singer José Bódalo, S ...

Plot

The storyline features a game of dominoes that results in an argument between Evelio and Horcajo and a challenge that could be deadly as lengths are taken to avoid that outcome over the course of 24 hours.

Cast

Production

The film is a Tarfe and AS production, and it was scored by Juan Quintero. Shooting locations included Madrid.

Release

The film premiered at the Madrid's on 30 August 1962.

Reception

Bernard P. E Bentley deemed the film to be "a showcase for its large cast". In the view of , it is one of the Spanish cinema's great jewels to be discovered. Joaquín de Luna considered the film to be a "little-known" instance of hispanic ''

costumbrismo ''Costumbrismo'' (sometimes anglicized as costumbrism, with the adjectival form costumbrist) is the literary or pictorial interpretation of local everyday life, mannerisms, and customs, primarily in the Hispanic scene, and particularly in the 19t ...

'' featuring the "refreshing" intervention of Gracita Morales. According to Jordi Batlle Caminal the film belongs to the "insubstantial" subset of films within Sáenz de Heredia's filmography. It won a film prize.

References

Bibliography

* Bentley, Bernard. ''A Companion to Spanish Cinema''. Boydell & Brewer 2008.

External links

*
Presentation of ''The Mustard Grain''
on

RTVE Play RTVE Play (often stylized as rtve play) is the over-the-top media service provided by the Spanish public broadcaster RTVE. It was launched in Spain on 22 June 2021, replacing the old catalogue 'RTVE a la carta', created in turn in 2008. History ...

1962 comedy films Spanish comedy films 1962 films 1960s Spanish-language films Films directed by José Luis Sáenz de Heredia Films scored by Juan Quintero Muñoz Films shot in Madrid 1960s Spanish films Spanish-language comedy films {{1960s-Spain-film-stub