''Pueblo chico, infierno grande'' (English: ''Small town, big hell'') is a Mexican historical

telenovela A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television") and ''novela'' (meaning "novel"). Similar Drama (film and television), drama genres around the w ...

set in the Pre-

Mexican Revolution The Mexican Revolution () was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from 20 November 1910 to 1 December 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It saw the destruction of the Federal Army, its ...

period, produced by

José Alberto Castro José Alberto Castro (born José Alberto Sáinz Castro, 31 May 1963) is a Mexican producer and director. Biography He is the brother of actresses Verónica Castro, Beatriz Castro, telenovela producer Fausto Gerardo Sáinz, and the uncle of Mex ...

for

Televisa Grupo Televisa, S.A.B., simply known as Televisa, is a Mexican telecommunications and broadcasting company. A major Latin American mass media corporation, it often presents itself as the largest producer of Spanish-language content. In April ...

in 1997. From Monday, January 6, 1997 until Friday, August 1, 1997, Canal de las Estrellas broadcast it weekdays at 10:00pm, replacing ''Te sigo amando'' and replaced by ''Salud, dinero y amor''. Televisa released an abridged DVD version of the novela in several countries. It also aired on

Univisión Univision () is an American Spanish-language terrestrial television, free-to-air television network owned by TelevisaUnivision. It is the United States' largest provider of Spanish-language content. The network's programming is aimed at the L ...

in the United States. Starring

Verónica Castro Verónica Judith Sáinz Castro (; born 19 October 1952) is a Mexican actress, singer, producer, former model and presenter. She started her career as a television actress, where she met comedian Manuel Valdés, father of her son Cristian Cast ...

, Guillermo Capetillo,

Alma Delfina Alma Delfina (née Martínez Ortega) is a Mexican actress. Acting career She started her career in 1974 in the telenovela '' Mundo de juguete''. In the 1970s she was active principally on movies. In the 1980s acted in soap operas like ''Guadal ...

and Juan Soler.

Background

''Pueblo chico, infierno grande'' is a colloquial expression in Spanish, translated as "small town, big hell". It is also the title of a 1926 Chilean movie directed by Nicanor de la Sotta, starring Ernestina Estay, Evaristo Lillo and Plácido Martín It is also a 1941 Argentinian movie by

Orestes Caviglia Orestes Caviglia (; November 9, 1893 in Buenos Aires – April 1, 1971 in Tucumán) was an Argentine film actor and film director of the Golden Age of Argentine cinema. He appeared in films such as '' La cabalgata del circo'' 1945 and '' Albe ...

, written by Henri Martinent and Eduardo Pappo, shot in Argentina with cinematography by Roque Funes, starring Arturo Bamio, Lucía Barause and Nélida Bilbao with music by Alejandro Gutiérrez del Barrio.Pueblo chico, infierno grande
by Orestes Caviglia, IMDb.com, Inc., n.d. retrieved 27 June 2017

Plot

''Pueblo chico, infierno grande'' takes place in Nahuatzen, a small town in the Sierra Purépecha in

Michoacán Michoacán, formally Michoacán de Ocampo, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Michoacán de Ocampo, is one of the 31 states which, together with Mexico City, compose the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The stat ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

, in early 1900. The young girl Leonarda Ruán (

Aracely Arámbula Aracely Arámbula Jáquez (; born March 6, 1975), known professionally as Aracely Arámbula, is a Mexican actress, model, singer, television personality and entrepreneur. Life and career Early life Aracely Arambula Jáquez was born in Chihu ...

), is the youngest daughter of the venerable Don Prisciliano Ruan (

Enrique Rocha Enrique Rocha (January 5, 1940 – November 7, 2021) was a Mexican actor. He made his debut in the film industry in the film Guadalajara en Verano directed by Julio Bracho in the last decade of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. Filmography ...

). The day of the feast of the town's patron saint, Saint Louis of France, Leonarda discovers her feelings for Hermilo Jaimes (

Kuno Becker Eduardo Kuno Becker Paz (born January 14, 1978) professionally known as Kuno Becker, is a Mexican actor and film director who has worked in telenovelas, Mexican and American cinema. He is best known for his portrayal of Ruben Berrizabal in ''So ...

), a poor boy who works in a grocery store. But that afternoon, the old Don Rosendo Equigua (

Jorge Russek Jorge Antonio Russek Martínez (4 January 1932 – 30 July 1998) was a Mexican actor, whose career in film and television spanned over 40 years. A native of Guaymas, Sonora, he became one of the most prominent actors in Mexican cinema and appeare ...

) the richest man in Nahuatzen, sets his eyes on the girl. Don Prisciliano disapproves of the love between Leonarda and Hermilo, and yields the girl's hand to Rosendo. That same afternoon, a girl named Magdalena Beltran (Evangelina Sosa), falls for a young man nicknamed "El Batan" ( Jose Maria Yazpik). Her mother, Inmaculada ( Socorro Bonilla), is surprised that she feels lust for "El Batan". Leonarda is forced to marry Rosendo. Hermilo leaves town, but swears he will be very powerful one day and return for her. Meanwhile, Magdalena discovers her mother in bed with "El Batan". She wanders the streets and falls into perdition in the whorehouse from "La Tapanca" (

Lilia Aragón Lilia Aragón (born Lilia Isabel Aragón del Rivero, 22 September 1938 – 2 August 2021) was a Mexican film, television, and stage actress and politician. She was the Secretary of the National Association of Actors. She also served as Deputy ...

). A few months after his marriage with Leonarda, Rosendo dies. At 16 years, Leonarda is a widow and Nahuatzen's richest woman, but she vows to wait for Hermilo.... 20 years go by, and Leonarda (

), returns from a long trip through Europe. On her return, while hanging around her properties she meets a handsome 20 year old young man named Genaro ( Juan Soler). Genaro and Leonarda feel a strong attraction for each other, and Leonarda lets him work on her farm. Throughout the town, women feel fascination for Genaro's striking resemblance with St. Louis. Some of the girls are Indalecia ( Mónika Sánchez), an evil Indian, Leonarda's servant and Braulia Felicitas ( Karyme Lozano), a rich girl from the region. But Genaro only has eyes for Leonarda, and both end up confessing their love. The whole town is shocked by their relationship. Genaro is 16 years younger than Leonarda and could be her son. Meanwhile, Magdalena (

) now calls herself "La Beltraneja" and leads the whorehouse of "La Tapanca". Beltraneja and La tapanca has a faithful servant, "Odilón" (Hernán Del Riego)One night when Genaro and Leonarda argue, he visits the home of La Beltraneja, and drunk, asks her to marry him, sparking an obsession in the woman. The evil Sheriff of Nahuatzen, Consejo Serratos (Salvador Sánchez), loves Leonarda and despises Genaro. The situation is further complicated when Hermilo Jaimes ( Guillermo Capetillo) returning, now a rich gentleman. Leonarda reluctantly confesses Hermilo her new feelings. He decides to wait. Leonarda refuses to marry Genaro, because she is sterile and can never bear children. The Puritan Leonarda's sisters, Cleotilde (Anna Silvetti), Eloísa ( Olivia Bucio) and Jovita ( Silvia Manríquez), are the main judges. Characters like the Father Arceo (Luis Gimeno), the healer Martina "La Perra" (

Patricia Reyes Spíndola Patricia Verónica Núñez Reyes Spíndola (born 11 July 1953) is a Mexican actress, director, and producer. She has received four Ariel Awards, two for Best Actress ('' Los Motivos de Luz'' in 1985 and '' The Queen of the Night'' in 1994), an ...

) the Nanny Maclovia (Angelina Peláez), Don Arcadio (

José Carlos Ruiz José Carlos Ruiz (born 17 November 1936) is a Mexican film and television actor. He starred in telenovelas such as '' María Isabel'', '' Soñadoras'', '' Mariana de la noche'', '' Sortilegio'', '' Soy tu dueña'', '' Un refugio para el amor' ...

) and Miss Gildarda (Beatriz Cecilia) are allies. When La Beltraneja finds out above the love between Genaro and Leonarda, she becomes very jealous. Braulia and Indalecia are also in love with Genaro. Leonarda has to endure the calumnies of the people and fight for her love for Genaro. Aside from the main story, there are stories of other villagers like the sisters Porfiria and Rutila Cumbios ( Rosa Maria Bianchi and Ana Bertha Espín), Miss Gildard Zavala and her mother Mrs. Hipolita (

Alicia Montoya Alicia Montoya (January 25, 1920 – August 17, 2002) was a Mexican actress, the daughter of the stage actress . Selected filmography * ''Talpa (film), Talpa'' (1956) * ''El duende y yo'' (1959) * ''Mujeres de Fuego'' (1959) * ''Quinceañera'' ( ...

), Leonarda's sisters, and Leonarda's nephews, Priscilla ( Ana de la Reguera) and Baldo (Germán Gutiérrez), who are in love despite being first cousins, so a ''Little town'', becomes a ''Big hell''...

Cast

as Leonarda Ruán * Guillermo Capetillo as Hermilo Jaimez *

as Magdalena * Juan Soler as Genaro Onchi * Luis Gimeno as Padre Arceo * Jorge Martínez de Hoyos as Chucho Ríos *

as Doña Hipólita *

as Arcadio * Salvador Sánchez as Consejo Serratos *

as La Tapanca *

as Martina * Anna Silvetti as Cleotilde * Rosa María Bianchi as Porfiria Cumbios * Olivia Bucio as Eloísa * Angelina Peláez as Maclovia * Ana Bertha Espín as Rutilia Cumbios * Evangelina Martínez as Saturnina * Monserrat Ontiveros as Melitona *

Luis Xavier Luis is a given name. It is the Spanish form of the originally Germanic name or . Other Iberian Romance languages have comparable forms: (with an accent mark on the i) in Portuguese and Galician, in Aragonese and Catalan, while is archaic ...

as Antonio Serna * Óscar Traven as Gumaro * Mónika Sánchez as Indalecia * Karyme Lozano as Braulia *

Orlando Miguel Orlando Miguel Rojas González (born July 18, 1969, in Havana, Cuba) is a Cuban- Mexican actor. He made his small-screen debut as the character Osvaldo Larrea in '' Lazos de Amor'', alongside Lucero. Filmography * '' Where Birds Go To Die'' (202 ...

as Palemón Morales *

Juan Ignacio Aranda Juan Ignacio Aranda (born Juan Ignacio López Aranda on February 6, 1962, in Mexico City, Mexico) is a Mexicans, Mexican actor. He began his training in 1978 in Centro de Arte Dramático (CADAC), also studied in The Cockpit Arts Workshop and in ...

as Baldomero * Germán Gutiérrez as Baldomero's son * Beatriz Cecilia as Gildarda Zavala * Theo Tapia as Estanislao Allende * Adalberto Parra as Guadalupe Tiburcio * Silvia Manríquez as Jovita * Lourdes Deschamps as Cayetana * José Maria Yazpik as Batán * Hernán Del Riego as Odilón * Alejandro Tomassi as Malfavón Heredia *

as Young Leonarda Ruán *

as Ruán *

as Don Rosendo Equigua *

Joana Brito Joana Brito Vitelli, known professionally as Joana Brito, (25 April 1947 – 27 June 2023) was a Mexican actress whose professional career spanned more than fifty years. She was known for a long career at Televisa, starring in the company's telen ...

as Vititos * Evangelina Sosa as Young Magdalena *

Arcelia Ramírez Arcelia Ramírez (born 7 December 1967) is a Mexican actress. She has appeared in more than 50 films and television shows since 1985. She starred in the film '' Such Is Life'', which was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2000 Can ...

as Ignacia Rentería * Aarón Hernán as Felipe Tovar * Socorro Bonilla as Inmaculada * Martha Aura as Mercedes * Manuel Guízar as Eduardo Rentería *

Mario Iván Martínez Mario Iván Martínez (born Mario Iván Martínez Morales on February 17, 1962) is a Mexican actor. Filmography Awards and nominations References External links * Mario Iván Martínez Official Website 1962 births Mario Living peopl ...

as Señor Onchi * Fernando Torre Laphame as Señor Obispo * Susana Zabaleta as Medarda Zavala * José María Yazpik as Young Batán *

Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez (born November 2, 1958) is a Mexican actress whose breakout role was the 1983 film '' El Norte.''IMDb
film data ...

as Olinca * Víctor González as Young Gumaro Amezcua * Ana de la Reguera as Priscila *

Adriana Fonseca Adriana Fonseca (; born Adriana Fonseca Castellanos March 16, 1979) is a Mexican actress and dancer. She is best known for her roles in Televisa's telenovelas like '' La usurpadora'' as Veronica Soriano (1998), '' Rosalinda'' as Lucy Pérez Rome ...

as Jovita *

Marisol del Olmo Marisol is a Spanish language, Spanish name. It is a shortened form of ''María de la Soledad'' (literally "Mary of the solitude"), a title given to the Virgin Mary, corresponding to English "Our Lady of Solitude". Coincidentally, Marisol sounds ...

as Leocadia *

as Young Hermilio Jaimez * Adriana Lavat as Dora Luz * Alec Von Bargen as Malfavón

Awards and nominations

Commentary

*Inspired by the true story of Leonarda Ruán, aunt of the writer Javier Ruán. *The role of "La Beltraneja" was originally for

Lucía Méndez Lucía Leticia Méndez Pérez (born January 26, 1955) is a Mexican telenovela and film actress, top model and singer. Méndez was born in León, Guanajuato, Mexico. Career Her first work in television was in the telenovela “Muchacha itali ...

, but she moved to

TV Azteca Televisión Azteca, S.A.B. de C.V., commonly known as TV Azteca, is a Mexican multimedia conglomerate owned by Grupo Salinas. It is the second-largest mass media company in Mexico after Televisa. It primarily competes with Televisa as well as so ...

. *This was Verónica Castro´s last lead role of in a telenovela.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pueblo chico, infierno grande 1997 telenovelas 1997 Mexican television series debuts 1997 Mexican television series endings Spanish-language telenovelas Television shows set in Veracruz Televisa telenovelas