A decent melodrama about a ¨matador¨ touched by glory and who managed to become one of the most famous representatives of the international bullfighting . Self-biographical film about the Spanish matador Miguel Báez "el Litri", a descendant of two generations of bullfighters : his daddy , Viejo 'Litri' (Roberto Rey) , his elder brother (José Rubio) before he died at the age of twenty-two from a bull goring infected by gangrene . That is why his dad begged everyone, particularly the kid's mummy (María de los Ángeles Hortelano) , to keep him away from the ring . It concerns his life story from chilhood , youthful , to an old man . At the beginning , he escaped from school and religious teachers (the great José Isbert) to practice in Capeas as a Maletilla , that is why he wanted to be a great matador . As thanks to an old bullfighting expert , Pepe Aguayo (Ismael Merlo) , starts his career in art of Toreo and finally he gets his dream : to be a successful bullfighter . Along the way , Litri falls in love for a good girl Carmela (Pilar Cansino) , but also for a bad girl , a femme fatale , a known actress called Katia (Katia Loritz) . At the same time it deals with Spanish-style bullfighting , it is called Corrida De Toros (literally "running of bulls") or la fiesta ("the festival"). As Litri is a simple but honest young who finds patronage to become a great Torero -bullfighter- thanks to an ¨Apoderado¨ , as he gets to be famous , getting fame and fortune all around the world . His competition and subsequent frienship with another great Torero , Manolete , who a bit later on , to die by a ¨cogida¨ in Jaén .It is very well set , giving an adequate period piece and it depicts faiithfully Spain of the 40s , 50s and 60s , adding NODO images .
This is a Spanish lavish production , a bullfighting drama about a notorious Torero , Miguel Báez 'Litri' , who knew, from an early age, that his destiny was to succeed in the art of bullfighting , by the way being really helped by his trainer as well as apoderado and narrating his raise , in which he will learn to overcome difficulties and penury . it delivers a nice description about El Litri more as a sensitive man who wishes go on family tradition than as an ordinary person to get wealthy and concerning this peculiar culture : the spectacular Bullfighting in Spain . Regarding its mythology , and glimmer spectacle , all around the old traditions of the bullfighter , in which Toreros are extremely submitted to nerves during the slaughter. The film has great interest for fans of bullfighting because being a summary of the typical and well built screenplay upon a bullfighter who emerges from anonymity, seeking his opportunity, in ¨Capeas¨ and including rushing for spontaneous , this is a person who illegally jumps into the ring to fight the bull . This film belongs to bullfighting sub-genre , it was very popular in the 40s , 50s and 60s ,whose main big hit was ¨Currito De La Cruz¨ silent version (1925) that determined the successive renditions , as ¨Currito De La Cruz¨(1965) by Rafael Gil who directed three films about bullfighting , and other movies as ¨Chantaje a un torero¨, ¨Aprendiendo a morir¨ , ¨El Litri y su sombra¨, ¨El momento de la verdad¨ by Francesco Rossi , , ¨Belmonte¨ by Bollain , with appearance of notorious Toreros : Miguel Mateo 'Miguelín' , Pedro Basauri 'Pedrucho' , Luis Miguel Dominguín , Manolete , El Litri , Manuel Benitez el Cordobes , Sebastian Palomo Linares , and Angel Teruel , and several others. This is a colorful recounting thanks to the solid direction by Rafael Gil , adding melodrama , and a youthful romance . The film gives a real description about ¨Bullfighting¨ art , as the bull is released into the ring, where he is tested for ferocity by the matador and Banderilleros with the magenta and gold Capote ("Cape"). The ancient Toreo art-form is described with unflinching and fetching realism , it is the story of bullfighters against brave beasts . This is the first stage, the Tercio de Varas ("the lancing third"). The matador confronts the bull with the Capote, performing a series of passes and observing the behavior and quirks of the bull . Next, a picador enters the arena on horseback armed with a Vara (lance). In the next stage, the Tercio De Banderillas ("the third of Banderillas"), each of the three Banderilleros attempts to plant two Banderillas, sharp barbed sticks, into the bull's shoulders . In the final stage, the "the third of death" , the matador re-enters the ring alone with a small red cape, or Muleta, and a sword .The picture gives a spectacular as well as bustly portrayal of the bullfighting party or Fiesta . It is described in semi-documentary style , including : Stockbreeding of brave bulls or ¨Reses Bravas¨ , corridas , Tientas and other bullfight related traditions are shown . Nice acting by El Litri , in spite of being newcomer and his only performance , as a honest bullfighter who finds patronage by a veteran trainer very well played by Ismael Merlo to become him a Torero -bullfighter- , in fact , Miguel Báez was a real ¨Matador¨ . They are well accompanied by a fine support cast , such as : Pepe Rubio, Jorge Vico , Roberto Rey , Rafael Bardem , Rufino Ingles , Antonio Jiménez Escribano , Manolo Morán , Erasmo Pascual , Licia Calderón, José Calvo , and , of course , the great José Isbert giving the best and most sympathetic acting , as usual , among others .
It contains an evocative and adequate musical score by Manuel Parada . As well as a colorful cinematography in Eastmancolor by the prestigious Michel Kelber , being shot on location in Huelva, and Sevilla Andalucia, Spain .The motion picture was professionally directed by Rafael Gil that was a Winner : Prize of the National Syndicate of Spectacle . Rafael Gil was one of the best filmmakers from Spanish cinema . He was a great director and writer, specially known for Teatro Apolo (1950), La calle sin sol (1948) and La guerra de Dios (1953). And directing several classic movies , such as : ¨Don Quijote De La Mancha¨ , ¨El Clavo¨ , ¨La Fe¨ , ¨La Señora De Fatima¨, ¨Aventuras De Juán Lucas¨, ¨La Reina Santa¨ , ¨Mare Nostrum¨, ¨La vida nueva de Pedrito de Andía¨ , ¨La reina de Chantecler¨, ¨Samba¨, ¨La casa de Troya¨, ¨El Litri y su sombra¨, ¨El Beso De Judas¨ , and several others. Rating : 7/10 . Essential and indispensable watching for bullfighting lovers .
