Os Ricos Também Choram

Back in 1985, my wife and I were living in Mexico City. Most evening TV consisted of Spanish translations of US shows, but somehow we started watching Los ricos tambien lloran. It was replete with all the standard soap opera hooks: betrayal, pretend friends, evil schemers, and the lovely, innocent heroine.

But it was so much fun! I don't think we missed an episode the whole time we were there. The suspense was maintained without going over the top, and we couldn't help but tune in and root for Veronica's character to get all that someone so good-hearted truly deserves. We'd scream at the TV when her naivete led her to trust the various no-goodniks who were out to take advantage of her, but we just hoped against hope that in the end, fate would deal comeuppance to all those who tried to sandbag her efforts to make a life for herself.

I've never watched more than a few minutes of any other soap opera, Spanish or English, but we thoroughly enjoyed this one.

I can't believe I am the first one to comment on this soap! This was the precursor to Maria La Del Barrio. The story was amazing, the acting was awesome, and Veronica Castro was at the top of her game.

The soap itself was broken into two halves: the first part dealt with the rags to riches story of Mariana Villareal (played superbly by Castro), and the second part dealt with her struggle to recover her long lost son. The overall message seemed to be: even if you were rich and had the world at your feet, you were not necessarily happy, and therefore "The Rich Cry Too", because money isn't everything.

I personally liked the first part better than the second part, but all in all, this was a superior work than all the others one sees on T.V. nowadays. Back then, in 1979/80, it ruled! I hope they will show it sometime again in the U.S.