The Golden Cockerel

"The Golden Cockerel" is a musical about cock fighting and it follows a poor man and his beloved cock as they win money, make his gambler partner richer and the gambler's girlfriend, inexplicably, long to be with the poor guy who never really gave her much evidence that he cared.

This is a tough film for an American to review, as cock fighting was outlawed in the entire US (except for Puerto Rico) long ago. It's just not a part of our culture and most folks here look upon cock fighting as brutal and wrong. Because of this, I was very surprised to see the American version of Netflix with "The Golden Cockerel" among its many DVDs. So, despite disliking the cockfighting industry, I decided to give it a try anyway, as I like foreign films of all sorts. Not surprisingly, I was a bit put off by the cockfighting in the film! But was it worth seeing otherwise? Yes and no. The cockfighting wasn't as bloody and nasty as it could have been but the story itself and the singing just never made a lot of sense to me. Why would a woman turned down a successful guy to chase after some poor dude with a cock? And, why would cock fighting result in so many songs? A truly strange film definitely not for all tastes.

Not to many cock-fighting movies around, this one is full of Mexican traditions. The story is good, the locations are fantastic. Are there more like this? This is truly a made in Mexico film without the european faces.

I found it very interesting. Lots of cultural information. The singing was fantastic. The clothing was very culturally relevant and informative. The status of the people in the rural areas was relevant. The story ends with all those involved returning to their former positions of social status and positions, a variant on the psychology of the Mexican dream as given by Juan Rulfo the famous Mexican author of this story. Although I don't agree with cockfighting it is part of the Latin American culture just like boxing is part of our American culture. I liked the singing of Lucha Villa she really belts it out. THe card shark portrayed by Soler is a great job.

El Gallo de Oro is one of those works where a part overshadows the whole, with discomforting consequences - perhaps in Mexico in 1964, viewers of a film where a poor man takes up cockfighting (of all noble lifestyles to pursue) could focus on the protagonist and his internal journey to find a good life and bury his newly-deceased mother properly. For today's audience, however, which likely consists mainly of Spanish language students and connoisseurs of 60's hispanic cinema, the plot nearly becomes overshadowed by the constant reminders of exactly why cockfighting is now illegal. I'm not an animal rights extremist, either - I don't think many people could watch two roosters go at it (squawking and poking each other's eyes out until one kills the other with the four-inch blade strapped to its claws) and see this as a Glorious Triumph for the Poor Peasant who Just Wants to do the Right Thing.

I'm sure that this film has value in a historical context, showing how life for some in Mexico used to be. The scenery and the clothing are true to form, and some insight is given on the "bets, booze & broads" lifestyle of 1960's rico-suaves. El Gallo also takes every opportunity possible to showcase historic Mexican music, through Lucha Villa's forced mezzo-soprano belting into song (after song after song...). But for the most part, El Gallo de Oro only serves to leave the viewer happy that it's over, and relieved that today's generations of roosters can greet the dawn in peace.