Joselito lives at an Extremadura village with his grandfather (Anibal Vela) . Joselito help a rascal Sacristan (Mariano Azaña) , and the latter profits from him when the kid sings in Communions , Baptisms and weddings . There , then appears his exiled mother (Lina Canalejas) who escaped leaving her illegitimate child . The village priest (Mario Berriatua) hosts the mother at his home . Later on , the grandfather reconciles his daughter . But there appears her husband (Luis Induni) and problems emerge . Later on , Joselito is sent to Monastery of Guadalupe as a singer boy .
This is a sensitive story proceeded in simplicity and delicacy by Antonio Del Amo . In fact , Joselito was introduced to the movie business in 1956 by this filmmaker , who directed him in this first feature, El Pequeño Ruiseñor (1957) ("The Little Nightingale"), where he earned his famous nickname . He was widely known in Spain when he became a widely successful child star , following to ¨El Ruiseñor De Las Cumbres¨ , ¨Saeta Del Ruiseñor¨ and ¨El Pequeño Coronel¨. The main role "Joselito" is played by the same in a phenomenal manner , can be said that he is perfectly adequate to his measure . He was a milestone in Spanish "child prodigies" under Franco along with Marisol , Pili and Mili and especially Pablito Calvo who starred the hits ¨The Bait¨ , ¨Mi Tio Jacinto¨ and ¨Marcelino Bread and Wine¨ . And the producers trying to keep them as little kids for as long as possible . Due to false advertising by the studios that made their movies, and which wanted to make him appear younger than they really were , an obsession that haunted them through the whole of their careers .
¨El Pequeño Ruiseñor¨ is a joyful as well as sad Spanish musical/weeper/drama movie , professionally realized in Neorealism style . This an enjoyable and feeling movie full of mirth , drama , humor touches and agreeable message . At the same time the film gives us an ample panorama about village life , its pity and goodness ; furthermore, showing the villagers , men at work , priests , weddings , parties and various situations happen in a small town . The scenarios in which develops the deeds are perfectly designed . Musical score responds appropriately to the ambient , originating a careful atmosphere . Evocative and luminous cinematography by Cesar Fraile , though a perfect remastering is necessary . There appears notorious secondary actors , such as Mariano Azaña , Mario Berriatúa , Luis Induni ,Jose Prada , all of them acting to perfection .
Of course , Joselito steals the show as the singer boy . Spanish film studios were looking for a new child star to follow the steps of Pablito Calvo, and make popular and populist folkloric movies and they found Joselito . After the international success of El Pequeño Ruiseñor , and following successful films such as ¨La Saeta Del Ruiseñor¨ , ¨Bello Recuerdo¨ , ¨Los Dos Golfillos¨, which were big box-office hits in Spain during Franco's dictatorship he became Spain's most famous child actor , outstanding his highly expressive face and eyes , enormous eyes and innocent, angelical face . In his films he often sings Flamenco Cante , Saetas , Soleadas and other Folkloric songs . After several movies and records, and already a big star as a singer and an actor in Europe, the next move was trying to triumph in America, so Joselito went to Mexico where he filmed various projects, starting by ¨El Caballo Blanco¨ , ¨Aventuras de Joselito en América¨ (1960), which paired him with Mexican child star 'Cesáreo Quezadas Pulgarcito to grant local box-office . His success even reached around the world , in fact he was discovered as a singer by Luis Mariano, who got him to perform in France, pretending he was 9 at the moment of his debut, when he actually was 13 . However, life was not too glamorous for Joselito, as he was treated almost as a sideshow act by his managers, not allowing him to become an ordinary teenager , and even locking him in his room between rehearsals so he couldn't meet girls . He was forced to keep his childlike image up to 1969 (when he was in his mid-twenties) in ¨Loca Juventud¨ , ¨Falso Heredero¨ and when he appeared in his last film , ¨Prisionero En La Ciudad¨ (1969). But, as his voice had long broken, he was not successful anymore . Retired from acting at early age to become a drifter , even working as a mercenary . Disappearing from public life until it was discovered much later that he had become a heroin addict and even worked as a mercenary in Africa . An attempt of a comeback as an adult proved unsuccessful, as the tastes of the audience had changed, and his voice didn't resemble the one he had as a kid, so Joselito definitely retired from show business to his home in Utiel (Valencia), where he, now clean and sober, lives a quiet life far from movie and recording studios. Nowadays , he has reappeared doing brief TV interventions and cinema such as ¨Torrente¨ and ¨Spanish movie¨ .
The filmmaker Antonio Del Amo succeeds in this picture , obtaining a great achievement , managing perfectly to the performers and taking advantage of them , giving the best of his acting . The picture touched the hearts of numerous Spanish spectators by the time . Rating : Acceptable and passable for its worthwhile mingle of drama , music , comedy , sentimentalism and good feeling .
