Twilight

Two years after the film under review Arturo be Cordoba made 'Kneeling Goddess', playing a character for whom the spark of obsessive passion is ignited by a nude sculpture of a woman played by sultry Maria Felix. In 'Crepusculo' the nude sculpture is that of sultry Gloria Marin. Here one has the added complications of a teenage girl whose 'silent love' is longing to be awakened and a jealous husband who succumbs to 'mans instinct to kill' only to be thwarted by Mother Nature. This heady mixture is strengthened by the chiaroscuro cinematography of Alex Phillips and a lush score by Raul Lavista. This is really an excellent film noir in Hollywood mode with the bonus of a literate script and smouldering Latin 'heat' without the obligatory Hollywood happy ending. Director Julio Bracho has concentrated on 'character' and on those little looks that speak volumes. De Cordoba did a Hollywood stint of course but was always far too interesting to play the Latin Lover. He was far more effective on 'home turf' and his portrayal here as the 'tortured' surgeon would make his outstanding performance a few years later as a paranoid in 'El' for Bunuel a natural progression. The final scene of Gloria Marin and Lilia Michel at the waterfall is stupendous. A must for all lovers of film noir.