EL BRUTO
Mexico, 1953, 81 minutes, Black and white.
Pedro Amandariz, Katy Jurado, Rose Arenas.
Directed by Luis Bunuel.
El Bruto is a film by Luis Bunuel from his Mexican period in the early 50s. It was the period of such films as El, Wuthering Heights and Robinson Crusoe. The films did not have big budgets but Bunuel brought his talent to ordinary stories and gave them passion as well as insight into relationships and the nature of society. (Bunuel afterwards complained that the producers made him change his perspective on this film and he felt that it was just an ordinary melodrama.)
The film is interesting in its presentation of Mexican society in the early 50s (critics likening many aspects to Victorian England with its class distinctions, oppressions and the arrogance of the bourgeoisie). The film focuses on a rich man, his arrogant evicting of tenants so that he can pull down a property and build a luxury home. He has a younger passionate wife who becomes involved with El Bruto, the rich man's illegitimate son whom he has not allowed to inherit but who feels a debt to him. The Brute is involved in a greedy household who leech money from him. Persuaded to leave, he has to do the dirty work for the eviction of the tenants, especially physically attacking the ringleaders. El Bruto is a simple man, believes his father, is seduced by the young wife - but comes to learn the truth, is attached to the daughter of the man that he killed, is involved in a melodramatic expose of the truth which results in his killing his father, confronting the wife and eventually being killed himself. The irony is that the tenants will not have to leave because of the death of the patron.
Filmed in stark black and white photography, the film moves swiftly, is a mirror of an unfamiliar society - but is presented in a strong melodramatic way. Stars Pedro Amandariz and Katy Jurado appeared in a number of American films, Amandariz in many films by John Ford, Katy Jurado in this same year of El Bruto's production in High Noon.
1. The work of Luis Bunuel, his Mexican period, social observation, left-wing stances, passionate involvement?
2. Black and white photography, authentic atmosphere of a Mexican town, the heavy and melodramatic score?
3. The title, the focus on Pedro, his strength, social status? Expectations from the title?
4. The social background, the rich owner, his arrogance in evicting the tenants, using the police, specious reasons? H is reaction to the mob? His relationship with Pedro, the illegitimate son, not inheriting him, using him? Visiting the Brute’s household, disdaining them but giving them money? His own household, his pampered father, the young wife and her advice to use violence against the tenants?
5. The character of Andres, his age, background, relationship with the maid and father to the Brut, looking after his father, his relationship with his wife, her distance? Arrogance? The visiting of the Brut and the abattoir and discussion the plan with him, the use of violence, lack of scruple, his final anger with the Brut, believing his wife, the confrontation and his death?
6. Polona, the young wife, passionate, vanity in the mirror, snipping the flowers to give Andres the motivation to use violence? Attached to the Brut, passionate encounters with him, her treatment of Andres's father - and the drinking of the wine? Her jealousy, telling the young girl the truth, setting the police on the Brut, the final violence - and left alone?
7. The character of the Brute, his background, working at the abattoir, getting on well with everybody, his greedy household, his filial devotion to Andres, agreeing to move out of the house? Loyalty, confronting the tenant and punching him brutally, kicking him? The encounters with Polona? Working for his father, surveillance? The encounter with the young girl, the irony of his killing her father? Setting up the household, the tenderness, getting her the chicken, hopefully going to the movies? The promise of marriage? A transformation? Polona's visit, her jealousy, telling the truth, his going to confront Andres, the violence, killing him? Going to reconcile with his wife, helping those evicted, the brutality of his own death?
8. The young girl, the symbol of the oppressed, her father's death, the encounter with the Brute, loving him, pure, wanting a marriage? Setting up the household? The encounter with Palona, the truth and her being hurt, going back to the people, the Brute's attempt at reconciliation, his death? Confronting Palona?
9. The sketch of the old man, sick in bed, greedy, going to the cupboard, wanting his food? The symbol of the pampered previous generation?
10. The comparison with the Brute's household, the lazy mother in bed wanting her pills, pressure on her daughter, the crippled brother? Asking money from Andres? Continually begging - and perpetuating the class differences?
11. The portrait of society, arrogance and corruption, money and class, the preserving of traditional values? The possibilities of change - and the need for revolution?
