Macario

Original post date: 29 May 1987
Rating: ✭✭✰✰

This is a 1960 black-and-white Mexican movie about a peasant named Macario, who gets fed up with his lot in life in colonial Mexico. (His lot in life is a bunch of screaming kids, who can’t seem to get enough to eat.) He goes on a hunger strike until he can get a whole turkey for himself. So his concerned wife steals a turkey from a rich family and cooks it for him so he can have it just for himself. So he goes off into the woods to indulge himself, probably for the first time in his life, with no kids or anybody else around. But then, who should show up wanting some? The Devil. But Macario says, bug off, Devil. And then who shows up? God. And God wants some. But Macario’s got huevos, and he says no to God too. Then Death shows up. (Whoops.) So Macario sees the writing on the wall and shares. In exchange, Death gives him some magic water that can cure anybody. This stuff makes Macario a wealthy man until the Inquisition gets wind of it. This is one of those great ironically humorous, magical stories that Latin America excels in. Based on a story by the mysterious B. Traven, who wrote Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

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