''Skeleton of Mrs. Morales'' (Spanish: ''El Esqueleto de la señora Morales'') is a

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Ja ...

Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...

black

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending ( black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the o ...

based on

Arthur Machen Arthur Machen (; 3 March 1863 – 15 December 1947) was the pen-name of Arthur Llewellyn Jones, a Welsh author and mystic of the 1890s and early 20th century. He is best known for his influential supernatural, fantasy, and horror fiction. His ...

’s 1927 short story "The Islington Mystery". It is regarded by critics as one of the hundred best Mexican films of all time.

Plot

Pablo Morales (

Arturo de Córdova Arturo García Rodríguez (8 May 1908 – 3 November 1973), known professionally as Arturo de Córdova, was a Mexican actor who appeared in over a hundred films. Biography Career Arturo García Rodríguez was born in Mérida, Yucatán on 8 May 1 ...

) is a cheerful taxidermist, who lives with his bitter, crippled, obsessive, and extremely religious wife Gloria (

Amparo Rivelles María Amparo Rivelles Ladrón de Guevara Medal of Merit in Labour, MML (11 February 1925 – 7 November 2013), better known as Amparo Rivelles, was a Spanish Actor, actress. She was the daughter of actor Rafael Rivelles and actress María Ferna ...

). Pablo wants to have children, but Gloria does not. Gloria constantly rebuffs his amorous advances, and constantly belittles him by telling him that he stinks of dead animals. Her primary reason for existence seems to be maliciously annoying her husband. Pablo has been saving money to buy a camera, but Gloria takes the money Pablo was saving and gives it to the church, leading to conflict with the local priest. Gloria falsely accuses Pablo of drunkenness and abuse. Pablo gets his camera, but Gloria maliciously breaks it, which proves to be the straw that breaks the camel's back. Pablo takes his revenge by poisoning her. He then dissects Gloria's body and places her skeleton in the front window of his shop. The police and local priest become suspicious and he is put on trial, but he manages to escape man's justice (but not God's).

Cast

— Dr. Pablo Morales *

— Gloria de Morales *

Elda Peralta Elda Peralta is a Mexican actress and writer. Selected filmography * ''Hypocrite'' (1949) * '' Immaculate'' (1950) * ''Women's Prison'' (1951) * ''Streetwalker'' (1951) * ''Crime and Punishment'' (1951) * ''A Woman Without Love'' (1952) * ''My Dar ...

* — Profesor *

Rosenda Monteros Rosa Méndez Leza (31 August 1935 – 29 December 2018), known professionally as Rosenda Monteros, was a Mexican actress. She studied drama under Seki Sano. To American audiences, she is best known for her role as Petra in '' The Magnificent Seven ...

— Meche * — Elodio * — Lourditas Mendiolea *

Antonio Bravo Antonio Bravo (12 May 1906 – 28 February 1992) was a Spanish-born Mexican film and television actor.Agrasánchez, Jr. p.159 He appeared in more than a hundred and forty productions during a lengthy career. Selected filmography * '' Beautiful ...

— Padre Artemio Familiar *

Angelines Fernández María de los Ángeles Fernández Abad (30 July 1924 – 25 March 1994), known professionally as Angelines Fernández, was a Spanish-Mexican actress and comedian. She is best remembered for playing Doña Clotilde "La Bruja del 71" in the sitcom ...

— Clara, sister of Gloria

Production

's original 1927 essay, "The Islington Mystery", which can be found in his collection ''The Cosy Room'', was based largely on the case of the famous murderer

Dr. Crippen Hawley Harvey Crippen (September 11, 1862 – November 23, 1910), usually known as Dr. Crippen, was an American Homeopathy, homeopath, ear and eye specialist and medicine dispenser. He was hanged in HM Prison Pentonville, Pentonville Prison in L ...

. Screenwriter

Luis Alcoriza Luis Alcoriza de la Vega (September 5, 1918 – December 3, 1992) was a respected Mexican screenwriter, film director, and actor. Alcoriza was born in Spain and, exiled because of the Spanish Civil War, established himself in Mexico from 1940 ...

was influenced by his association with

Luis Buñuel Luis Buñuel Portolés (; 22 February 1900 – 29 July 1983) was a Spanish-Mexican filmmaker who worked in France, Mexico, and Spain. He has been widely considered by many film critics, historians, and directors to be one of the greatest and ...

Reception

This film is ranked 19 in the list of the 100 best films of Mexican cinema, in the opinion of 25 film critics and experts on Mexico, published by the magazine ''Somos'' in July 1994.
Las 100 mejores películas del cine mexicano
'

References

External links

* Mexican black comedy films 1960 films 1960s black comedy films 1960s Spanish-language films Films directed by Rogelio A. González Films based on short fiction Uxoricide in fiction 1960 comedy films 1960 drama films 1960s Mexican films {{1960s-Mexico-film-stub