''Santa'' (1932) is the first Mexican narrative sound film. It was directed by

Antonio Moreno Antonio Garrido Monteagudo (September 26, 1887 – February 15, 1967), better known as Antonio Moreno or Tony Moreno, was a Spanish-born American actor and film director of the silent film era and through the 1950s. Early life and silent fil ...

and starred

Lupita Tovar Guadalupe Natalia Tovar Sullivan (27 July 1910 – 12 November 2016), known professionally as Lupita Tovar, was a Mexican-American actress best known for her starring role in the 1931 Spanish-language version of '' Drácula''. It was filmed in L ...

, based on the novel of the same name by Federico Gamboa. It had its world premiere in

San Antonio San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...

. In 1994, the Mexican magazine ''Somos'' published their list of "The 100 best movies of the cinema of Mexico" in its 100th edition and named Santa its 67th choice.

Plot

A Mexican girl named Santa (Tovar) is seduced and abandoned by a soldier, Marcelino. Rejected by her family and friends, she finds shelter in a brothel in Mexico City. After meeting Santa, the blind piano player Hipólito (Orellana) falls in love with her but is ridiculed by those around him. After she is rejected by her romantic partner Jarameno (due to the meddling of a suddenly returned Marcelino), Hipólito invites Santa to live with him and they attend church together. Later Santa becomes ill and Hipólito goes to the hospital to be with her but she passes away.

Cast

as Santa *

Carlos Orellana Carlos Orellana Martínez (28 December 1900 in Hidalgo – 24 January 1960 in Mexico City) was a Mexican actor, film director and screenwriter. Filmography As actor *1932: ''Santa'' - Hipólito *1933: '' El anónimo'' - Médico *1933: ...

as Hipólito * Juan José Martínez Casado as Jarameño * Donald Reed as Marcelino *

Antonio R. Frausto Antonio R. Frausto (20 September 1897 – 29 January 1954) was a Mexican film actor.Mora p.39 A leading character actor he became a familiar face during the Golden age of Mexican cinema, appearing more than ninety films. He played the nineteenth c ...

as Fabián * Mimí Derba as Doña Elvira * Rosita Arriaga as Santa's Mother * Joaquín Busquets as Esteban * Feliciano Rueda as Drunk at brothel * Jorge Peón as Genarillo * Alberto Martí as Jarameño's friend * Ricardo Carti as Doctor * Sofía Álvarez as Prostitute 1 * Rosa Castro as Prostitute 2 * Nena Betancourt as Singer

References

External links

* 1932 films Mexican black-and-white films 1930s Spanish-language films 1932 drama films Films based on Mexican novels Mexican drama films 1930s Mexican films {{1930s-drama-film-stub