Super Loco, El
Entry updated 5 February 2024. Tagged: Film.
Mexican film (1937; vt El Superloco). P.C.E. (Producciones Cinematográficas Exito). Directed by Juan José Segura. Written by Jorge Cardeña Álvarez and Juan José Segura. Cast includes Ramón Armengod, Aurora Campuzano, Emilio Fernández, Consuelo Frank, Leopoldo "Chato" Ortín, Raúl Urquijo and Carlos Villarías. 65 minutes. Black and white.
An 80-year-old doctor shows a friend a photograph of ex-classmate Dr Dienys (Villarías), who only looks about 40, adding that he is able to cure even the sickest of patients. However, others in the medical profession consider him a fraud, though one, Alberto (Armengod), defends him and arranges a meeting so Dr Dienys can explain his research. Meanwhile, at his laboratory, Dr Dienys and his assistant Idúa (Fernández) study their caged "Monster" (Urquijo): the Doctor has ordered him to break a heavy chain, but the monster – who looks human – cannot.
Dr Alberto spends a lot of time with his mentor Dr Dienys, whom he hero-worships: this upsets his girlfriend Margarita (Frank) as he is rarely with her. Dr Alberto's aunt Susanita (Campuzano) distrusts Dienys and reluctantly teams up with a drunkard, Sóstenes (Ortín), hoping they can work together to break up the friendship. At the meeting of Scientists Dr Dienys explains that he is investigating psychic forces and believes the power of will and mind can heal many diseases (the viewer infers this is what has slowed or stopped his ageing – a kind of Rejuvenation) and goes on to say he had gone to Patagonia where he caught an abnormal creature (the "monster") on which to test his theories. One of the scientists calls these claims lies and fairy tales: Dienys warns him his life is in peril, and so it proves: after one more insult his detractor drops dead, presumably killed by the doctor's mind (see Psi Powers).
When Alberto refuses to find more time for her, Margarita decides to flirt with Dienys to make him jealous; however, Dienys becomes infatuated and lures her to his house, then attacks her. She faints and he paws at her body ... but it has been his power of self-control that kept him young and by giving into his passions this control is lost. He ages fast; the waking Margarita watches in horror as he becomes elderly. As this occurs Alberto is in the laboratory and has discovered the monster – of which he was unaware – which attacks him, escapes and kills Dienys. Sóstenes, who followed Margarita, hears screams and rushes into the house to rescue her and the injured Alberto: the monster attacks them but Sóstenes throws bottles at him – one misses, hitting an axe attached to the wall that drops and kills the monster. The police arrive: Margarita and Alberto – who admits having been a fool – kiss, as do Susana and Sóstenes, after she hands him a drink.
El Super Loco spends more time with Sóstenes than any other character, but his subplot with Susana only affects the main storyline at the very end. Villarías gives a reasonable performance as Dr Dienys, but his psychic research is only vaguely described; why his captive is described as a "monster" is unclear, though their behaviour and Patagonia's remoteness suggest he is supposed to be a human ancestor (see Anthropology; Origin of Man). Dieny's loss of self-control causing his death is a reasonable climax to his story; but, save perhaps for fans of the comic drunkard (see Humour), this is a forgettable film. [SP]
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