Gardel's movies, their scripts and their songs

ardel's movies, their scripts and their songs

By Guadalupe Aballe

FLOR DE DURAZNO
Silent movie
Premiere: September 28, 1917, at the Cine Teatro Coliseo
Company: Patria Film
Director: Francisco Defilipis Novoa
Script: on an adaptation of Hugo Wast's “Flor de durazno”, de
Shot in Dolores (Valle de Punilla-Córdoba) and Buenos Aires.
Cast: Ilde Pirovano, Diego Figueroa, Celestino Petray and Silvia Parodi, among others.

Fabián has to leave town and Rina, his girl friend, was seduced by Germán who later forsook her pregnant. Ashamed and scorned by her father, she travels to Buenos Aires where she is humiliated on several occasions until she finally returns to her paternal home. After her comeback, Fabián forgives her ex-girl friend and marries her. The couple had a child but he dies and the old rancor comes back triggering the tragic finale for all the protagonists.


LUCES DE BUENOS AIRES
Premiere: September 23, 1932, at the Cine Capitol
Company: Paramount
Director: Adelqui Millar
Script: Manuel Romero and Luis Bayón Herrera
Music: Gerardo Matos Rodríguez, featuring the Julio De Caro
Orchestra
Shot in Joinville (France)
Cast: Sofía Bozán, Vicente Padula, Gloria Guzmán, Pedro Quartucci, among others.

Anselmo Torres is a plain countryman with hopes about his fiancée Elvira. Everything was all right until Elvira went to Buenos Aires with a girl friend expecting to start a theater career. Worried because he had no news of her, Anselmo traveled to the city, accompanied by some friends, to fetch her. Finally he found her at a party of dubious morality.
Disillusioned and hurt, he goes to a café where the memorable interpretation of “Tomo y obligo” takes place. Finally, they resorted to an ingenious stratagem to abduct Elvira and take her back to the countryside. There is a happy ending.
Gardel sings, also, “El rosal” and Sofía Bozán, “La provinciana” and “Canto por no llorar”.


ESPÉRAME (ANDANZAS DE UN CRIOLLO EN ESPAÑA)
Premiere: October 5, 1933, at the Cine Real
Company: Paramount
Director: Luis Gasnier
Script: Alfredo Le Pera
Music: Carlos Gardel, Marcel Lattés and Don Aspiazú. Featuring the Aspiazú’s Cuban Orchestra and the guitarist Horacio Pettorossi.
Shot in Joinville (France)
Cast: Goyita Herrero, Lolita Benavente, Jaime Devesa, among others.

Rosario does not like the idea of marrying the suitor chosen by his father. She dreams, day and night, of a singer called Carlos de Acuña and is ready to do anything to make her dream come true. After many vicissitudes, including an escape, Rosario succeeded in sentimentally joining Carlos, because the latter discovered his rival was, in fact, a vulgar and unscrupulous delinquent. A key witness will tell the truth to the young girl’s father.
Gardel sings: “Por tus ojos negros”, “Me da pena confesarlo”, “Criollita de mis ensueños” and “Estudiante”.


LA CASA ES SERIA
Premiere: May 19, 1933, at the Cine Suipacha
Company: Paramount
Director: Jaquelux
Script: Alfredo Le Pera
Music: Carlos Gardel and Marcel Lattés
Shot in Joinville (France)
Cast: Imperio Argentina, Lolita Benavente, Josita Hernán, among others.

Lost short film, about 25 minutes long, whose soundtrack was saved.
Juan Carlos Romero stubbornly harasses Carmen Rivera, disregarding the woman’s complaints until the persistent admirer succeeds in making her accept him. They agree that he will go to visit her, and when he is near her window after an agreed signal, Carmen would throw the key so that he will be able to enter. When the time comes and the signal is made, a lot of keys are thrown from several windows.
Gardel sings “Recuerdo malevo” and “Quiéreme”, which was not committed to record.


MELODÍA DE ARRABAL
Premiere: April 5, 1933, at the Cine Porteño
Company: Paramount
Director: Luis Gasnier
Script: Alfredo Le Pera
Music: Carlos Gardel, José Sentis, Horacio Pettorossi, Marcel Lattés and Raúl Moretti, featuring the orchestra led by Juan Cruz Mateo and Horacio Pettorossi.