A fine drama talks about young apprentices to achieve success as Toreros . This deals with two young people , the actual bullfighters : Agustín Castellano 'El Puri' and José María Montilla who seek their lives to achieve their true desire : to be successful bullfighters. They go to Madrid where they learn the art of bullfighting to get a real fame and fortune . Following their learning as pupils of the School of Tauromachy in Madrid. Little by little they develop the proper technique. Anyway, they try by any means to be hired by the ¨Apoderados¨or attorneys , but things go wrong. Meanwhile , they fall in love with beautiful girls , as El Puri is in love for a young woman , Carmen (Maria Kosti) , who gets pregnant and José María Montilla falls in love with Elsa (Rosanna Yanni) who is the lover of a powerful businessman (Alfredo Mayo).
One of the best and unknown films, - obscured by Francoism- on bullfighting , made by a prestigious woman, actress and filmmaker, the great and innovative Ana Mariscal who even worked as a screenwriter perfectly documenting the world of bullfighting and carrying out a very realistic direction . This in an enjoyable and attractive flick in documentary style when it shows the bullfighting world . Concerning the daily life of those who dream of working in the world of the bullfighting ring . And especially focusing on two young apprentices who eagerly want to dedicate themselves to bullfighting . At the same time the movie dealing with Spanish bullfighting , it is called Corrida De Toros (literally "running of bulls") or la fiesta ("the festival"). The film has great interest for fans of bullfighting because being a summary of the typical and well built screenplay upon very young bullfighters who emerging from anonymity, seeking his opportunity, in ¨Becerradas¨ and ¨Capeas¨. The rest of the film is bullfighting cuts that for those who do not like bulls , however, being some tedious .
The two newcomers protagonists give naive acting , they are real Toreadores who dedicated their lives to this peculiar Spanish art with successes enough , and for some politically incorrect today , concerning the world of bullfighting . Revealing the human side of the bullfighter : his emotions, sensations, and sacrifices. They don't just seek money and fame, they don't boast before their friends , they don't have behind them that mother who folkloric cinema fostered to the point of boredom. They live the illusion of the bull with a magical sense of glory. Contemplating these young people who dedicate their love to the myth, to Manolete, Juan Belmonte, Sebastián Palomo Linares , Manuel Benitez el Cordobés , Paquirri, each one is known in more detail, and that contact with their customs or hobbies transforms them into real characters with a dramatic approach. This bullfighting genre was very popular in the 50s and 60s that includes films as Solos los dos (1968) , Las cicatrices (1967) , Nuevo en esta plaza (1966) , Aprendiendo a morir (1962), Chantaje a un torero (1963) and the various versions of Currito de la Cruz : 1925 silent rendition , 1936 , 1949 and 1965 , most of them starred by real bullfighters as Pepin Martin Vazquez , El Pireo , Rafael Albaicin , Manuel Carmona and Antonio García 'Maravilla'. And subsequently the best one : ¨Tú solo¨ by Teo Escamilla , following in the wake of ¨El momento de la verdad¨ (1965) by Francesco Rosi , a semi-documentary film , more than the style of the previous dramatic films.
The movie gives a nice description about the culture of Spain surrounding the old traditions of the Toreador , while learning from little boys , teens and youngsters . Showing the classic figure of the Matador , in which Toreros are really submitted to nerves during slaughter . As the ancient Toreo art-form is described with unflinching and fetching realism , it is the story of bullfighters against brave beasts . The film gives a real description about ¨Bullfighting¨ art , as the bull is released into the ring, where he is tested for ferocity by the matador and Banderilleros with the magenta and gold Capote ("Cape"). This is the first stage, the Tercio de Varas ("the lancing third"). The matador confronts the bull with the Capote, performing a series of passes and observing the behavior and quirks of the bull . Next, a picador enters the arena on horseback armed with a Vara (lance). In the next stage, the Tercio De Banderillas ("the third of Banderillas"), each of the three Banderilleros attempts to plant two Banderillas, sharp barbed sticks, into the bull's shoulders . In the final stage, the "the third of death" , the matador re-enters the ring alone with a small red cape, or Muleta, and a sword . The two rookie starring Agustín Castellano 'El Puri' and José Maria Montilla are well accompanied by regular secondaries of Spanish cinema . Here stands out a motley group of notorious support cast appearing here and there , such as : María Kosty , Alfredo Mayo , Venancio Muro , Rosanna Yanni , Adriano Domínguez, Fernando Sánchez Polack , and director Ana Mariscal herself .
The picture made in medium budget was decently written/produced/directed by Ana Mariscal. She was a famous actress who turned filmmaking and production for her company , Bosco Films . Mariscal played a large number of films , outstanding the following ones : El ultimo Husar, La Florista de la Reina, Raza , Dulcinea , Princesa de Ursinos, La vida encadenada , Pacto de Silencio, El Gran Galeoto, Jeromin, Morena Clara, La Violetera , La Reina del Chantecler , and several others . Her first film as a director was Segundo Lopez 1952 , following Con la Vida hicieron Fuego 1957, a melodrama about Spanish Civil War . Their boxoffice flops led her to make commercial films with no much interest , such as a popular comedy : La Quiniela 1959, the Folkloric: Feria de Sevilla 1960 , the dramatic yarn : Hola Muchacho 1962 , the political : Occidente y Sabotaje 1962 , the traditional : Los Duendes de Andalucía 1964 , a bullfighting drama: El Paseillo 1968 and this Musical : Vestida de Novia 1967 . Rating : 6.5/10 . The pic will appeal to Toreo buffs .
