Santa Anna Film: SU ALTEZA SERENISIMA

[neferetus]

I just ordered this on eBay for $1.98, so I'll have to wait until it arrives, before passing judgment on it.
It's supposed to be about Santa Anna in his final days discussing the events of his long, impressive career.

"Susanita", from the alamofilm site gives her review of the film:

MY COMMENTARY ON SU ALTEZA SERENISIMA

The film is set in 1876 three days before Santa Anna death after he returns to Mexico City from exile.

This is about Santa Anna's final in the three days of his life. Its quite a complicated film with a lot of dialogue (English subtitles) on which you really need to concentrate quite a lot (a few sequences leave me confused – more later), and I think you need to see it several times. But I think the film depicts Santa Anna quite accurately - an aggressive and complicated personality who keeps pistols in his desk draws and conceals one in his nightgown. Even as an old man of 82 with one leg he is a very strong, dominating personality, still an opportunist whose mind doesn’t rest from plotting and conniving. The film, which takes place over three days characterize him as a fighting c ock, live rooster, dead rooster, etc. and each day begins with a title referring to this and a different aspect of his character. The film seems as convoluted as Santa Anna’s mind itself.

The division between the “haves” and “have-nots” is emphasised. A lot of the characters live in poverty and depend on the food and handouts of Santa Anna’s wife (and their resentment of their situation explodes into a “mini-revolution” at the end where they break into Santa Anna’s house). The power of wealth and patronage that comes from wealth is shown; the poor have to humble themselves before the rich. A few things at fault here historically: Santa Anna was shown reading a book about artificial legs – at this stage of his life he was blind from cataracts, which he didn’t want removed. Also, after a life of 82 years, he died at around 1.00 -1.30 am, dying rather prosaically alone in his bed. No violence accompanied his demise or disturbed the days preceeding it. Rather, he was ignored by society. To remedy this, his wife Dolores Tosta (who is well played by Ana Berta Espín) would pay poor people on the street to visit her husband, to make him feel important again. She, too, is presented as a very strong character, hard-faced and businesslike but extremely devoted to her husband.

In the film, as in life, Santa Anna does not fit any more in a different Mexico which neither needs nor wants him.

Santa Anna is in decline, who lives in his house, in a dream stuck in time-warp maintained by maintained by his woman, and the emphasis is on past glories his reminiscences on cockfighting, the war in Texas/the Alamo, the U.S.- United States and the sale of Mesilla (Gadsden purchase) which happened after the U.S.-Mexican war. He still has obsessions about honor, his country (patriotism) and still being the hero who could command armies and move masses. There is a flashback to the funeral of his leg on which he sits on a golden throne surrounded by his courtiers. But reality of his day to day life is detailed: with his wife’s devotion, the servants scurrying around busying themselves with daily tasks around him, his own very personal and constant battle with pain because of his amputated leg.

Several representatives from different sections of Mexican society pretend to do "business" with the ex-dictator, which is really now a fantasy or dream, which would have happened as actuality in the past but not now in the present time. The reality is that he is old and forgotten and without power. These people coming to see him are saying “Yes”, because they are paid to by Dolores Tosta (she even has to lend Colonel Lavin a coat to conceal dirty clothes he wears that are falling apart on him, in contrast to the snowy-clean shirt and bed linen of Santa Anna).
The test of the general corruption is to come and go with a valuable necklace as it is passed from person to person. Firstly Rosa Otilia, who represents the conservatives defeated by Juárez and that is against to the liberal government currently in power visits Santa Anna. She gives the necklace to him to impel a revolt against the liberal regime. But Santa Anna wants to gain favour with the current liberal government and gives the necklace to politician called Maximilan Huerta (Jose Carlos Ruíz) so that he can obtains an interview for him with the president. In both conversations Santa Anna one adapts to political interests but you get a glimpse of his corrpción and intrigue his desire for power. “Man is nobody, power is everything”. Huerta pays no attention to the request and he gives the necklace to two prostitutes - Venus and Minerva (Mina). These prostitutes come to visit Santa Anna asking for his protection, and gives him the necklace for safekeeping. The circle of the corruption is closed: the necklace, like symbol, always returns at the hands of Santa Anna.. (Perhaps these prostitutes are a symbol for Mexico – the corruption, everything up for sale (including parts of the country), and the victim of foreign invaders, who in the words of the song of the Margaritas the colonel colonel Lavín (Pedro Armendáriz) recalls the women, the Margaritas has to say to the gringo “Yes, yes, yes”). Santa Anna ultimately gives this necklace to Ezequiel Rivera ordering him to protect his fortune, which will be invested in railroads (in Mexico) controlled by American investors. The old enemies, as much politicians as social (the Mexican investor is the son of Benito Juárez, Benito Juárez Maza) now will be partners of businesses of Santa Anna. (This is in the film, but I have not read of this anywhere).

I don't know if you've got this film or are thinking of getting it. If/when you've seen it, I would appreciate your comments on it, especially a couple of things I'm not sure about.

1) What was Salamandra was doing with Santa Anna when the priest confessor was spying on them - was she foretelling Santa Anna's future, or consoling him?

2) When Santa Anna suddenly got offended and began to shout "thief" when the musicians were playing (the Veracruzano “Song of the Snake” - I presume it was because someone stole something though I viewed it two times and I couldn’t see anyone stealing anything. Santa Anna seemed to take particular offense at one Indian boy seeming to allege he was his son.

3) Why did Dolores Tosta, the wife of Santa Anna, so take against that same Indian boy she told him to leave and to never come back in no uncertain terms (threatening him with death?)

If you know of any Mexican friends have seen the film, or have some views, perhaps you might know more. I am not from a Latin American/Spanish background so I am sure there are a lot of subtleties I have missed. "SUSANITA"

[neferetus]

Per Susanita, this is an alternate DVD cover found on eBay:



The photo is kind of small. but it does sorta look like the Alamo there at the bottom, doesn't it?

[neferetus]

Since it is a Mexican-made film, with English subtitles, it will be interesting seeing how Mexicans view Santa Anna from a modern perspective.

[Greg C.]

i will see if i can rent this via netflix. it looks interesting. i hope there are some alamo scenes in it.

its good to see pedro armendariz is doing well. i have seen him in a few westerns, maybe even some with JW.

[neferetus]

Well, I hope that Netflix has it available, then. As for me, I figure that, if the film turns out to be not that great, at least it was only $1.98 on eBay.

[Greg C.]

yes, netflix does indeed have this movie. it came up in english under "General Santa Anna".

[neferetus]

admin said:

yes, netflix does indeed have this movie. it came up in english under "General Santa Anna".

Go for it! You'll probably receive it before I do.

[neferetus]

SU ALTEZA SERENISIMA
(Your Serene Highness)

This is one hard to follow story. Perhaps it
would not be so much so if one were fluent in the
Spanish language. I must admit that it was a bit
distracting having to resort to reading the subtitles,
while trying to follow the action.

That being said, here’s the synopsis of the film,
as far as I can make of it from only one viewing:

The year is 1879. Former Mexican President Antonio
Lopez de Santa Anna---Alejandro Parodi--- (he has
served 11 terms in that capacity) is near death’s door,
but apparently he is the only one who is unaware of
the fact. His loving wife---Ann Bertha Espin--- while
trying to shield the dire news from him has enlisted
a priest to hear Antonio’s confession, but each day
(he has only three days to live) Antonio put the good
priest off. Mrs. Santa Anna is also attempting to make
her husband’s last days happy by enlisting the services
of some musicians, peasants and former soldiers into
feigning that they all love, honor and respect El
Presidente with undying devotion. The coins that Senora
Santa Anna thrusts into their hands, however are the only
reason that they are there. For they despise Santa Anna
with a passion that words alone cannot convey. In their
eyes, he has sent the country to rake and ruin and his
death can come none too soon. Even one of his most
loyal Colonel’s---Pedro Armendariz--- is in on the sham.
He sits up at night with Santa Anna, reliving old campaigns
and discussing a political future where El Presidente will
once again rise as supreme ruler of all Mexico. Santa Anna
even gives the Colonel a precious necklace to help fund the
new ‘campaign‘. But the Colonel is only in it for the money,
as well. For, as he leaves the house, Senora Santa Anna
makes him remove the borrowed military coat, before she
will give him some money. After taking the coins and
descending to the streets below in his peasant rags, the
Colonel bursts into tears.

A little later on, two once prosperous ladies have an
audience with Santa Anna. Their poverty has caused them
to sell off some of their jewelry and they ask Santa Anna
to help them get a good price for it. As they depart, Santa
Anna opens the sack containing the jewelry. It is the
necklace that he had given to his loyal Colonel to fund
his next campaign. Apparently the Colonel had pawned
the necklace for money. The irony is not lost on Santa Anna,
as he responds to the discovery with bitter laughter.



The peasants, meanwhile will only sham that they love El
Presidente while Senora Santa Anna looks on. Behind her
back, they mock El Presidente, even going so far as to imitate
his limp. (Santa Anna lost his leg in the so called “Pastry
War” with France.) The wounded leg seems to give El
Presidente a great deal of pain and he even relives the
moment when he begs the physician to amputate it. The
only real flashback in the film that the viewer is treated
to is of the funeral service Santa Anna has for his lost
limb. In the scene, he is made up to look younger and
his hair is jet-black.

On the last day of Santa Anna’s life, while Senora Santa
Anna sits reading to him, the peasants drop all pretenses
of loving El Presidente, bust into his home, trash the place
and then charge upstairs into the bedroom, shrieking
“Traitor” and other unprintable epithets at the near dead
leader.

While the Texas campaign and San Jacinto are mentioned,
they are not done so at length. In spite of his many triumphs
where he has saved the integrity of The Nation time and again,
in the end, Santa Anna is only remembered by the citizens of
Mexico as the man who lost half their territory during his reign.

Well, there you have it. In all fairness I reckon I should give the
film another viewing, just to see if I can discover any other subtle
elements that the director---Felipe Cazals--- may’ve been trying
to convey. (SU ALTEZA SERENISIMA was nominated for 11
Mexican Academy Awards.)

[neferetus]

QUOTE SUSANITA: 2) When Santa Anna suddenly got offended and began to shout "thief" when the musicians were playing (the Veracruzano “Song of the Snake” - I presume it was because someone stole something though I viewed it two times and I couldn’t see anyone stealing anything.QUOTE

I believe it was because Santa Anna realized they were merely shamming him and he looked upon them contemtuously as but "A Den Of Thieves".

[neferetus]

When Colonel Lavin (Pedro Armendariz) informs Santa Anna that his two sisters had to resort to prostitution to survive, could the two once prosperous ladies who visit Santa Anna later on with the jewely be the Colonel's sisters? Perhaps, after Santa Anna gave Lavin the necklace, Lavin in turn gave it to his two sisters to help them out, good brother that he is.

[neferetus]

Did you finally get this from Netflix, Greg? It is certainly a convoluted tale that bears more than one viewing. (By the way, you are right. Pedro Armendariz was in some John Wayne films, FORT APACHE, for one.)

[Greg C.]

neferetus said:

Did you finally get this from Netflix, Greg? It is certainly a convoluted tale that bears more than one viewing. (By the way, you are right. Pedro Armendariz was in some John Wayne films, FORT APACHE, for one.)

i did not recieve it yet as i have not yet placed it in my number one position. right now its in position three so i'll be getting it within the next few weeks.

[Greg C.]

it arrived this afternoon so i hope to start watching it by tonight and hopefully finish it by sunday.

[neferetus]

You never said what you thought of it.

[Greg C.]

neferetus said:

You never said what you thought of it.

Ashamed to say that for all the foreign films I've seen, I couldn't handle this one and had to shut it off about 30 mins in. I think the part where he was telling that woman all the girls he had infected with sexual diseases turned it off for me...

[alamoalbo]

Hi Ya'll; I just got a copy of this film from Ebay; and have watched a little of it; subtitles make me dizzy. It is interesting to see the portrayal of ol' Sanaty Anny. I almost fell sorry for him but NAWWW. His wife strikes me to be just has cruel and ruthless has he was. I'm gonna give it another look maybe this weekend . That is if my girlfriend Kathy doesn't have another honeydo list for me. Nite all Al

[Cole_blooded]

alamoalCrockett you have Santana in yer sights? ;D Honeydo sounds better than gofer/gofor/gopher!

TED COLE....aka....Cole_blooded

[alamoalbo]

Hi Ted; oh somtimes I do that to. You all will notice in the photos Kathy has red hair. Red heads are a lot like blonds only with bad temperment. Picture John Waynes' Mcklintok. Al

[Greg C.]

Al, the new board is now open again. Please use that one...

alamo.lue402.com/boards