An early social realism classic, Los olvidados tracks a life of poverty with that of crime in the violent slums of Mexico City.
Director Luis Buñuel follows a young Pedro (Alfonso Mejía) as he becomes more and more corrupted by streetwise El Jaibo (Roberto Cobo). Having himself escaped from reform school, the cocky leader of these juvenile delinquents and street urchins looks to exact revenge on the snitch who saw him caught by the authorities. But El Jaibo is no fool – and sees Pedro as the perfect foil.
Set in the barrio of poverty, shot in a pulsating black and white, Buñuel tells his narrative plainly and without glamourising his subjects. The boys live on the streets, taking what they need, when they need. They are as much victims as perpetrators of the violent life they live – and Bunuel marshalls his mostly non-professional cast with tragic truth. It’s a simple tale oft seen – but this is one of the first in Latin American cinema.
Rating: 72%
Director: Luis Buñuel (Belle de jour, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie)
Writer: Luis Alcoriza (Presagio, Los jóvenes), Luis Buñuel (Belle de jour, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie)
Main cast: Alfonso Mejía (Padre nuestro, El túnel 6), Roberto Cobo (Dulces compañías, The Place Without Limits), Estela Inda (El rebozo de Soledad, Bugambilia)
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