The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz

Play trailer

The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz

1955

1h 31m

Comedy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

12 Reviews

93%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

The wealthy Archibaldo (Ernesto Alonso) is a potential serial killer. This might be the result of a childhood incident: his governess (Leonor Llausás) caught him trying on some of his mother's clothes and scolded him. He wished the governess dead, and she was immediately killed by a stray bullet from a revolution raging outside the window. Conflating violent death with sexual desire, the adult Archibaldo plots to murder numerous women, but his elaborate schemes are constantly thwarted.

Watch on Max

Stream Now

Basil Wright

Sight & Sound

This is what makes Archibaldo so fascinating. It expresses one simple story idea. It goes straight ahead, sequence by sequence, and it never loiters or takes a wrong turning.

Mar 18, 2020

Full Review

Richard Brody

The New Yorker

Against a background of revolution and restoration, Catholic mysteries and aristocratic manners, Buuel unfolds, in images akin to Freudian X-rays ...

Jun 30, 2014

Full Review

Vincent Canby

New York Times

Though it's 22 years late in arriving, The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz is the only new movie in town about which I can say that it mustn't be missed.

Rated: 5/5

May 9, 2005

Full Review

Jas Keimig

The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

The fantasy murder sequences are disconcertingly surreal.

Dec 8, 2021

Full Review

Fernando F. Croce

CinePassion

The central work of Buuel's career, a midpoint between the early savagery and the later urbanity

Dec 16, 2013

Full Review

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Perhaps the lightest and most purely playful film of Buuel's career. It's an oddly charming black comedy dressed up as a kind of thriller.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 10, 2008

Full Review

Read all reviews

S R

I saw this since it had good reviews and was on HBO's TCM list. This movie was unusual and interesting. It was almost half baked in conception, but it still manages to make you think. Was it as good as a psychological Hitchcock? Not quite, but it was still unique and praiseworthy, despite its inconsistencies.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/03/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Luis Buñuel dando càtreda de como hacer un buen film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Buñuel celebra, sin restricciones, con humor e inclusive introspección, un relato sumamente profundo y analítico de la represión del verdadero impulso primitivo del humano que anhela el acto criminal, con el carisma y detalle que solo su dirección pueden ofrecer, complementada con un espectacular e interpretativo guion, que convierten este drama criminal en un festín psicológico, superado, únicamente, por la magnífica y deleitante presencia de Ernesto Alonso como el peculiar protagónico.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Rasúrese usted con máquina, Señor de la Cruz

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

M-F 8.4 [Luis Buñuel] [Mx]

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Excelente film de Luis BuÃ±uel!! Humor negro, un thriller, con un final inesperado. Excelente interpretaciÃ³n del Sr. Ernesto Alonso (qepd)

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Luis Buñuel

Director

Ernesto Alonso

Archibaldo de la Cruz

Miroslava

Lavinia

Rita Macedo

Patricia Terrazas

Carlos Martínez Baena

Priest

Leonor Llausás

The Governess

The Trouble With Harry

88%

73%

The Trouble With Harry

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Trouble With Harry

The Ladykillers

100%

87%

The Ladykillers

Watchlist

Sabrina

89%

89%

Sabrina

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Sabrina

Susan Slept Here

43%

58%

Susan Slept Here

Watchlist

The Seven Year Itch

84%

75%

The Seven Year Itch

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Seven Year Itch

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

The wealthy Archibaldo (Ernesto Alonso) is a potential serial killer. This might be the result of a childhood incident: his governess (Leonor Llausás) caught him trying on some of his mother's clothes and scolded him. He wished the governess dead, and she was immediately killed by a stray bullet from a revolution raging outside the window. Conflating violent death with sexual desire, the adult Archibaldo plots to murder numerous women, but his elaborate schemes are constantly thwarted.

Director: Luis Buñuel
Producer: Alfonso Patiño Gómez
Screenwriter: Luis Buñuel, Eduardo Ugarte, Rodolfo Usigli
Distributor: Water Bearer Films, Dan Talbot, New Yorker Films
Production Co: Alianza Cinematográfica Española
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: Spanish
Release Date (Theaters): May 19, 1955, Original
Runtime: 1h 31m
Sound Mix: Mono

Most Popular at Home Now