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The Fever Rises in El Pao

1959 1h 37m Drama List
80% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 42% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
A man (Gérard Philipe) becomes ruler of a Latin American island after an assassination.

Critics Reviews

View All (5) Critics Reviews
Vincent Canby New York Times This is not vintage Bunuel, but Mr. Philipe is unexpectedly good as the muddled idealist. Rated: 2.5/5 May 20, 2003 Full Review Ed Gonzalez Slant Magazine What with all the missives and writs of agenda waiting to be signed, Fever Mounts in El Pao is noticeably burdened by excess paperwork. Rated: 3/4 Jun 18, 2002 Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader As Buuel's most directly political work, it certainly warrants a look. Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion Buuel's sharp-toothed study, with unmistakable traces of Huston, Clouzot, and Franco's Spain Feb 6, 2010 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 4/5 Jul 7, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (3) audience reviews
walter m As the peasants starve, Ines(Maria Felix), the wife of Governor Vargas(Miguel Angel Ferriz), is carrying on an affair with Colonel Olivares(Roberto Canedo). Just as the peasants are about to be fed meat on a national holiday, Garcia(Raul Dantes) assassinates Vargas in front of everyone. That only makes Ines' life more complicated as she is now stranded on the island, with Vasquez(Gerard Philipe), the governor's former secretary, professing his love for her while trying to institute a reform or two. "Fever Rises in El Pao" is pretty good as a transitional film for Luis Bunuel, as he seeks to take more of a global approach while indulging some of his perverse fascinations at the same time. Disappointingly, he also bites off more than he can chew, especially in the crowd scenes, as he seems much more interested in having something to say than in telling a story. That involves Vasquez who comes under a great deal of scrutiny on his road to hell paved with good intentions. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Ive someone make a Movie out of the Game Tropico it would like this a Permanent Fight for Power full of Intrigues, Revolutions, Assasinations, Affairs & Conclusions it's the neverending Story of Latin American Facist & Communist Dictatures Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member The love into the political world is impossible, anybody know this. The duality of Vasquez is his path to his own fall. Seeing this movie is like reading a Llosa novel. The political plot is the environment where the human desires confront their possibilities and their past. Is a correct movie, but don't have the great touch of Bunuel sensitivity. Although I like very much the symbol of fever and the ending where Vasquez is lost in dark. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/15/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Fever Rises in El Pao

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Cast & Crew

Movie Info

Synopsis A man (Gérard Philipe) becomes ruler of a Latin American island after an assassination.
Director
Luis Buñuel
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Canadian French
Runtime
1h 37m