This early entry in the Mexican noir cycle is an overtly political thriller that takes place over the course of one night in the city. Octavio (Pedro Armendáriz) is a union organizer carrying document that incriminates a corrupt governor — but there are murderers on his tail. Hiding out in a movie theatre, he bumps into an old college flame (Andrea Palma), and returns to the apartment she shares with her husband, but the net is closing in…
No less an artist than Diego Rivera called cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa “Mexico’s greatest muralist”. A master of chiaroscuro, he worked with both John Ford and John Huston, and on many of Bunuel’s Mexican films. His work here is brooding and atmospheric, evoking the seedy underbelly of the city and a noirish atmosphere of disillusionment and despair. Meanwhile director Julio Bracho — who would go on to direct over 50 films — crafts several striking set pieces worthy of Alfred Hitchcock, including an attempted axe murder by a utilities inspector (!) and the aforementioned scene in the movie theatre. Bracho’s sister, Andrea Palma, is the female lead. (Dolores del Rio was a cousin.)
Televisa Univision All Rights Reserved. We appreciate the support of Fundación Televisa // DCP Courtesy of Cineteca Nacional México
One of the highest accomplishments of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema, Distinto amanacer (Another Dawn) revealed a filmmaker of emotional resonance, formal mastery, and social insight.
Dave Kehr, MOMA
An antifascist thriller comparable and in some ways superior to Casablanca [this is] a socially committed policier with intimations of French poetic realism. Tense and hyperbolic…
J Hoberman, Artforum
Julio Bracho
Andrea Palma, Pedro Armendáriz, Alberto Galán, Narciso Busquets, Beatriz Ramos, Paco Fuentes
Mexico
1943
In Spanish with English subtitles
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits
Producer
Emilio Gómez Muriel, Armando Espinosa
Screenwriter
Julio Bracho, Xavier Villaurrutia
Cinematography
Gabriel Figueroa
Editor
Gloria Schoemann
Original Music
Raúl Lavista
Production Design
Jorge Fernández
Also in This Series: Mexico Noir
Curated by best-selling novelist Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Mexican Gothic), Mexico Noir is an invitation to discover a new shadow world.
The Night Falls
An arrogant, womanizing sports star eventually gets his comeuppance in this jet-black crime drama from director Roberto Gavaldón.
In the Palm of Your Hand
Charming, (over-)confident clairvoyant Professor Karin hits the jackpot when he hears about a beautiful widow whose millionaire husband has just died. But you don't need to be psychic to see that blackmailing a killer may not be his best idea...
The Kneeling Goddess
In which wealthy industrialist Arturo de Cordova purchases the titular nude sculpture of his lover (María Félix) as an anniversary gift for his innocent, adoring wife. Soon enough the wife is dead, though untangling just how and why is part of the fun.
Streetwalker
Middle class and married, Elena (Miroslava Stern) has been seduced by an unscrupulous swindler, who turns out to be the pimp of Maria (Elda Peralta), a prostitute and Elena's estranged sister. But are they really so different under the skin?
Victims of Sin
This movie is a hot scramble of piety and passion, sentimentality and sleaze. Ninón Sevilla plays Violeta, a rumba sensation who oversteps when she rescues a newborn from the trash. This gets her fired and wins the enmity of the pimp who fathered the kid.
Salón México
Cheated by her pimp, Mercedes recklessly steals his wallet and is only saved from a severe beating by the intervention of a kindly policeman. Hard-hitting social realism sits beside patriotic sentimentality and multiple red hot dance sequences.
Crepúsculo
A brain surgeon (Arturo de Córdova) begins to doubt his own sanity when the woman he's in love with (Gloria Marin) marries his brother — and he starts fantasizing about murder.