Subida al cielo (1952)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Luis Buñuel

Writers:

Manuel Altolaguirre (story)
Luis Buñuel (adaptation)

Release Date:

26 June 1952 (Mexico)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A young man and woman's honeymoon is cut short when the man learns that his mother has fallen ill back at home...

Plot Keywords:

Inheritance | Bus Ride | Bus | Voice Over | Sheep

Awards:

6 nominations

Cast

Lilia Prado	...	Raquel
Esteban Márquez	...	Oliverio Grajales
Luis Aceves Castañeda	...	Silvestre
Manuel Dondé	...	Eladio Gonzales
Roberto Cobo	...	Juan
Beatriz Ramos	...	Elisa
Manuel Noriega		(as Manolo Noriega)
Roberto Meyer	...	Don Nemesio Alvarez y Villalbazo
Pedro Elviro		(as Pitouto)
Pedro Ibarra
Leonor Gómez	...	Doña Linda
Chel López
Paz Villegas		(as Paz Villegas de Orellana)
Silvia Castro
Paula Rendón

Also Known As:

Ascent to Heaven (International: English title) (informal literal title)
Mexican Bus Ride (USA)

Runtime:

85 min | USA:74 min

Country:

Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Filming Locations:

Guerrero, Mexico

Company:

Producciones Isla S.A.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Anoche soñé contigo (1992)

Soundtrack:

La Sanmarqueña

the fantasy/dream sequence is excellent

As noted by others, this is not top notch Bunuel but it has much charm and it is as if the director is more interested in the Mexicans and their way of life than in bringing out any clever cinema tricks. Having said that the fantasy/dream sequence is excellent and the apple peel that surely represents the umbilical cord both amusing and disturbing at the same time. For it is true to say that through the course of the terrifying bus journey, central to the film, we do have the elements of birth, marriage and death. Plus, animals, music, singing and seduction. Somebody has described the bus driver as 'silly' but it occurs to me that although he seems ready to give up his bus driving upon almost any pretext, he is one of the only travellers who is not dishonest. We have the aspiring politician, not sure about the hen man, there's the scheming and beautiful sex interest, and even our hero desperate to help his dying mother get a will written , is more than a little driven by self interest. So although a wonderfully sunny and joyful film, with that good feeling that all are at one, it is far from as simple as that and just beneath the surface, surely that wily old Bunuel is having more than a little dig