VERBENA TRÁGICA (1938) Fernando Soler, Luana Alcañiz | Drama, SPANISH with English subtitles | B&W

Verbena Trágica (Tragic Festival, also known as Block Party) is a 1939 film directed by Charles Lamont. The film was made in 1938 in the Spanish language only, unusual for the time but most likely due to the film's themes of adultery and revenge.Show more

SYNOPSIS
Released after eight months in jail, a boxer returns home to discover that his wife has recently become pregnant. His realization of her infidelity and search for the identity of the father soon turn into a dangerous obsession.

On the eve of Columbus Day festivities in New York, the boxer Mateo Vargas is released early from a jail term he served after he struck a police officer. He returns home for a surprise reunion with his family, but his wife Blanca faints. Mateo learns from her doctor that she is pregnant. Mateo is shocked, and knows that he cannot be the father. His trainer wants him to return to the boxing ring, but Mateo is too preoccupied with Blanca's infidelity. While he was in jail, Blanca had been seeing Claudio, the fiancé of Mateo's sister Lola. When Lola tells her suspicions to her mother, she slaps Lola. Vargas confronts Blanca about her pregnancy, but she refuses to name the father. Mateo becomes obsessed with finding his wife's lover.

CAST & CREW
Mateo Vargas as Fernando Soler
Blanca de Vargas as Luana Alcañiz
Claudio as Juan Torena
Mamita Vargas as Pilar Arcos
Lola Vargas as Cecilia Callejo
George Mari as Pepito Vargas(as Jorge Mari)
Pérez as Romualdo Tirado
Manuel as Carlos Villarías
Pérez as Romualdo Tirado
Luis as Sergio de Karlo
Doctor as Danton Ferrero
Teresita as Leonor Turich
Pat, the Policeman as Lou Hicks
Tomás as Carlos Ruffino
José as Israel Garcia
Ventura as Fred González
Balloon Vendor as Pedro Vinas

Directed by Charles Lamont
Written by Jean Bart, Miguel de Zárraga
Produced by Jaime del Amo
Cinematography Arthur Martinelli
Editing by Guy V. Thayer Jr.
Music by Lee Zahler
Art Direction by Edward C. Jewell
Production company Cantabria Cines
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date March 7, 1939
Running time 75 min.
Language Spanish

NOTES
In 1996, the film was deemed to be "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for the National Film Registry.