Home | Movies By Year | Movies from 1953
Huracn Ramrez (film)
Buy Huracn Ramrez (film) now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the movie. And once you've experienced the movie, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
'Huracn Ramrez' ('Hurricane Ramirez') is a 1953 black-and-white Mexican 'luchador' film directed by Joselito Rodrguez and co-written by Joselito Rodrguez, Juan Rodrguez Mas, and Jess Saucedo. The film follows the story of Fernando Torres, a young man who decides to follow in his father's footsteps by donning the secret identity of Huracn Ramrez, a masked luchador, despite his father's wishes to the contrary.
Huracn Ramrez was the first of a series of wrestling films to introduce the fictitious title character. Unlike later films of the genre, its storyline focused on more dramatic subplots and light comedy. Although actor David Silva portrayed the role of Fernando Torres, the wrestling scenes and action sequences were performed by real-life wrestler Eduardo Bonada. Bonada was contracted to wrestle as Huracn Ramrez following the film's release, until he grew tired of the gimmick and was replaced by luchador Daniel Garca. Garca, who popularized the character, would continue to wrestle as Huracn Ramrez until his retirement from 'lucha libre' in 1988. The character was originally named 'Huracn Lpez' in the early stages of film production. His surname was later changed to avoid confusion with Tarzn Lpez.
Plot
Fernando Torres, in light of his family's poor finances, drops out of college to become a successful lounge singer at a local club. A fact he keeps secret from his father, a washed-up wrestler under the name of Tonina Jackson. Tonina has had some recent popularity in the ring, only due to Fernando bribing other wrestlers to lose. Fernando is also secretly moonlighting as the masked 'luchador' Huracn Ramrez to further help with the household expenses. He is assisted by his somewhat dim-witted friend, Pich, who doubles as his trainer and his stand-in for any situation in which Fernando and Huracn might have to be seen at the same time. Tonino has a growing resentment against Huracn's popularity and is further aggravated when he refuses to face him in the ring.
After a night of partying, Fernando's father discovers his secret job as a lounge singer. Unimpressed with his new career path and disappointed he ended his schooling, he demands Fernando to leave his household. Tonina is later dissuaded by his younger daughter, who explains Fernando has been helping with finances for some time and without his spare income, the family would have been unable to survive. Meanwhile, the local wrestling promoter discovers Fernando has been setting up his father's matches. The promoter promises not to expose him as long as further bribes do not occur. In a following match against the wrestler Bello Califa, a drunken Pich is mistaken for Huracn Ramrez. Pich manages to defeat the flamboyant Bello Califa and after much confusion, both Fernando's sisters discover the true identity of Huracn.
In the next day's match, Fernando wrestles against El Mdico Asesino, only to be interrupted by an angry Tonina. Despite being unwilling to fight against his father, Fernando relents. After their impromptu match comes to an end, Tonina develops a great respect for Huracn Ramrez and decides to form an alliance with him. Meanwhile, Gloria, a fellow lounge singer and Fernando's former flame, feels dejected when her love for Fernando goes on unrequited. She is later enraged to learn that he has a new girlfriend, Laura, Pich's older sister. A broken-hearted Gloria seeks revenge against her former lover, and after discovering his secret identity of Huracn Ramrez, plots to kill him by enlisting the aid of rival 'luchadors' Frank "El Carnicero" Bucher, El Mdico Asesino, Camilo "Bulldog" Prez.
The plan is to kidnap Fernando's father, who will thereby be unable to attend the night's tag-team match, and be replaced with Bulldog. During the course of the match, Bulldog will turn against Huracn, and the three 'luchadors' will beat him to death. Their plan is foiled however, as Pich quickly alerts Fernando who arrives just in time as Huracn to free his father, but his leg is badly injured in the process. Tonina leaves for the match, only for Huracn to be replaced last minute by Bulldog, a reversal of Gloria's original plan. Fernando manages to rush to the wrestling stadium in time to fend off his father's attackers, but in his wounded state is easily overpowered by them. In an illegal move, one of the 'luchadors' unmasks Fernando, revealing his true identity to his father. At this, both father and son are put in a blind rage, in which they both are able to defeat their attackers at the thunderous applause of fans.
Cast
* David Silva as Fernando Torres/Huracn Ramrez: A young man who drops out of college and dons a secret identity of a masked wrestler to help with his family's finances. Real-life 'luchador' Eduardo Bonada performed much of Huracn's action sequences.
* Tonina Jackson as Seor Torres/Tonina Jackson: Fernando's father. A washed-up and overweight wrestler who has had a recent comeback. Huracn's refusal to a match only furthers his dislike for him.
* Carmelita Gonzlez as Laura: A good friend of the Torres family and owner of a local diner. Laura is also Fernando's girlfriend and one of the few to know he is wrestling.
* Freddy Fernndez as Pichi: Laura's younger brother and Fernando's best friend. Pichi is the only one besides Laura to know of Fernando's activities as Huracn Ramrez. Pichi also acts as Fernando's trainer and his stand-in.
* Titina Romay as Margarita Torres: Fernando's precocious and bossy eight-year-old little sister. For this role, Titina Romay was nominated for an Ariel Award for best child actress.
* Anabel Gutirrez as Cata Torres: Fernando's sixteen-year-old sister, who has become infatuated with Huracn Ramrez, despite the affection of Pichi.
* Yadira Jimnez as Gloria: Fernando's former flame, who is secretly plotting revenge against him.
The film also featured real-life 'luchadores' Frank "El Carnicero" Bucher, El Mdico Asesino, Camilo "Bulldog" Prez, and Bello Califa. Daniel Garca, who would later portray Huracn Ramrez on screen and in the ring, appears in two uncredited roles: as the masked El Buitre Blanco and the unmasked Chico Garca. Garca worked as both characters prior to taking up the Huracn Ramrez persona.
Sequels
The film produced many sequels involving Huracn Ramrez. While David Silva would return as Fernando Torres, the wrestler who did the action sequences, Eduardo Bonada, resigned from the role. An audition to find Bonada's successor was held by the Rodrguez family, and it was given to Daniel Garca. Garca appeared as Huracn Ramrez in 'El misterio de Huracn Ramrez' (1962), 'El hijo de Huracn Ramrez' (1965), 'La venganza de Huracn Ramrez' (1969), 'Huracn Ramrez y la monjita negro' (1973) and 'De sangre chicana' (1974). Silva stepped down from the role of Fernando Torres after 'El hijo de Huracn Ramrez', and was replaced by Pepe Romay.
The Huracn Ramrez character had a minor role in the Torito films 'Torito Puos de Oro' (1979) and 'Torito De Tepito' (1982), but Garca did not reprise the character and it is unknown as to who did. The release of 'Huracn Ramrez contra los Terroristas' (1989), saw a return of the Huracn character. Garca had retired from the ring the previous year, and so Huracn was portrayed by another unknown wrestler. However, the film sold poorly, leading to the wrestler to quit playing Huracan in the ring soon afterwards. The Huracn Ramrez character also appeared in the Mil Mscaras film 'Mil Mascaras vs. the Aztec Mummy' (2007). He was portrayed by Huracn Ramrez Jr., who is not related to Garca.
References
Buy Huracn Ramrez (film) now from Amazon
<-- Return to movies from 1953