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Dona Herlinda and Her Son
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Wikipedia article
' Dona Herlinda and Her Son' (Spanish: 'Doa Herlinda y su hijo') is a 1985 Mexican film directed by Jaime Humberto Hermosillo, starring Arturo Meza, Marco Trevio and Guadalupe del Toro. It was based on the homonymous short story written by Jorge Lpez Pez.
The plot follows Rodolfo, a young bachelor doctor, who has a love affair with a younger music student, Ramn. Rodolfo's meddlesome but well intentioned mother, arranges for Ramn to move with them but also for Rodolfo to find a girlfriend and get married.
Doa Herlinda and her son successfully premiered at various international festivals: the XV Festival New Directors - New Films at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (1986), the XXX London Film Festival (1986), and the Festival of Amiens (France) (1986), among others.
Plot
Ramn, a trim and handsome music student in his twenties, takes classes at the local conservatory in Guadalajara. He lives in a rundown overcrowded boarding house, where he practices on his French horn and gets together with his boyfriend Rodolfo, a thirty-something neurosurgeon with a successful career in pediatric medicine. Their relationship is loving and tender, but in the conservative homophobic society in which they live, their relationship must remain discreetly hidden behind closed doors. Their secret encounters always seem to be interrupted by visitors and phone calls by Rodolfo's meddlesome widower mother, Doa Herlinda.
Doa Herlinda pretends that she knows nothing of the true nature of the relationship between her son and Ramn who she really dotes on like a second child. For the weekend, Doa Herlinda organizes a day trip to lake Chapala with Rodolfo and Ramn, but she has also invited Olga, a young independent woman, as a prospective girlfriend for Rodolfo. Ramn is dismayed and upset. This creates the first tension in the relationship between the two men, but they soon reconcile. Invited for dinner to Rodolfo's house, Doa Herlinda casually suggests to Ramn that he stays over, every night, and moves permanently with them- after all Rodolfo's bedroom is very big and his bed comfortable enough for the two of them. Ramn moves in and now not only Rodolfo is happy but Doa Herlinda and Ramn become even closer friends and companions. The sudden death of an uncle brings a surprise visit to town from Ramn's parents. His severe mother is startled finding his son living in close quarters with Rodolfo, but Doa Herlinda not only welcomes the couple warmly but smoothed things out with them so Ramn's parents depart assured that their son is well-taking care of in spite of his a typical living situation.
Things complicate further when Rodolfo announces to Ramn, that to please his mother, he is about to ask Olga's hand in marriage. Ramn is upset and depressed. He asks Billie, his best friend who studies with him at the conservatory, for advice. Ramn tells her that if he leaves Rodolfo's house he might lose him, but if he stays, he might keep him. Billie is not much of a help as she is dry mouth with Ramn's conundrum. On the day of the engagement, Ramn refuses to go. Instead, he stays at home crying and drinking while listening to torch love songs. Rodolfo assures him that their relationship will go on and that he is not to move as Doa Herlinda, who sincerely loves him, counts on Ramn keep on living with them even after Rodolfo's marriage. Rodolfo gets married and leaves with Olga to their honeymoon in Hawaii while heartbroken Ramon remains behind keeping company to Doa Herlinda who tries to cheer him up and helps him drying his tears.
After the marriage, both men continue their relationship furtively at Doa Herlinda's house. For her part, Olga, an educated and independent woman, wants to continue working and, have a life of her own, far from the traditional role assigned to a Mexican housewife. As soon as she returns from the honeymoon, Olga makes an effort to gain Ramn's friendship. Won over her by her confidences and warm attitude, he finally takes a liking to her. When Olga soon gives birth to a boy, Ramn becomes the proud baby's Godfather. To commemorate the arrival of her grandson, Doa Herlinda announces that she has commissioned to expand the house with a wing for Olga and Rodolfo but also an independent tower for Ramn where Rodolfo can visit him. During the baby's christening celebrations, Rodolfo, who has always liked poetry, recites a poem: How beautiful it would have been to live under that roof, the two always united and loving us both; you always in love, I always satisfied. The two, a single soul, the two, one breast, and in the middle of us: my mother as a god!. The family is united. Doa Herlinda smiles happily satisfied.
Cast
* Arturo Meza as Ramn
* Marco Trevio as Rodolfo
* Guadalupe del Toro as Doa Herlinda
* Leticia Lupercio as Olga
* Guillermina Alba as Billy, Ramn's friend
* Anglica Guerrero as Ramn's mother
* Arturo Villaseor as Ramn's father
References
*Schwartz, Ronald. 'Latin American Films, 19321994: A critical filmography', Mc Farland & Company, London, 1997,
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