The
Executioner (El Verdugo) is a 1963 Spanish black comedy film and is widely
considered one of the masterpieces of Spanish cinema.
The story
starts with an old executioner in Spain in the early 60's approaching
retirement age. As his profession is quite rare, he begins to worry about who
might take his place when he retires. He has a daughter, but, unfortunately,
she seems doomed to perpetual "spinsterhood"; as soon as any
prospective groom learns about her dad and her dad's "trade", he runs
away from her, scared.
However, a new character enters: the local undertaker, a
young handsome man who has exactly the same problem... No girl wants him given
his profession. So, you have the woman whom almost nobody would marry and the
man whom almost nobody would marry. Obviously, they are meant for each other
and soon get married.
Director
Luis García Berlanga won the FIPRESCI Prize at the Venice Film Festival for the
film. At that moment, Francoist Spain was under international pressure because
of the death sentence for the Communist leader Julián Grimau. The Spanish ambassador
to Italy protested the projection of this "Communist" film.
Compulsory viewing for anyone believing that the death penalty should be a legal punishment.
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