Noir westerns are a rare breed, but they do exist. One of the best is undoubtedly El Ahijado de la muerte (1946) written (in collaboration with actress Raquel Rojas and her husband, actor Luis Alicoriza) by Norman Foster, who also directed. And a very weird film it is too. In fact it's the only movie from Foster's Mexican period at present available on DVD. This one certainly whets our appetite to see more of Foster south of the border. The story of Death's Protegé involves a poor peon, Dionisio (played by Polo Ortín), who takes Death (Lupe Inclán) up on her offer to trade the life of his baby son, Pedro, in exchange for his lovely wife, Madrina (Emma Roldán). Why would Death be interested in such an exchange? When Pedro (Jorge Negrete) grows up, he is hired as a foreman by ruthless Don Enrique del Castillo (Alejandro Ciangherotti), whose son, Julio (the villain's villain Tito Junco at his nastiest), is quick to dislike Pedro's attentions to his sister, Marina (Rita Conde in her movie debut). You can guess the rest. Assisted by Jack Draper's superb photography and Gunther Gerzso's studio-bound but often super-spooky sets, director Foster contrives a fast-moving, moody noir with an often Wellesian flair, including a tilted camera angle that pans into a reverse tilt. Wow!

Spanish-language cinema across Spain and Latin America is united by its engagement with history, cultural identity, and social transformation. In Spain, films often balance artistic experimentation with popular genres while reflecting on memory, politics, and family. In Latin America, cinema has been deeply tied to questions of colonial legacy, resistance, and community resilience, ranging from intimate dramas to bold political allegories.

Ana Torrent in The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)

The adventure genre features exciting journeys, quests, or expeditions undertaken by characters who often face challenges, obstacles, and risks in pursuit of a goal. Adventures can take place in a wide range of settings, from exotic and fantastical locations to historical or even everyday environments.

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

A Hacienda foreman, known as Death's Godson, rebels against his childhood friend and master.

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El ahijado de la muerte

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