2 - Los Olvidados (The Young and the Damned, 1950), Directed by Luis Buñuel

Summary

Cast

Jaibo, played by Roberto Cobo

Pedro, played by Alfonso Mejía

Carmelo (the Blind Man), played by Miguel Inclán

Marta (Pedro’s mother), played by Estella India

Meche, played by Alma Delia Fuentes

Julián, played by Javier Amézcua

Judge, played by Héctor López Portillo

Poxy, played by Efraín Arauz

Ojitos (Little-eyes), played by Mario Ramírez

Reform School Director, played by Francisco Jambrina

Crew

Editor: Carlos Savage

Art Directors: Edward Fizgerald, W.W. Claridge

Music: Rodolfo Halfter; themes by Gustavo Pittalunga

Sound: José B. Carles

Production: Ultramar Films, Oscar Dancingers

Photography: Gabriel Figueroa

Script: Luis Buñuel, Luis Alcoriza

Assistant Director: Ignacio Villareal

Director: Luis Buñuel

Award

Winner, mise-en-scène, Cannes International Film Festival, 1951

Plot Summary

Pedro and Jaibo belong to a gang of thieves who live in Mexico City; their gang is the ‘young and the damned’ of the English translation of the title. Jaibo has just escaped from prison. They steal some money from a blind old man, Carmelo, and break up his instruments. They also steal from a helpless cripple. Jaibo goes to see Julián at his place of work, and accuses him of ratting on him. Julián goes to meet him in a deserted place, and is hit on the head from behind with a rock by Jaibo. Julian dies, and Jaibo – and Pedro who is the only witness – flee. Pedro goes to see his mother but she refuses to show him any affection. When Pedro is accused of stealing a knife that Jaibo in fact stole, he goes to a reform school, and his mother is happy for this to happen. Jaibo seduces Pedro’s mother, Marta. Pedro is entrusted with some money by the reform school director, but he is pounced on by Jaibo who steals the money. Pedro confronts Jaibo later on, and spills the beans about how he murdered Julián. Jaibo kills Pedro in revenge. Carmelo finds out where Jaibo is hiding, tips off the police, and Jaibo – much to Carmelo’s delight – is shot dead by the police as he is trying to escape.

Analytical Overview

The first point that needs to be made is that it may seem a little strange including a film by a Spanish director in a book about Latin American cinema. To an extent this is an important consideration. Buñuel was born in Spain, he grew up there, and began to make his first films in Spain.