La diosa arrodillada (The Kneeling Goddess). 1947. Mexico. Directed by Roberto Gavaldón. Screenplay by José Revueltas, based on a story by Ladislas Fodor. With María Félix, Arturo de Córdova, Rosario Granados. In Spanish; English subtitles. DCP courtesy of Cineteca Nacional. 110 min.
Roberto Gavaldón’s psychological melodrama features Félix as Raquel Serrano, a model whose nude likeness triggers a tragic narrative of desire, deception, and destruction. The plot centers on a symbolic triangle: a man (Arturo de Córdova), his wife (Rosario Granados), and a sculpture modeled after his mistress—a physical representation of infidelity placed within the marital home. Gavaldón uses visual techniques of film noir to examine the connections between art, desire, and mortality, culminating in the husband’s murder of his wife to pursue Raquel. Through controlled emotional shifts, Félix creates a character who moves beyond simple villainy toward tragic complexity, showing her skill at portraying morally ambiguous female characters while preserving their opacity.