
Maclovia. 1948. Mexico. Directed by Emilio Fernández. Screenplay by Mauricio Magdaleno, Emilio Fernández. Cinematography by Gabriel Figueroa. With María Félix, Pedro Armendáriz, Carlos López Moctezua, Columbia Dominguez. 35mm. In Spanish; English subtitles. 100 min.
Fernández returns to the iconic “butterfly fishermen” of Lake Pátzcuaro for this partial remake of the 1935 Janitzio, now with María Félix as the Indian maiden ready to make the ultimate sacrifice: offering herself to a viciously racist army officer (Carlos López Moctezuma) in exchange for the freedom of her unjustly imprisoned betrothed (Pedro Armendáriz). As Maclovia’s romantic rival, Fernández cast his then-wife Columba Dominguez, launching another enduring star of the Mexican cinema.