El Gran Calavera (The Great Madcap) (1949)

70% of users liked it
(443 ratings)

El Gran Calavera a dark comedy directed by Luis Buñuel deals with a family's attempt to change the spending habit of the indulgent and hedonistic patriarch, Alfredo (Luis Alconira). The family decides to try to fool him into spending less by telling him that his large fortune is gone. He… More El Gran Calavera a dark comedy directed by Luis Buñuel deals with a family's attempt to change the spending habit of the indulgent and hedonistic patriarch, Alfredo (Luis Alconira). The family decides to try to fool him into spending less by telling him that his large fortune is gone. He discovers that this is a ruse but -- in order to teach his family that they are all worthless and lazy and to vindicate his own reputation -- he continues to feign ignorance while sneaking off during the day to conduct his very prosperous business. ~ Linda Rasmussen, Rovi

Directed By: Luis Buñuel
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Nov 25, 1949 Wide

Critic Reviews

Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
Ever the foot fetishist, Buñuel opens The Great Madcap with a fragmented shot of intertwined legs and feet.

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Eric B

"The Great Madcap" rivals "Robinson Crusoe" as director Luis Bunuel's most conventional, mainstream-minded film. The premise sounds like something from Frank Capra's playbook. Wealthy executive Ramiro has a slew of worthless employees and family members… More
"The Great Madcap" rivals "Robinson Crusoe" as director Luis Bunuel's most conventional, mainstream-minded film. The premise sounds like something from Frank Capra's playbook. Wealthy executive Ramiro has a slew of worthless employees and family members exploiting his good will. Part of the problem is that he's usually too drunk to care. But when his careless practices reach a crisis point and threaten to permanently drain his fortune, his parasitic relatives decide to set him right by convincing him that his money is already gone. So, the clan implants the lie, moves to the poor side of town and takes menial jobs for show. But Ramiro soon discovers the ruse and flips it -- he starts sneaking back to his office while mischievously letting the others go on toiling in the slums. But there's a feel-good twist: The family's new lifestyle is having a positive effect on their lazy, self-absorbed ways. And Ramiro's daughter -- previously engaged to a upper-crust scoundrel -- is discovering an attraction to a local, good-hearted peasant. Bunuel's stamp is virtually absent from "The Great Madcap" -- the story opens with his typical cynicism about the privileged class, but the characters gradually redeem themselves. A feel-good Luis Bunuel movie? Believe it or not.

El Gran Calavera (The Great Madcap) (1949)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Eric B

Also available on

Other Retailers

Subscription Services

Cast

Watch offline from your computer

Flixster Desktop

Watch on your TV

Google TV

Microsoft XBOX 360

Sony Playstation 3

Watch on your tablet

iPad

Kindle Fire, Kindle Nook

Android tablets

Watch on your phone

iPhone, iPod Touch

Android phones

Are you sure?

Google TV Get the Flixster app , then sign in	Microsoft XBOX 360 Get the Vudu app, connect to UltraViolet. Rentals currently not available. Flixster app coming soon!
Sony Playstation 3 Get the Vudu app, connect to UltraViolet. Rentals currently not available. Flixster app coming soon!

iPad Get the Flixster app , then sign in	Kindle Fire, Kindle Nook Get the Flixster app , then sign in
Android tablets Get the Flixster app , then sign in