(Grupo Claudio, 1964) Prod/Dir: Alberto Isaac; Scr: Alberto Isaac, Emilio García Riera; Orig. Story: Gabriel García Márquez; Photo: Carlos Carbajal; Film Ed: Carlos Savage; Art Dir: Guadalupe Jara; Music: Nacho Méndez

Cast: Julián Pastor (Dámaso), Rocío Sagaón (Ana), Graciela Enríquez (Ticha), Luis Vicens (don Ubaldo), Antonio Alcalá (Escobosa), Alfonso Arau (traveling salesman), Luis Buñuel (priest), Héctor Ortega (effeminate waiter), Octavio Alba (sacristan), Blanca Estela Salazar (young neighbor), domino players: Juan Rulfo, Abel Quezada, Carlos Monsiváis; Leonora Carrington, José Luis Cuevas, , Argentina Morales, María Antonieta Domínguez, Lucero Rueda [aka Lucero Isaac], Mario Castillón Bracho (albino), María Luisa Mendoza (bargirl), Hugo Velázquez, Ernesto García Cabral, Arturo Rosen [aka Arturo Ripstein], Elda Peralta, Víctor Fosado, Cristina Samano, Lucrecia de Rebetez, Alicia Bergua, Francisca Riera, Alberto Isaac, Emilio García Riera (billiard hall "expert"), Gabriel García Márquez (ticket taker in cinema)

Notes: Dámaso steals the balls from the small town billiard hall of don Ubaldo. Ubaldo says this will ruin his business; the town priest criticizes the theft but also disapproves of billiards. Dámaso hears the balls might be valuable, if they are made of ivory; he and Ana, with whom he lives and who supports him, decide to steal billiard balls in one town and sell them in another. The police arrest an albino man--an outsider--under suspicion of stealing the balls. Dámaso decides to sneak the balls back into the pool hall, over Ana's objections. However, when he breaks into the building, don Ubaldo catches him. Ubaldo not only recovers the balls, he demands the "return" of 200 pesos which he claims Dámaso also stole, or he'll turn him over to the police.

This film was made by Alberto Isaac as an entry in the Experimental Cinema Contest, sponsored by the STPC union, and won second prize. Also recognized for their efforts were Julián Pastor (Best Actor), Rocío Sagaón (Best Actress), Isaac and García Riera (Best Adaptation), Nacho Méndez (Best Music Theme), and Carlos Carbajal (Best Photography).

En este pueblo no hay ladrones was filmed in Mexico City and Cuautla in October 1964, with many of Isaac's friends playing small roles (it also marks the first Isaac film with Héctor Ortega, Alfonso Arau, and Mario Castillón Bracho, who would all work with the director later). Isaac received a Diosa de Plata award in 1966 as Best New Director for his debut film.

Back to the Alberto Isaac page.

The author of this page is David Wilt (dw45@umail.umd.edu)