The Torch (1950)
Overview
The story of a fear-inspiring revolutionary general who develops a passion for the daughter of a wealthy villager. It's hate at first sight so far as the girl is concerned, but this will soon change.
Cast
Paulette Goddard
Mariá Dolores Peñafiel
Pedro Armendáriz
José Juan Reyes
Gilbert Roland
Father Sierra
Walter Reed
Dr. Robert Stanley
Julio Villarreal
Don Carlos Peñafiel
Carlos Múzquiz
Fidel Bernal
José Torvay
Captain Quiñones
Pascual García Peña
Don Apolonio Sánchez
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- Reviews
CinemaSerf
Paulette Goddard had a hand in the production of this because she liked the (far superior) source film "Enamorada" from four years earlier. Pedro Armendáriz reprises his role as the conquering general "José Juan" who arrives in a town determined to secure it's riches for his libertarian cause. He also has an old friend here, in the form of the priest "Sierra" (Gilbert Roland) and quickly takes a shine to the feisty "Maria Dolores" (PG) who is already promised to the local, rather decent, "Dr. Stanley" (Walter Reed). Regrettably, the production here is pretty basic, there is way too much dialogue and little enough action for the usually charismatic Armendáriz to get his teeth into. Goddard looks the part, but doesn't feature anything like enough to keep this from meandering along waiting for the plague and/or the government troops to come and force a few hands. It's only eighty minutes long but there really isn't enough story to pad it out that long and it struggles to sustain much interest - even with a population of two-faced townsfolk and a little personal tragedy thrown in too. It's poor, this, sorry.
