Father Damien (Moreno) arrived at town to a less-than-stellar welcome after the local crime boss ordered everyone to avoid the priest. Set in early 1960's in a small town, it's easy to identify with the townsfolk who don't want to cross the powerful man. Damien, who is shown right away as someone with tremendous faith in God and in doing the right thing, doesn't back down as others would do. Instead, he embraces the town and it's sitting priest, whose sister makes war with the priest, "knowing" he is there to replace her beloved brother. As Damien learns more about the town and its situation, he becomes increasingly resourceful in order to improve the lot in life of the people he comes in contact with, regardless of whether they want his help. This puts him at odds with the boss who will stop at nothing to get rid of the meddling priest.

I liked the many light touches of social commentary that the movie showed. From the idea that the kids needed an education to the humanity displayed in Damien's imperfect nature (after all, priests aren't supposed to smoke, drink, or gamble yet he manages to do all three to the benefit of the church), Moreno's character shined through as it typically does in his movies. How could anyone not like this guy? Much in the same vein as the priest characters in some of the older Bing Crosby movies from decades previous, Moreno showed that just because he was a priest didn't mean he was stupid, lazy, or willing to let wrongs go unaddressed. Far too often, the only priests the public hears about are the ones accused of molesting children or other wrongdoing so I guess this movie, made in 1964, would be too sappy for those of us who consider such movies unsophisticated but I had a lot of fun with it. Much like El Analfabeto, Moreno provided a look at circumstances not too dissimilar from those most of us face on a regular basis. After all, who out there has not worked for an overbearing boss or worried about some criminal bully pushing us to do what they want, rather than the "right thing?"

I felt the movie was worth a rating of Recommended based on the content more than the (complete lack of) extras, or technical qualities. It won't be a great view for everyone but I'd recommend it for families or fans of the late, great Mario Moreno. It has some moral messages that some people will probably dislike but for the most part they are presented with a light touch.

Picture: The picture was presented in 1.85:1 ratio anamorphic widescreen color. The source print for this one had a number of scratches but most were small and not extended in length. There were the usual minor issues with grain and soft focus as well as a few minor artifacts but Columbia did a good job on this one overall.

Sound: The sound was presented in Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with optional English and Spanish subtitles. As with the picture, the sound was pretty solid for its age. The vocals and sound both fit in well although a couple of times I noticed it had some minor dropouts.

Extras: There were a few trailers and a paper insert with the chapter listing and other Cantinflas movies listed.

Final Thoughts: In an age of political correctness run rampant, it's always nice to see how other cultures treat such subject matter. Of course there were the classic moments of Moreno showing off his style to entertain viewers, as any of his fans would expect and the tension between the two lead characters (Damien and the boss) to keep things interesting between the variety of situations. In all, it was as good as I expected.