Madrecita (1974)

A sweet movie with heart, La Madrecita stars Maria Elena Velasco as a Sister, or "Little Mother", who joins a convent and shakes things up with her spunky and joyously rebellious style. The opening theme song is a swinging, priceless jazzy number of the era and a sign of the quality that is to come in this classic comedy. And it continues in top-rate tone.

When Sister Maria announces her full name, it's so long she has to suck in air to continue. This is one of many small, funny moments in the film, as Velasco displays the slightest gestures and facial cues, expressing herself universally and showing herself to be an actress of the highest order who undoubtedly could have masterfully acted in challenging dramatic roles as well. Indeed, there are touching scenes in La Madrecita that give such a glimpse of her abilities.

Another charming detail takes place in the clubhouse of the poor, street children. There is a poster of Raquel Welch on the door and a peep hole where her belly button is to look outside. Maria comments on how skinny she is.

Inadvertently getting drunk at a cantina, she refers to the black bartender as "guero" (sounds like weto or whetto), meaning "whitey." And when she's explaining herself to the police chief, she burps and he says, "salud." The drunken Maria replies, "Gracis. De nada." For what it's worth, she plays a drunk so perfectly and effortlessly, that she puts her fellow actors who usually play drunks to shame. Plus, she's a sexy, drunk nun, too.

The physical comedy comes towards the end as Sister Maria takes the children to the circus. When she loses one of the youngest boys (continually needing to pee), she gets caught up in the trapeze act, the lion's cage and so on. When four clowns (one a dwarf) return the lost boy to her, they say something like, "Is this the boy you're looking for?" Maria replies, "This one is, this one no (gesturing towards the dwarf)."

On their return, men are repossessing furniture and artifacts from the convent. Maria and the boys launch an attack on them, which turns into a food fight, complete with pies in the faces of everyone. In the end, Sister Maria and the boys sing a beautiful version of Ave' Maria and a comical ending brings us to the FIN. One of the very best of the La India Maria series of movies.