Skeleton of Mrs. Morales
Skeleton of Mrs. Morales is a 1960 [List of List of Mexican films of 1960|Mexican films of 1960|Mexican] black comedy film based on Arthur Machen’s 1927 short story "The Islington Mystery". It is regarded by critics as one of the hundred best Mexican films of all time.
In the film, a taxidermist is unhappily married to a religious fanatic who maliciously torments him. After the wife breaks his new camera, he poisons her to death and puts her skeleton on display.
Plot
Pablo Morales is a cheerful taxidermist, who lives with his bitter, crippled, obsessive, and extremely religious wife Gloria. Pablo wants to have children, but Gloria does not. Gloria constantly rebuffs his amorous advances, and constantly belittles him by telling him that he stinks of dead animals. Her primary reason for existence seems to be maliciously annoying her husband.Pablo has been saving money to buy a camera, but Gloria takes the money Pablo was saving and gives it to the church, leading to conflict with the local priest. Gloria falsely accuses Pablo of drunkenness and abuse. Pablo gets his camera, but Gloria maliciously breaks it, which proves to be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
Pablo takes his revenge by poisoning her. He then dissects Gloria's body and places her skeleton in the front window of his shop. The police and local priest become suspicious and he is put on trial, but he manages to escape man's justice.
Cast
- Arturo de Córdova — Dr. Pablo Morales
- Amparo Rivelles — Gloria de Morales
- Elda Peralta
- — Profesor
- Rosenda Monteros — Meche
- — Elodio
- — Lourditas Mendiolea
- Antonio Bravo — Padre Artemio Familiar
- Angelines Fernández — Clara, sister of Gloria