Cotolay 1965

Cotolay 1965

Cotolay 1965
1h 46m | Comedy | Release date: April 5, 1968 (Mexico)

Storyline:

The plot is loosely based on the legend from Galicia in north-west Spain of the founding by St Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) of the Convent of San Francisco near Santiago de Compostela in 1214 with the help of a poor charcoal burner named Cotolay, who found a buried treasure which paid for the construction. This slow moving but engaging film opens with St Francis arriving in Santiago with two other monks – Juan of Florence and Bernardo de Quintavalle – during a pilgrimage there to visit the tomb of St James the Apostle in the cathedral. He receives a divine revelation to tarry there until the meaning of his vision becomes clear. Faint with hunger he meets Cotolay (the 14-year-old Didier Haudepin) who gives the monks (stolen) figs to eat and leads them to the nearby Mount Pedroso where logging-master Tarna gives them food and lodging in return for work during their stay. While praying on the mountain St Francis believes he has been divinely instructed that his order of mendicant friars should found convents, starting at Santiago. Because St Francis is struck down with fever and blindness, Cotolay promises him that he will build it for him. Believing his grandfather’s tales of buried treasure at a ruined abbey Cotolay vainly goes in search of it, until St Francis tells him that real treasure lies in one’s self, in faith, humility and obedience; with these qualities one can build a whole world, not just a convent. With charm, piety, zeal and kindness Cotolay sets about his task, persuading the abbot of St Martin’s Benedictine Monastery to grant a parcel of his land as large as a bull’s skin in return for a basketful of fish. The abbot agrees but Cotolay cuts the skin into thin strips and marks out a far larger plot of land than expected in the Val de Dios (Valley of God). Next Cotolay gets the cathedral master mason Mateo to donate a pile of stones and has the loggers transport them to the chosen site in a competition of strength. After Mateo has constructed the convent St Francis is taken to the new building where his sight is restored. The film ends with St Francis taking his leave of a tearful Cotolay, who wants him to stay. (It should be noted that the version of the film with English subtitles is usually known as Cotolay, rather than by the original Spanish title of El Nino y El Lobo – The Boy and the Wolf.) The wolf of the Spanish title plays only a very minor part in the story and is eventually tamed by St Francis.

User review:

Cotolay is an enjoyable religious picture about faith and sacrifice . It deals with a group of priests named San Juan De Florencia (Conrado San Martin) , Bernardo De Quintanar (Bastida) and led by Francisco De Asis (Vicente Parra) in pilgrimage at the famous city of Santiago De Compostela . Stationed with an impoverished society must decide whether to leave or stay , as the priests are living a severe existence , begging charity , working and praying and while help by various means to people , as Francisco heals ills , and other teaches and the hunk Juan De Florencia cuts trees as a great lumberjack. It starts showing how the locals and the Christian community coexist in harmony . They are very much appreciated by the local population and some woodcutters when Francisco has a vision and God assigns him building a Catholic Monastery , being helped by Cotolay (Didier Haudepin) who convinces to Abad ( Santiago Ontañon) to give them a terrain . After that , he bets with the notorious sculptor Maese Mateo (Jose Bodalo) author the ¨Facade of Glory¨ from the Cathedral about some piles of rocks . Meanwhile , Cotolay befriends a deer , seeks a treasure of Almanzor and finally takes place an amusing race carrying the rocks from the quarry until the convent .

This spiritual film is full of good feeling , stern life , touching sacrifice and enjoyable relationship among monks and Cotolay . It describes their simple and austere existence only threatened by a wolf though early Francisco befriends , but they will have to decide whether to stay or go back to Italy , when then have a holy vision and they all decide to stay . Sensational performances from main cast as Vicente Parra , Conrado San Martin and the sympathetic kid Didier Haupedin along with the remaining cast as Francisco Camoiras , Santiago Ontañon as Abad , Cris Huerta as stonemason , Roberto Rey as grandfather , Xan Das Bolas , Ramon Centenero , Miguel Palenzuela , and of course , special mention to the great Jose Bodalo , a veteran secondary actor continuously working from the 40s . Sensible and religious music score by Angel Arteaga . Very good and extraordinary cinematography by Mario Pacheco filmed on location in Bandeirao, Pontevedra,Carboeiro, Pontevedra, Lugo, Melon, Ourense, Merza, Pontevedra, Ribadavia, Ourense, Galicia, Santiago De Compostela, A Coruña , Santuario De Lerez, Pontevedra ,Ávila, Castilla y León.

This is an acceptable film with fine sets by Enrique Alarcon and well directed by Jose Antonio Nieves Conde , a director of great quality . He’s expert on thought-provoking and brooding dramas (Surcos , El Inquilino) , religious cinema (Balarrasa, Cotolay) , passionate story (Casa Manchada , Mas Alla del deseo , Marta , Historia una Traicion) , Comedy (Don Lucio and Hermano Pio) and even Terror (Sounds of horror) . Rating : Passable and entertaining film , well worth watching , because it is plenty of luminous sensibility , brotherhood , love , holy feeling and faith .

Director: José Antonio Nieves Conde
Writers: Luis Ligero, José Antonio Nieves Conde, Luis Antonio Ruiz
Stars: Vicente Parra, Didier Haudepin, José Bódalo
Country of origin: Spain
Language: Spanish
Also known as: El niño y el lobo
Filming locations: Bandeirao, Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain

Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
File size : 1.67 GiB
Duration : 1 h 44 min
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 2 295 kb/s
Frame rate : 25.000 FPS

Links: iMDB | NFO | Screenshots backup

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English subtitle