Emilio Fernandez, "Maria Candelaria"

October 17th, 2012

     The only format in which I would feel comfortable citing, not only Twitter, but MY OWN tweet nontheless, would be for a blog for Professor Mack's Latin American Humanities class. Perhaps I wasn't thinking clearly, but I didn't think that, upon tweeting Professor Mack directly, he would bring it up in class the very next day . . . he did. This is the tweet: "@toddkmack Maria Candelaria is a grade A+ babe #modestishottest #nevernude #itscomplicated #ihum260." I was definately trying to be somewhat humerous, but it's true what I said. The topic of today's blog is that of BEAUTY and the way that director, Emilio Fernandez, presents the true beauty of Maria Candelaria in his film.



     Dolores del Rio is the actress that plays the role of Maria Candelaria (I will continue to refer to her by her full name because they refuse to do anything else in the movie). Clearly she is a physically attractive woman and, in that time period, was considered somewhat of an "exotic beauty." In order to more fully take advangtage of her appearance, Fernandez displays the beauty of the innocent, humble Maria Candelaria through various "framing" techneiques, as Professor Mack pointed out in class, and by way of frequent close-up shots to better accentuate the near perfect facial feature of Dolores del Rio.

     Apart from the obvious methods employed by Fernandez, symbolism was also a key component. I am just about the worst person when it comes to "reading into" works of art and discovering just what the author, director, or artist is trying to portray but I think that maybe, just maybe, Fernandez intentionally used THE FLOWER as a means of providing the viewer with an even deeper understanding of the real beauty of Maria Candelaria. Not only a beauty which appeals to the natural eye, but a beauty which lies much deeper, within Maria Candelaria. Maria Candelaria, by profession, sells flowers. Many times, unrightfully so, people are identified with what it is that they do to support themselves. In the case of Maria Candelaria's mother, something horrendous that ocurred years earlier would not only identify her for the rest of her life, but would follow the life of her daughter untill the very moment of her untimely death. The store owner is depended upon. The painter is respected and admired by all. Maria Candelaria is cast in a negative light because of her poverty and is nothing more than a flower saleswoman.
     Reflecting upon Maria Candelaria and her societal postition as "la Mujer de las Flores," my mind quickly thought of the ideal symbol of pure beauty: THE LOTUS FLOWER. As stated by a buddhist monk:

"The lotus flower is one of the most ancient and deepest symbols of our planet. The lotus flower grows in muddy water and rises above the surface to bloom with remarkable beauty. At night the flower closes and sinks underwater, at dawn it rises and opens again. Untouched by the impurity, lotus symbolizes the purity of heart and mind. This pattern of growth signifies the progress of the soul from the primeval mud of materialism, through the waters of experience, and into the bright sunshine of enlightenment." (http://jendhamuni.com/news/articles/lotusFlower.htm)


     Born and raised in the muddy waters of Xochimilco, Mexico, Maria Candelaria sprung up, just as the beautiful lotus flower does, "untouched by impurity." Beauty takes many forms, and in the cases of Maria Candelaria and the lotus flower, nearly finds perfection in innocence, communion, and redemption.