Pepita Jiménez

A young priest returns to his hometown to find that the residents are making a mockery of sacred religious rites, including those of marriage and death. Contrary to his preachings, he falls in love with the most beautiful woman in town arter her decrepit old husband dies of natural causes. The story is based on a classic 19th century Spanish novel by the same name by Juan Valera in which a young seminarian spends time in his deceased uncle's estate and falls in love with the young, charming widow, Pepita Jimenez. The movie offered many comic/serious episodes as the young man deals with his emotions to Pepita and his commitment to the Church. Without any malice or overt sexuality the bonding of these two characters materializes and the young man abandons his religious vocation for marriage to the young and beautiful Pepita. Many of the supporting artists were consummate actors among them Julio Villareal, Consuelo Guerrero de Luna and Fortuno Bonanova who later made a career in Hollywood and acted opposite Montalban in "Fiesta". The movie was an excellent production which I still recall after many decades and showcased the versatility of Montalban in both serious and comic episodes.