Chucho el Roto: A Classic Robin Hood Tale That Still Has Some Spark

Is it worth the watch?

If you're in the mood for some classic melodrama with a side of class warfare, sure, give it a go. People who love those old-fashioned, high-stakes romantic dramas from the golden era will probably enjoy this quite a bit. If you need snappy editing or a fast-paced thriller, you’re going to hate how slow this feels sometimes.

Honestly, watching Chucho el Roto feels a bit like digging through an old attic. It’s got that specific dust and charm that you just don't get in modern movies anymore.

The whole premise is simple: guy meets girl, rich folks say no, guy loses his mind and decides to rob them. It’s a classic, sure, but it works because of how earnest the whole thing is. You can feel the actors leaning into every single line of dialogue.

There is this one scene where he’s working in his shop, and the camera just lingers on his hands for a second too long. It’s a quiet moment, but it tells you more about his character than five minutes of yelling ever could. It’s nice when a movie trusts the audience to just watch someone do their job for a bit.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Chucho el Roto (1934) through its definitive frames.

The pacing is… well, it’s not for everyone. Some scenes drag, especially when they’re setting up the social dynamics of the wealthy families. I found myself checking my watch, but then something would happen—like a sharp look between characters or a particularly dramatic entrance—and I was right back in it.

It definitely lacks the polish of something like Downstairs, which had that tight, claustrophobic tension. Here, it’s all about the sweeping gestures and the grand emotional stakes.

Random Notes:

• The costume design for the upper-class parties is surprisingly fancy for a guy who’s supposed to be a humble carpenter.
• There’s a specific shadow in the third act that covers the lead's face just enough to make him look like a total villain, even when he’s being a hero.
• The way they handle the "giving to the poor" scenes feels a bit hurried, like they spent all their time on the romance and realized they needed to show the robbery part in the last ten minutes.
• The music swells at the exact right, and sometimes the exact wrong, moments.

It’s not trying to be a deep, philosophical look at the human condition. It’s just a story about a guy who got his heart broken and decided to make it everyone else’s problem. And honestly? I respect the hustle.

If you liked the vibe of Marta of the Lowlands, you’ll probably find some familiar rhythms here. It’s imperfect, a little bit dated, and definitely doesn’t care about being "prestige cinema." It just is. And that’s fine by me. 🎥