Why Esperáme is still worth it (mostly for Gardel's hair)

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, you should probably watch this if you’re into those old black-and-white movies where people stare at each other for way too long. If you hate slow plots where the big 'secret' is obvious from the first five minutes, you might want to skip it.

It is mostly a movie for people who want to see Carlos Gardel being a total legend. If you don't know who he is, this is a decent place to start, even if the movie itself is a bit thin.

The whole thing is about a rich girl named Rosario. She falls for a singer, but he’s hiding who he really is because... well, because that’s how movies worked in 1933. Drama requires people to be very bad at communicating.

I kept thinking about Tired Feet while watching the middle section. It has that same 'we have all day' energy where scenes just sort of happen without much hurry.

Gardel is the whole show, really. When he isn't on the screen, the movie feels like it is holding its breath or waiting for something better to happen.

He has this specific way of leaning against a wall. It makes every other actor in the room look like they are trying way too hard to be 'acting.'

The lead actress, Lolita Benavente, does her best. She mostly has to look surprised or worried or dreamy, which she is good at, but the script doesn't give her much else to do.

There is this one scene in a garden where the shadows are just weirdly long. It feels like they filmed it at 4 PM and the whole crew was ready to go home and eat dinner.

I noticed a guy in the background of the nightclub scene who looks completely lost. He’s just standing there while the main characters have this big emotional moment, and I couldn't stop watching him. 💃

The music is the highlight, obviously. You don't watch a movie written by Alfredo Le Pera if you want a tight, fast-paced thriller.

You watch it to hear that voice. Even with the hiss and the pops on the old audio track, it’s still better than most stuff you hear on the radio now.

The plot moves like a tired turtle sometimes. One scene goes on for about five minutes and it is just people sitting at a table talking about things that don't really matter to the story.

I found myself looking at the curtains in the background more than the actual actors during the house scenes. They were very fancy, heavy-looking curtains.

It reminded me a little bit of The Fear Fighter in how it handles the 'brave hero' archetype. Very dramatic, very loud, and everyone is constantly posing for the camera.

Some things I wrote down while watching:

• The amount of hair gel used in this film could probably fuel a small car.
• Why does everyone in the 30s talk like they are standing in a windstorm?
• The rich father character is a total cliché, but he plays it with a lot of heart.
• There’s a dog that appears for three seconds and then disappears forever. I hope he’s okay.
• The lighting in the final scene is actually pretty cool, very moody.

The ending is exactly what you think it’s going to be. No big twists here, but it’s kind of comforting in a way, like eating a piece of toast when you’re feeling a bit sick.

Some of the dialogue is so cheesy it’s actually kind of sweet. I think I laughed in a part that was supposed to be sad, but that’s the charm of these old films, isn't it?

It’s not perfect. The editing is jumpy and sometimes a scene ends so fast you wonder if they ran out of film or if the editor just got bored.

If you like the identity swap vibes in things like The Prince and the Pauper, this is a fun, musical variation of that trope.

I also got some vibes from Just Out of College regarding the whole 'young people trying to find their way' thing. It's a classic theme for a reason.

The audio quality is pretty rough in spots. You really have to lean in to hear some of the quieter lines, but then the music kicks in and it's super loud.

The hats, though. We need to talk about the hats. Everyone in this movie has a perfect hat. I wish people still dressed like that just to go to the grocery store.

It’s not as intense or dark as something like Wanted for Murder, which is fine. Sometimes you just want a light romance with some good singing.

It feels a bit like Pardon Me in terms of how it doesn't take itself too seriously until the very end. The movie gets way better once you stop worrying about the plot holes.

There is a scene where a guy is smoking a cigarette and he looks so cool I almost wanted to start smoking. (I won't, but he made it look tempting). 🚬

I also noticed the sets look a bit like they were borrowed from another movie. Especially the office scenes. Very generic, but they do the job.

Compared to My Old Kentucky Home, this feels a bit more international and polished. Just a little bit.

So yeah, give it a shot if you’re bored on a Sunday afternoon. It’s a nice way to spend an hour and change, especially if you have some good snacks. Just don't expect it to change your life or anything.

It’s just a nice, dusty piece of history. And Gardel is magnetic. Every time he smiles, you kind of get why the movie was made in the first place.

I think I missed a few plot points because I was distracted by a fly in my room. But I don't think it mattered. The story is pretty much 'boy meets girl, boy lies, girl finds out, singing happens.'

Anyway, it’s a solid 6 out of 10 for me. Maybe a 7 if you really like tango music. 🎶