Miguelón: A Smuggler’s Life and Some Very Dusty Roads

Is this for you?

If you like movies that feel like they were dug out of a basement, you'll probably dig this. It’s got a grit that modern stuff just doesn't replicate. But if you need snappy dialogue and a plot that actually moves, you’re gonna hate it. It moves at the speed of a tired mule. 🐴

The whole thing feels oddly heavy. Not heavy like deep philosophy, but heavy like the clothes they’re wearing. Everyone looks like they’re struggling against the landscape itself.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Miguelón, o el último contrabandista (1934) through its definitive frames.

Notes from the couch

There’s a moment near the start where the camera just lingers on a landscape for way too long. It’s not beautiful. It’s just... there. It reminded me a bit of the stark, uncomfortable reality in Land Without Bread, though without the same level of cynical bite. It’s just people living, I guess.

José María Alonso Pesquera has this look on his face through the whole film. It’s a mix of 'I’m tired' and 'I know something you don't.' It works, mostly.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Miguelón, o el último contrabandista (1934) through its definitive frames.

The pacing is all over the place. Sometimes it feels like a documentary about smuggling, and other times it tries to be a proper drama. It doesn't quite pull off both, but that's kind of why I liked it. It feels imperfect.

Small things I noticed:

• The background extras in the market scene look like they’re waiting for a bus.
• The sound mixing is a bit wild. Sometimes you can hear the wind, and sometimes the dialogue sounds like it’s coming from inside a tin can.
• I swear one of the horses has more screen time than some of the supporting cast.

It’s definitely not as polished as something like Get Your Man, but it’s got a weird soul. It doesn’t try to be clever. It just tries to be a movie about a guy who breaks laws for a living. That’s enough for me.

There’s a scene in the tavern that goes on for about five minutes too long. You can literally watch the actors start to lose their focus. It’s hilarious if you’re paying attention. Nobody talks about these little cracks in the facade, but they’re the best parts.

Anyway, don’t go in expecting a masterpiece. It’s just a weird, dusty relic. Sometimes that's the best kind of Friday night watch. 🍷