Huracán Ramírez (1953)

Original film poster.

Huracán Ramírez (Hurricane Ramirez) was a 1953 black-and-white Mexican film directed by Joselito Rodriguez and co-written by Joselito Rodriguez, Juan Rodríguez Mas, and Jesús Saucedo. The film follows the story of a young man who decides to follow his in his father's footsteps by becoming the masked luchador, Huracán Ramírez, despite his father's wishes to the contrary.

Huracán Ramírez was the first Lucha film to ever be made, but unlike later films of the genre, it's storyline focused on more dramatic overtures and light comedy, leaving Huracán with very little to do from a heroic standpoint. The actor, David Silva, played the part of the young man, but the wrestling scenes were performed by Spanish wrestler Eduardo Bonada. Bonada later wrestled as Huracán Ramírez until 1959 when he called it quits, and was replaced by luchador Daniel García. García proved himself to be the true innovator of the Huracán Ramírez character, and continued to wrestle under the identity of Huracán Ramírez until his retirement in 1988.

Plot

Fernando Torres, in light of his family's poor finances, drops out of college to become a successful lounge singer at a local club. A fact he keeps secret from his father, a washed-up wrestler under the name of Tonina Jackson. Tonino has had some recent popularity in the ring, only due to Fernando bribing other wrestlers to lose. Fernando is also secretly moonlighting as the masked luchador Huracán Ramírez to further help with the household expenses. He is assisted by his somewhat dim-witted friend, Pichí, who doubles as his trainer and his stand-in for any situation in which Fernando and Huracán might have to be seen at the same time. Tonino has a growing resentment against Huracán's popularity and is further aggravated when he refuses to face him in the ring.

After a night of partying, Fernando's father discovers his secret job as a lounge singer. Unimpressed with his new career path and disappointed he ended his schooling, he demands Fernando to leave his household. Tonina is later dissuaded by his younger daughter, who explains Fernando has been helping with finances for some time and without his spare income, the family would have been unable to survive. Meanwhile, the local wrestling promoter discovers Fernando has been setting up his father's matches. The promoter promises not to expose him as long as further bribes do not occur. In a following match against the wrestler Bello Califa, a drunken Pichí is mistaken for Huracán Ramírez. Pichí manages to defeat the flamboyant Bello Califa and after much confusion, both Fernando's sisters discover the true identity of Huracan.

In the next day's match, Fernando wrestles against El Médico Asesino, only to be interrupted by an angry Totina. Despite being unwilling to fight against his father, Fernando relents. After their impromptu match comes to an end, Totina develops a great respect for Huracán Ramírez and decides to form an alliance with him. Meanwhile, Gloria, a fellow lounge singer and Fernando's former flame, feels dejected when her love for Fernando goes on unrequited. She is later enraged to learn that he has a new girlfriend, Laura, Pichí's older sister. A broken-hearted Gloria seeks revenge against her former lover, and after discovering his secret identity of Huracán Ramírez, plots to kill him by enlisting the aid of rival luchadors Frank "El Carnicero" Bucher, El Médico Asesino, Camilo "Bulldog" Pérez.

The plan is to kidnap Fernando's father, who will thereby be unable to attend the night's tag-team match, and be replaced with Bulldog. During the course of the match, Bulldog will turn against Huracán, and the three luchadors will beat him to death. Their plan is foiled however, as Pichí quickly alerts Fernando who arrives just in time as Huracán to free his father, but his leg is badly injured in the process. Totina leaves for the match, only for Huracán to be replaced last minute by Bulldog, a reversal of Gloria's original plan. Fernando manages to rush to the wrestling stadium in time to fend off his father's attackers, but in his wounded state is easily overpowered by them. In an illegal move, one of the luchadors unmasks Fernando, revealing his true identity to his father. At this, both father and son are put in a blind rage, in which they both are able to defeat their attackers at the thunderous applause of fans.