The Unknown Policeman
1941 film
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The Unknown Policeman (Spanish: El gendarme desconocido) is a 1941 Mexican comedy film directed and co-written by Miguel M. Delgado and starring Mario Moreno «Cantinflas», Mapy Cortés, Daniel "Chino" Herrera and Gloria Marín.[1] It was shot at the Clasa Studios in Mexico City. The film's sets were designed by the art director Jorge Fernández.
Jaime Salvador
Miguel M. Delgado
| The Unknown Policeman | |
|---|---|
| |
| Directed by | Miguel M. Delgado |
| Written by | José F. Elizondo Jaime Salvador Miguel M. Delgado |
| Produced by | Santiago Reachi |
| Starring | Mario Moreno «Cantinflas» Mapy Cortés Daniel "Chino" Herrera Gloria Marín |
| Cinematography | Gabriel Figueroa |
| Edited by | Emilio Gómez Muriel |
| Music by | Rafael Hernández |
Production company | Posa Films |
| Distributed by | Columbia Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 108 minutes |
| Country | Mexico |
| Language | Spanish |
Plot
The narrative focuses on 777 (Cantinflas), a fast-talking, impoverished wanderer who splits his time between bumbling street antics and the local neighborhood cabaret tavern, where his girlfriend, a beautiful and spirited showgirl named Amparo (Gloria Marín), operates as a principal dancer.[2][3] One evening, a dangerous gang of professional jewel thieves launches a high-stakes robbery targeting a prominent, wealthy jewelry establishment in the city center.[2][4] The police force is completely blindsided, and the criminals successfully flee into the dark alleys of the capital.[2]
Through a chaotic string of errors, domestic misunderstandings, and his unique, fast-talking verbal acrobatics, 777 accidentally crosses paths with the fleeing jewel thieves outside the local tavern.[4][5] Completely confusing their nervous behavior, 777 launches a bumbling, physical altercation that single-handedly overpowers and subdues the entire armed gang before the authorities arrive.[2][5] Dumbfounded by this display of accidental heroism, the city's chief of police (Carlos Martínez Baena) decides to formally induct the vagabond into the local metropolitan police department as a full officer, assigning him the official badge number "777."[2][6]
The structural dynamic transitions into a high-stakes undercover assignment.[2] Recognizing that a second, much larger international crime syndicate is operating behind the scenes to recover the stolen jewels, the police command assigns the newly minted Officer 777 to pose as a wealthy, high-society millionaire eccentric visiting a luxury hotel.[2][5] While managing the confusing luxury of the hotel suite, 777 is aggressively courted by a sophisticated, glamorous criminal operative, Criolla (Mapy Cortés), and a clever associate, a con man nicknamed "El Roto" (Daniel "Chino" Herrera), who attempt to manipulate him to uncover the location of the hidden loot.[2][5]
Officer 777 utilizes his bizarre, confusing conversational tangents—completely baffling the gangsters' logic—to extract top-secret underworld financial information and location data while covertly navigating a series of near-fatal hotel shootouts and domestic escapes.[4][5] His continuous absence fuels intense feelings of romantic jealousy in Amparo, who inadvertently triggers a chaotic public scene inside the hotel that threatens to expose his entire law enforcement innocence.[5] Through tactical resourcefulness, ultimate physical slapstick maneuvers, and an explosive final confrontation, 777 completely unmasks the international crime network, resulting in a sweeping police raid that cleans up the city's corruption.[2][5] Fully decorated as a hero, 777 chooses to step away from the administrative stress of high office, happily returning to his familiar neighborhood streets to protect his community alongside Amparo.[2]
Cast
- Mario Moreno «Cantinflas» as El Chato / Agente 777
- Mapy Cortés as La criollita
- Daniel "Chino" Herrera as Comandante Bravo
- Gloria Marín as Amparo
- Julio Villarreal as Jefe de policía
- Agustín Isunza as Sargento
- Carlos López Moctezuma as Matias Luis Riquelme
- Luis G. Barreiro as Empleado hotel
- Consuelo Guerrero de Luna as doña Joaquinita
- Carolina Barret as Cabaretera
- Amparo Arozamena as Esposa de enfermo
- Estanislao Shilinsky as Gerente hotel
- Alfredo Varela as Bermúdez
- Eduardo Arozamena
- Alfonso Bedoya as Greñas
- Narciso Busquets as Niño
- Enrique Carrillo as Borracho en comisaria
- Roberto Cañedo as Extra
- Roberto Corell as Cliente Francés de hotel
- Joaquín Coss as Professor Melo
- Fernando Curiel as Empleado hotel
- Manuel Dondé as Amigo vagabundo
- Rafael Hernández
- Alfonso Jiménez
- Max Langler as Policía
- Amanda del Llano as Chica restaurante de hotel
- Rubén Márquez as Hombre bailando hotel
- Óscar Pulido
- Humberto Rodríguez as Vendedor de plumas
- Arturo Soto Rangel as Doctor
- Armando Velasco
- Pedro Elviro as Secuaz de Riquelme
