Jaime Humberto Hermosillo – Doña Herlinda y su hijo AKA Dona Herlinda and Her Son (1985)

Quote:
A sophisticated social comedy directed by Jaime Humberto Hermosillo, one of Mexico’s most daring, original filmmakers.

Dona Herlinda is a wealthy, fantastically manipulative widow living in Guadalajara who quietly accepts her son Rudolfo’s affair with a handsome young music student, Ramon. After she invites Ramon to live with her family (“Rudolfo has such a big bed,” she says) the situation becomes hilariously complicated by Rudolfo’s marriage of convenience to Olga, a feminist and employee of Amnesty International.

Dona Herlinda’s comedy lies in watching Dona Herlinda flawlessly manipulate the people in her life while maintaining a Nancy Reagan-like facade of cool detachnent. Despite all the possibilities for disaster the characters in this film react to unbelievable situations with deadpan nonchalance. Jaime Humberto Hermosillo has directed twelve features — most dealing with the conventions and petty concerns of middle class society. Dona Herlinda is his third collaboration with producer Manual Barbachano Ponce, one of Mexico’s most important independent film producers.

Based on a story Hermosillo read in a Guadalajara newspaper, Dona Herlinda has met with some interesting reactions in Mexico. According to Hermosillo: “The most disturbing thing about the film to some of the ‘machista’ audience has not been the sex in the film but the tenderness — it’s so tender, the relationship between the men, and some cannot accept that. I think that’s terrible.”