Memories of Underdevelopment (Memorias del subdesarrollo) poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Sergio Corrieri, Daisy Granados, Eslinda Nunez, Omar Valdes, Rene de la Cruz ... see more see more... , Yolanda Farr

The first Cuban film made after Fidel Castro's revolution to receive widespread distribution (and acclaim) in the United States, Memories of Underdevelopment is not exactly a broad endorsement of Cast... read more read more...ro's new Cuba. Its protagonist, Sergio (Sergio Correri) is depicted in the opening scenes as happy to see off his wife and parents and friends; they are fleeing Cuba in the wake of the Bay of Pigs invasion for America. He is skeptical of the ability of the Revolution to make a real change in Cuban society, observing that it is only the latest passion for an ever-changing society. Although Sergio's family furniture business has been taken over by the state, he still has a modest income as the landlord of several apartment buildings. He spends much of his time observing, either by walking the streets of Havana or using his telescope to spy on others from the safety of his apartment balcony. His passion is women, and in Elena (Daisy Granados), he finds an especially attractive object of desire. Her lack of experience excites him, but it almost proves his undoing when he decides to move on to other prey and Elena's family accuses him at a public trial of seducing and raping her. Acquitted and temporarily chastened, Sergio muses on what a new crisis, the discovery of Soviet missile installations by the United States, will mean for his island and his future. Filmmaker Tomás Gutiérrez Alea's next widely distributed film, 1994's Strawberry and Chocolate, was even more critical of the Castro government, focusing on its persecution of homosexuals. ~ Tom Wiener, Rovi

Flixster Users

87% liked it

880 ratings

Critics

86% liked it

7 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 37 min.

Directed by: Tomás Gutiérrez Alea

Release Date: May 17, 1973

Invite friends to see

Stats: 88 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

None yet... Got one?

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (88)

  • pier007
    May 29, 2009
    pier007
    Inspired by French nouvelle vague and Italian neorealism, Gutierrez Alea tells a picaresque and penetrating character study of a Cuban bourgeois trying to find his identity among the people living in the recently established socialist regime of Fidel Castro. A look on the underde... read moreveloped Latin America that is deep down inside quite bitter, corrosive and deprived of hope.
  • MadrigalDream
    November 13, 2009
    MadrigalDream
    I was reading through my Reviews, when I realized that not only have I NOT graced the Profile with a Review of a Cuban Film --- but, I don't have anything by TOMAS GUTIERREZ ALEA even referenced.

    What was I thinking?!?! I should be thrashed!!!!!

    For MEMORIES is that rare ... read moreFilm that Enlightens as it Entertains. An examination of the Cuban Bourgeois in his native habitat --- and the changes he must make if He chooses to remain there. An extraordinary viewing experience which will linger for months afterwards. Recommended without reservation.

View All Memories of Underdevelopment (Memorias del subdesarrollo) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Michael Joshua Rowin
October 21, 2010
Michael Joshua Rowin, L.A. Weekly

The eventual worldwide recognition of Underdevelopment as one of Cuba's finest films speaks as much for the frozen moment it captures as for its unimpeachable quality. Full Review

Ed Gonzalez
May 14, 2003
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine

A stirring blend of narrative fiction, still photography and rare documentary footage. Full Review

Vincent Canby
May 20, 2003
Vincent Canby, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Don Druker
January 1, 2000
Don Druker, Chicago Reader

Click to read the article Full Review

July 11, 2008
Empire Magazine

Click to read the article Full Review

Derek Adams
June 24, 2006
Derek Adams, Time Out

Click to read the article Full Review

Michael Szymanski
September 23, 2005
Michael Szymanski, Zap2it.com

No review available.

Emanuel Levy
July 3, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Jake Euker
December 6, 2004
Jake Euker, F5 (Wichita, KS)

No review available.

Peter Bradshaw
October 18, 2008
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]

Click to read the article Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • I Am Cuba (Soy Cuba)
    I Am Cuba (Soy Cuba) (100%)
  • Terra em Transe (Anguished Land)(Land Entranced)
    Terra em Transe (Anguished Land)(Land Entranc... (100%)

More Movies like Memories of Underdevelopment (Memorias del subdesarrollo)

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

Memories of Under... : Watch Free on TV

Memories of Underdevelopment (Memorias del subdesarrollo) Trivia

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for Memories of Underdevelopment (Memorias del subdesarrollo). Want to create one?

Video Clips

No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Meet Other Fans

Add Memories of Underdevelopment (Memorias del subdesarrollo) to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?