Yambao (1957)

Not what I was hoping for, 11 February 2017

I'm going to be real lazy here and just copy the plot summary from IMDb - "Cuba, 1850. On a sugar-cane plantation, the master and his wife are happy : they're expecting a child, their slaves are quiet. But tonight, as the full moon rises, the sound of the drums are in the air. Yambao, the grand-daughter of a sorceress killed 15 years ago, has come back.. With her grand-mother's spirit." Much better and more succinct that I could ever have put it.

Overall, I'll call Yambao a disappointment. From what little I'd read in the past about the movie, it is neither as good or as scandalous as I'd been led to believe. I'd call it a fairly lame, predictable melodrama with way too much dancing, drumming, and chanting. Star Ninón Sevilla is the one bright spot. I'm not familiar with her other work, but here, she really gives it her all. Sevilla shines in every scene. She's a naturally sensuous woman and conveys that sensuality in her every move. The script here, however, lets her down. Co-star Ramon Gay is too bland to give her much to work with. A real disappointment.

4/10