Katie Kern


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A curated collection of films by Katie

Argentina, 1930-1940

The Essence of Tango: Aristocracy, Ambition, and Ambivalence in Argentinian Tango Films from 1930-1943

    Tango in Argentinian cinema, just like the motion of tango itself, is the representation of Argentinian resilience. Although tango in films sometimes masked the realities of economic depression, it conclusively proved to be a form of cultural unity in a time of integrated repression. In the midst of passion, the intricate music and dance culture illustrated the authentic and passionate emotions of Argentinians living in a world of ambivalence. Tango as a symbol of ambition in these films, conveys the strength and the resistance towards aristocratic praise. The fifteen films showcased in this festival exemplify Argentinian melodramas from 1930-1943. These narratives intertwine with tango to embody profound fatalism, depicting a belief in destiny shaping one's future. They authentically portray a yearning for social status that masks the harsh realities of class and economic struggles during Argentina's Infamous Decade. The film festival begins with tango functioning as a fictitious desire and progressively screens films chronologically to end with the implementation of tango in cinema as a sincere and earnest introspection of the struggle of Argentina’s working class. 


Opening Night: Los Tres Berretines (1933), dir. Enrique Susini
This film tells the story of a family in Buenos Aires economically struggling with their family business. The children in the family prefer to pursue their ambitions in their hobbies; soccer, cinema, and tango. Tango operates as a form of authentic Argentinian ambition, juxtaposing ambition marked by corporatism.

Screening 2: ¡Tango! (1933), dir. Luis Moglia Barth
In melodramatic musical form, this film presents the story of a love triangle between an aristocratic man, a tango singer, and a poor woman. Here, the film utilizes tango music and dancing to describe the passionate battle for love and the fight of finding success in the midst of economic hardship.

Screening 3: Melodía De Arrabal (1933), dir. Louis Gasnier
This film, translated as “the suburban melody” tells the story of the life of the character in a musical set in a suburban bar, where the character meets someone who recognizes his talent, allowing him to sing tango professionally. This film exemplifies the idea of destiny, and how a passion for tango can change a regular man’s life in a heartbeat, an optimistic portrait of success in the midst of Argentina’s economic crisis.

Screening 4: La Casa Es Seria (1933), dir. Lucien Jaquelux
This film tells the story of a man who falls in love with a woman who initially does not want him back and insists she lives in "a very serious house." This film exemplifies tango as a form of desire, as in this musical, the man gets the woman to love him back through his tango music and dance. 

Screening 5: Esperáme (1933), dir. Louis J. Gasnier
In a melodramatic musical with tango dance and music, a tango singer falls in love with a young woman who is being extorted by a wealthy rancher. This melodrama formulates a look at the exploitation of aristocracy, and tango functions as an emblem of love in a complicated relationship. 

Screening 6: Cuesta Abajo (1934), dir. Louis Gasnier
This tango musical follows a man who is tied between two lovers and decided that fate will work out and that he will be together with his real love in the end. This musical employs tango’s qualities of hope and passion to persuade the idea of fate and unrealistic optimism despite the time of Argentina’s political and cultural crisis.

Screening 7: Tango Bar (1935), dir. John Reinhardt
Featuring tango star and Argentinian hero, Carlos Gardel, the film follows the protagonist's aspirations to make a tango bar, a new concept of a tango dance show and dance saloon, and a complicated love story. This film exemplifies tango as an enterprising goal where passion and success intertwine. 

Screening 8: El Alma De Bandoneón (1935), dir Mario Soffici
The son of a wealthy landowner abandons his aristocratic family to dedicate his life to music and writing the lyrics of tango songs. Here, the film aims to critique the aristocratic lifestyle while using tango as the quest for love and purpose. 

Screening 9: El Dia Que Me Quieras (1935), dir. John Reinhardt
The film tells the story of a wealthy aristocrat who wants to marry someone considered to be below his status, and despite his family’s disapproval, he chooses to marry her. This musical melodrama exemplifies an interclass love story and the thing that binds their love together despite their tribulations as a couple, tango.

Screening 10: Puerto Nuevo (1936), dir. Luis César Amadori, Mario Soffici
A young singer living in poverty comes across a rich aristocrat and comes into success. Here, cinema tells the story of an economically divided Argentina where a rich woman descends and “saves” those in poverty, praising the aristocratic figure who ultimately preserves the cycle of poverty that these people exist in. Tango serves as a symbol of ambition, masking the truths of aristocratic exploitation.

Screening 11: Así Es El Tango (1937), dir. Eduardo Morera
Two unfaithful husbands try to regain the trust of their wives, meanwhile, the wives take revenge on their cheating husbands by going out with other people. Here, cinema portrays tango as a passionate relief for the women, a form for them to regain a sense of autonomy by meeting/dancing with other men.

Screening 12: Adiós Buenos Aires (1938), dir. Leopoldo Torres Ríos
This film tells the story of tango musicians who come together by coincidence and end up creating tango music together. This film utilizes tango as a symbol of destiny and celebrates tango music itself.

Screening 13: La Vida Es Un Tango (1939), dir. Manuel Romero
This film tells the story of a complicated relationship between a couple who together, want to become successful tango dancers. Here, cinema uses the fiery dance form of tango to reflect a convoluted emotional relationship between a couple consumed by the art form itself.

Screening 14: Gente Bien (1939), dir. Manuel Romero:
A single mother who does not have work to support her son, whose father is a wealthy aristocrat, finds refuge with a tango singer, who supports her and her son with a place to stay. The film exemplifies how those expect the world to adjust through surviving via a denial of life situations, how success is directly in relation to the aristocracy, and how tango proves to function s a joyful form of denial and refuge for those struggling.

Closing Night: Puerta Cerrada (1939), dir. Luis Saslavsky, John Alton
The protagonist Niña Miranda, left jail after a 20-year sentence for the murder of her husband, one she didn’t commit. In this film, tango does not mask any emotions nor does it create performative entertainment, it portrays the real, sorrow of a mother in crisis.


Still from Adiós Buenos Aires (1938). Image courtesy of Argentine Film Establishments

Still from El Alma De Bandoneón (1935). Image courtesy of Argentina Sono Film


Poster from Melodía De Arrabal (1933). Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures

   Poster from Esperáme (1933). Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Still from Cuesta Abajo (1934). Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Still from Los Tres Berretines (1933). Image courtesy of Lumiton


Still from Gente Bien (1939). Image courtesy of EFA

Poster from Puerto Nuevo (1936). Image courtesy of Argentina Sono Film