Cantinflas Mexico's Non-Confrontational Folk Hero

One week before I wrote this article I was in my dentist’s waiting room in Churintzio, Michoacan talking to my wife, Maria. When I entered my dentist’s office, he mentioned to my bilingual wife that he had heard us talking about Cantinflas. With Maria translating for me, with great pride he asked if I was aware that Cantinflas is commonly referred to as Mexico’s Charlie Chaplin. When I replied that I was, I also stated that I had read that it had been reported that Charlie Chaplin had called Cantinflas the greatest comedian alive. Now with even a more pronounced look of pride on his face he said that he was not aware of that and further commented that Cantinflas' influence on Mexican culture and society was so great that the Spanish language had incorporated many words associated with Cantinflas into the dictionary; indeed that was so as the Spanish Academy recognizes eight words that stem from his name, the character that he portrayed, and his uniquely original comedic style that had become associated with a major component of the national identity of Mexico.

The person that we had been talking about was really Mario Moreno, 1911-1993, a comedian, stage and film actor who had adopted the “meaningless” performing name of Cantinflas and from 1937-1982 had appeared in over fifty movies. His heyday of film making was in the 1940’s and 1950’s and his films greatly contributed to the period from 1935-1959 as being referred to as the “Golden Era of Mexican Cinema.” Raised in a Mexico City family which was poor but not indigent, in 1946 he signed a contract with Columbia pictures which made him a millionaire.

Eighteen years after his death and twenty-nine years after he had appeared in his last movie, the country of Mexico paid homage to Cantinflas by celebrating in 2011 the 100th anniversary of his birth, August 12, 1911. In the weeks leading up to August 12, several public and private entities staged many events to honor him, including concerts and film screenings. There was a national television marathon of his films. In Mexico City’s Chapultepec Park and adjoining major boulevard Paseo de la Reforma there was a massive photo, poster, and caricature exhibit of him and his movies and in the city’s huge and hectic subway system, memorable lines from Cantinflas’ movies soundtracks were played over loud speakers. Moreover, commemorative Cantinflas stamps were issued and a major new book about him was published.

Why was he honored in such a manner? You see, Cantinflas is a national icon and folk hero who has a permanent place in the country’s popular culture. Why is this so?

Whether or not in his most famous film persona as a “tramp” peladito/one who is broke or in such roles like a physician, lawyer, or politician, Cantinflas always cannily yet sincerely communicated to the audience that he was “one of the common people.” In all of his films, mostly staged in an urban setting, through his resourcefulness in which he exhibited a masterful verbal and physical comedic combination of both guile and naivety, he always managed to succeed or at the very least to non-confrontationally manage to avoid or get out of trouble. Thus, he became to both the urban and rural population the epitome of and the voice of the underdog in a pre-industrialized country that was attempting to adjust to the changes thrust upon by modernization whose citizens, many of them impoverished, existed in a highly corrupt, rigidly bureaucratic, and virtually one party state.

How, for the most part did he accomplish this? Mostly he did this by, oftentimes improvising, using language as obfuscation which officially became known as “cantinfleada." As an astute social satirist, always "in the Cantinflas character" whether playing a peladito, a policeman, or one of the elite, he cleverly managed to complicate normal conversation to the extent where no one could understand what they had been talking about- hence, he always got his way. This non-sense talk and verbal trickery consisted of double entendres, euphemisms, and malapropisms; when combined with his witty mangling of upper class mannerisms, akin to Groucho Marx, and his adroit pantomime abilities, he became Mexico’s “everyman” or anti-hero who successfully was able to non-confrontationally do battle with and bring down the well-connected, the rich, the powerful, the corrupt, the bureaucratic, the uppity/snobbish, the aloof, and the arrogant.

What also endeared him to the masses is the fact that in real life, Mario Moreno, who although he had overcome his humble beginnings and at the peak of his fame, which had become global, had become good friends with the likes of Lyndon Baines Johnson, had always maintained his compassion and sympathy for those living in extreme poverty. It is estimated that he was making $175,000 a year in charitable contributions. At one time, he was supporting hundreds of impoverished Mexico City families.

Now, so many years after his death, the man who in his screen portrayals became instantly recognizable not only for his inventively confusing verbal dexterity but also for his tattered droopy pants held up by a string, silly hats, and a funny mustache that was said to make his mouth look like it was between quotation marks, is now as popular as ever. That is no hyperbole! His witticisms continue to have a far reaching appeal to the country’s adults while children are drawn to his farce as his movies often appear on television and dvds of his films are sold and are popular throughout the country; even in the small town that we live in, there is an excellent selection of Cantinflas dvds always available.

The United States has its popular cultural icons of years gone by such as Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, and Lucille Ball. Yet, none of them come close in comparing in scope to the impact that Cantinflas has in Mexico. Ask virtually any ten year old in any part of Mexico who Cantinflas was and they assuredly would know- the same probably could not be said for any of the above American pop icons if American youth were asked about them. That is because the lasting and perpetuating memory of Cantinflas is embedded in the fabric of Mexican society and shows no signs of diminishing.

In Mexico, it is still necessary for the majority of the people to resourcefully survive through their wits. Historically, no one is a better illustration of that than Cantinflas. In a land where social justice still has a long way to go, cutting through many social classes, multigenerationally his enduring legacy continues in a society that is primarily non-confrontational in nature. As such, he remains a symbol of pride, hope, and opportunity for a normally fatalistic population.

If you do not believe me, a U.S citizen who has lived in Mexico a few years and who up until the time of researching for this article was only was familiar with one Mexican movie star, Cantinflas, just ask my middle-aged and decidedly middle class Mexican dentist.