Curro Jiménez (1976–1979)
7/10
Awesome and classic TV series realized in Spaghetti /Paella Western style and starred by unforgettable characters
17 August 2016
Set in the South of Spain -Andalucia- in the 19th Century, this featured the endless as well as beloved adventures of Curro Jiménez and his bunch , whose main members of which were : El Estudiante or the student (Jose Sancho) , El Algarrobo (Alvaro De Luna) and El Gitano or the gypsy (Eduardo García) and subsequently El Fraile or the friar (Paco Algora) . Curro Jimenez was a boatman who had a strong confrontation with a contender , it results in a killing , then Curro flees and becomes involved with banditry . Later on , Curro leads a band of outlaws against the rural feuds and he also rules the guerrilla against the French troops during the Spanish War of Independence . They fight against injustices as well as corrupt and powerful tyrants (such as the evil despots Alberto De Mendoza , Valeriano Andrés , Luis Induni and many others).

Successful and immortal TV series usually exhibited in TVE (Spanish television) . Interesting and moving plots in which the screenplays changed in every episode , having in common the theme of the legendary bandit . In the series there are fights , love stories , noisy action , go riding , Flamenco music , emotion and even some comedic episodes . The stunning series got a hit smash , as Spain as Latino America , giving birth to a couple of spin-offs , such as ¨La Mascara Negra¨ or ¨Black Mask¨, also starred by Sancho Gracia . The starring was loosely based on a real-life character, the 19th century bandit Francisco "Curro" López Jiménez . They mainly borrowed his nickname and little else , as most of the facts and characters were made up by the screenwriters , and even the historic period is not consistent with that of the real Curro Jiménez . Very good acting by Sancho Gracia as the tough , two-fisted Curro Jimenez , prototype of the Andalusian "bandolero" , a kind of Spanish Robin Hood who struggles against the French invaders during the Spanish Independence War . Sancho Gracia/Curro carries out his usual stoic acting and displays efficiently his weapons , such as ¨blunderbuss¨ , and killing mercilessly villains . Curro is a fair , brave and good-natured person who delivers peace and justice , using force and taking the law into his own revengeful hands and acting as judge , jury and executioner . It's certainly thrilling , though the morality may be questionable , even in this time , as the spectators were clearly on the Curro Jimenez's side , in spite of his expeditious and violent executions . Special mention for Alvaro De Luna who steals the show as the brute , illiterate and naive Algarrobo . Support cast is frankly excellent , here appears the ordinary actors from Paella Western such as Frank Braña , Aldo Sambrell , Chris Huerta , Tito Garcia , Jose Canalejas , Lorenzo Robledo , Rafael Albaicín , Roberto Camardiel , Daniel Martin , Conrado San Martin , Antonio Molino Rojo , Charly Bravo , Diana Lorys , and several others . Evocative musical score , including catching leitmotiv by guitar , composed by Waldo Rios who subsequently committed suicide himself . Adding Flamenco score , Andalucian songs and typical dances . Nice and atmospheric cinematography by Francisco Fraile and Hans Burmann . And splendid set and production design by Wolfgang Burmann , Luis Argüello , Fernando Sáenz , shot on location in Andalucia and especially Ronda, Malaga , Despeñaperros and Almeria .

It is formed by 40 episodes , shooting of the first season of the series took place in 1975, its first episode aired on TVE1 on 22nd December 1976 . Being ordinary show-runner , the prestigious Antonio Larreta who wrote thrilling scripts and compellingly directed by the best filmmakers of the Spanish cinema , such as : Joaquín Luis Romero Marchent (12 episodes, 1976-1978) , his brother Rafael Romero Marchent (3 episodes, 1977) , both of whom experts on Paella/Chorizo/Pasta Western . And Mario Camus (10 episodes, 1977-1979) , Pilar Miró (5 episodes, 1977-1978) , Fernando Merino (4 episodes, 1977-1978) , Antonio Drove (3 episodes, 1977) and Francisco Rovira Beleta (3 episodes, 1977)
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