Jul 1, 2020

Shake Before Use (1983)


(Original Title: Agítese antes de usarla ) Another Spanish comedy starring Andrés Pajares and Fernando Esteso.  This one has them faking it as surgeons, so it will be interesting to compare to a similar film by another legendary comedy duo,Surgeons Go Hand In Hand (1980) with Alberto Olmedo and Jorge Porcel.




Fabricio (Fernando Esteso) and Argimiro (Andrés Pajares) are couple of fraud doctors working on a patient  (Alicia Príncipe).  [Principe was in Los pornoaficionados (1982) and  Golden Temple Amazons (1986)[

 Upon inspection they find she has a cut on her left breast.

 Argimiro always faints at the sight of blood.

The next few minutes are spent fumbling and being awkward around her exposed breasts.

 A real doctor comes in.

 It's Dr. Roberto Branquia (Antonio Ozores). [Ozores was in a lot of the comic duo's films.]

 Famous figure Diputado Francisco Granja (Juanito Navarro) is admitted to the hospital.

He's there for a simple thumb injury, but they give him the special treatment.

 Doctor Paquita (Beatriz Escudero) strolls down the hall, as men fall behind her.

She has sex with Fabricio in a dark surgery room.

 The lights are suddenly turned on, and a surgery team enters.


 Fabricio tries to play it off.

 Argimiro meets Elisa (Andrea Albani) on the beach.

Even mentioning blood makes him black out.

This guy (Julio Riscal) is here to kick Fabricio's ass for messing with his girlfriend Lucinda (María Bauza)

 Chaos erupts as Fabricio tries to escape his wrath.



At the beach with Elisa  - she spots the three goons out to get them.

I love it.

 There's always a good time for gratuitous nudity in a Spanish comedy from the eighties.


Just when you think Argimiro has gotten over his fear of blood, you find it's just a buffet.

Hilariously, they keep adding treatments for the deputy in order to keep him at the hospital so they can earn publicity.  He came for an injured thumb, and ends up basically in traction.

Lucrecia (Jenny Llada) and Dr. Branquia have sex right next to his bed.


So, why are the goons after Argimiro and Fabricio.  They have a suitcase full of money.

 The goons pay Elisa a visit - and it turns out they're all working together.


 The paparazzi takes pictures of the depty.  Take note of the goons posing as reporters.

They finally catch up to Argimiro and Fabricio, and kick their ass.  They want their money.

 Argimiro and Fabricio go to the gym.

For whatever reason, everyone in this gym works out in the nude (!)



Uh-oh.  Look who's arrived.  It's Lucinda (María Bauza) and her jealous boyfriend. 

Fabricio tries to pretend he's gay.

 Just a random nude woman on an exercise bike.

Gathering to watch the fight: the mayor's wife (Rosa Suances) and the mayor (Fabián Conde) on the right.

Amid the chaos, Argimiro sneaks off with Lucinda.

Later, Argimiro is busy hiding his stash of money in a cast when Paquita (Beatriz Escudero) comes in.

 He tries to hide it under the bed, but she eventually gets wise to the stack of cash.

The climactic scene is fifteen minutes of straight chaos.  Paquita chases after Argimiro and Fabricio who are pushing the deputy, and...

...they are being chased by the goons and Elisa (in the striped dress).

 One of the great moments in gratuitous nudity.  Paquita gets caught between the beds and her clothes are ripped off.  Then the old patients decide they want to rape (!) the naked woman.

 Elisa and the goons nearly catch them, but a convenient jar of chloroform is being transported by.  They knock it over and are knocked out.

Lucrecia tries to help one of the goons.

 Dr. Branquia won't allow that to happen and gives her a big shot in the butt.

And so the chase continues until finally there's a resolution and the suitcase full of money is in the hands of the authorities. THE END



I thought this was great, but I just didn't care too much for the money heist shtick.  It's funny, because this film's aforementioned clone, Surgeons Go Hand In Hand (1980) with Alberto Olmedo and Jorge Porcel, also felt the need to bring in a mob subplot.  I'd have just enjoyed the shenanigans at the hospital plenty without need for this bit - but it's a small complaint. A very fun, very sexy movie with perhaps the most gratuitous of gratuitous nudity ever: the all nude gym (?), Elisa's random top removal (?), the patient inspection, the clothes ripped off Paquita... it was all so ridiculous and unnecessary, and I loved every minute of it.

Double Feature: As stated, Surgeons Go Hand In Hand (1980) is the obvious choice.
★★★★★

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