Jul 3, 2020

The Last Hits of 'El Torete' (1980)


(Original Title:  Los últimos golpes de 'El Torete' ) This film is actually a classic as it was among the films which sparked a whole genre of Spanish exploitation - Quinqui.  The film follows the continuing saga of El Vaquilla and Torete, two studly criminals and the always smoking hot Berta Cabré,




 Torete (Angel Fernández) robs a bank

Another bank robber happens in at the same time - El Vaquilla (Bernard Seray)

El Vaquilla and El Torete join forces and go on a crime spree.

Lots of great shots of the "bad side" of the city.  Not many films showed the barrio up until this point.

 They're pursued by the cops, but the guys are expert car drivers; like Baby Driver level.

The cop, Perales (Fernando Guillen), is forever unable to catch them.

 They steal a getaway car from this couple making out.

The boob of the unnamed makeout girl; the film makes sure to add gratuitous nudity wherever possible.   

Begoña (Isabel Mestres) is a radio host who is sympathetic to the plight of these boys, raised in the slums of Barcelona.

 Quique Moreno (Simón Andreu) is not so empathetic.

Vaquilla introduces Torete to his girlfriend Berta (Berta Cabré)

Berta Cabré is easily among the top actresses from this era; always providing tons of nudity in her roles, but also having a great screen presence/charisma.   

Berta tells them about a rich home that she worked at which is just begging to be robbed. 

 Berta's story: She brings food to her boss, working as a maid.

He's a horny sonofabitch and pulls her into bed.

 But the wife comes home, and she hides under the bed.

 She gets undressed int the bathroom.

 The man pops out of the shower and initiates sex.


  
 They continue their tryst until they're caught by his wife.


 So, Torete and Vaquilla go to this man's home and rob him. 

 Doña Genoveva (Pepa Palau) has a gun hidden, and pulls it on Torete.  The police are called and the boys have to scramble out of there.

Torete hides in a room with a naked woman, Rosita (actress unidentified).

Some nice gratuitous nudity as the homeowner arrives with a shotgun and attends to Rosita.

 Torete and Vaquilla get legit jobs as mechanics.

They take one of the cars out for a spin and utterly destroy it.


 Berta walks into a gym basically nude.



 Of course it's just a trap to rob the place.

 Torete and Vaquilla put their driving prowess to work in racing.

Vaquilla is detained by the police.

Quique Moreno (Simón Andreu) milks the story of the modern day Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

 With Vaquella detained, Torete gets intimate with Berta.



Vaquella is free again, and the boys lie low in a Pyrenees village.  Begoña (Isabel Mestres), the radio host, interviews them.

The police catch up to them and shoot Vaquilla. THE END



A great soundtrack, well shot car chases and action scenes; this film does it right.  It certainly glamorizes the criminals, but films were doing that all over since Bonnie & Clyde. Worth watching for Berta Cabré alone, but is a quality action drama even without the nudity.  Unfortunately, it tends to get a little boring and repetitive at times. Also, I think the "zing" of this new genre, this realistic urban crime flick, has been a bit dulled over time, and doesn't quite hold up.  I can certainly see how this would have been something special in 1980 Spain, but in 2020 US, maybe not so much.  Still, I appreciate its skillful storytelling and what it brought to cinema at the time.

Double Feature: Two good looking dudes go on a crime spree in Cop Killers (1977).  There's also a girl at the center between them both.  (Also cocaine is snorted off a bible, btw).

★★★★★

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