Aug 8, 2020

Tramp in the Rain (1968)


(Original Title: Vagabundo en la lluvia) A Mexican thriller about one night that begins with a decadent costume party.  A party goer retreats to an isolated home by the lake where she is plagued by a homeless man amid a torrential rainstorm.




 A big decadent costume party complete with clowns and Nazis.


After the party, Angela (Christa Linder) goes to her quiet place by the lake.

 She hears someone enter, and pulls a gun on the intruder.

The homeless man, the Vagabundo (Rodolfo de Anda), seems harmless.

 He shows Angela that there's actually a woman in the back of her car!

 She must have gotten in her car at the party and passed out.  They bring her inside.

Her name is Monica (Ana Luisa Peluffo) and she's rich like Angela.

 Monica takes a shower.


The two get along talking; Monica is world weary, while Angela is naive and optimistic.

 We see the Vagabundo isn't maybe so harmless as he cavorts in the night.

Angela sees him out the window.

 They try to call the police but the phone isn't working.

The arrival of Raquel (Norma Lazareno)

Raquel wasn't born rich like these other two bitches. 

She doesn't have the same outlook, not being a sheltered rich girl.

This film would seem like a stage play were it not for the brilliant use of camera angles.


Monica sleeps upstairs.

 Raquel leaves.

Against Angela's wishes Monica runs outside.

 She finds Raquel dead.

 Monica and Angela get into a fight; ending with Monica leaving the premises.

The Vagabundo returns and rapes Angela.



 Monica returns and shoots the Vagabundo dead.

As the girls catch their breath, they see a group of cars roll up.  The partiers have arrived - moving to Angela's place to continue the reverie. 

The ladies can just stare in disbelief.  They're not the same people they were only just this evening.


Taking place at one location, with only a few characters, on a single evening - this was very small in scope, and could easily be translated to the stage.  But the experienced hand of Carlos Enrique Taboada is able to elevate this, lending a Bava flavor to the picture, and making it just an incredibly rich visual experience.

Double Feature: It's a home invasion story with a completely different feel (and much less competently executed), but it still has that small scale feel, with a couple women trapped inside with a greasy killer: Spine (1986).
★★★★★★☆

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