Cruz Diablo is a 1934 Mexican Swashbuckler film directed by Fernando de Fuentes and written by Vicente Oroná.
In New Spain, lands of America, in the times of the King in whose domain the Sun never set, roams Cruz Diablo, a masked Robin Hood-type hero that marks his victims with a cross on the forehead, hence the name. The story follows Carlos (Juan José Martínez Casado), captain of the Viceroy's soldiers, lover of Marcela (Lupita Gallardo), the daughter of Diego de la Barrera, Count of Luna (Ramón Pereda).
Diego de la Barrera has decided to marry his daughter to the Marquis Pedro of Florida, and so Carlos and his soldiers scort her carriage to the wedding. On the way they have to cross the Sierra Negra, a dangerous hilly area where they get stopped by Chacho (Vicente Oroná), leader of a gang of bandits who order Carlos' convoy to hand over their guns and belongings. Carlos, with no other option, complies on the condition that they let the carriage safely across the land until they reach the palace of the Count of Luna. Chacho accepts but after discovering Marcela in the carriage betrays his word and kidnaps her, ordering Carlos to continue with the carriage and dispersing his soldiers.
Alone and worried for Marcela continue Carlos and his mother Marta (Rosita Arriaga) until they get stopped by Cruz Diablo, who persuades Carlos into not calling the army and instead goes himself to Chacho to retrieve her. Safe and sound, Marcela and the rest make it to the Palace ready for the ceremony. Carlos here finds Malvina (Matilde Brillasa), his former love interest and a person close to the Count of Luna, who's jealous Carlos is now dating Marcela. Inside Marcela finds out the Marquis of Florida is a Dirty Old Man that she's being forced to marry. After a short ball, Marcela sits in her room talking to Marta when Carlos breaks in to tell her he'll save her. Unfortunately, Malvina is eavesdropping on her and quickly tells the Count of Luna, who catches them, sending Carlos to the dungeon and locks Marcela in Malvina's room. This makes Marta threaten to reveal his murder of the actual Count of Luna, prompting him to send her to the dungeon too. All this while a mysterious man who lives in the walls of the palace called Nostromus (Julián Soler) spies on them.
Huge emphasis was put on hiding the identity of Cruz Diablo when advertising the movie, inviting viewers to play a guessing game. The success of this movie caused a surge in Swashbuckler movies set in New Spain such as Gabriel Soria's Martin Garatuza (1935). The film had two sequels El hijo de Cruz Diablo (1941) and La sombra de Cruz Diablo (1954), both directed and written by Vicente Oroná.
Cruz Diablo contains examples of:
- Action Prologue: Cruz Diablo's introduction fighting and flynning.
- Arranged Marriage: Marcela is subject to one with the old Marquiss of Florida. The marriage is moot after the Marquiss is killed by Cruz Diablo for being involved in the murder of the Count of Luna.
- Aristocrats Are Evil: Diego de la Barrera and the Marquess of Florida murdered the Count of Luna to take his land and wealth. Subverted by the actual Count of Luna as his alterego, Cruz Diablo, is The Hero.
- Badasses Wear Bandanas: Chacho wears one under his hat.
- Bad Guy Bar: The Posada del Paso del Águila, where Commander Rocafuerte and his men hang out.
- Big Fancy House: The palace of the Count of Luna, complete with dungeons and Secret Passages. The setting was praised in its day for how well made it was.
- Big Labyrinthine Building: The underground of the palace, considering this is where Nostromus lives and yet he hasn't been caught after nearly 20 years.
- Bittersweet Ending: At the end of the movie, all conflict is resolved after Cruz Diablo kills Diego de la Barrera and the Marquiss Pedro de Florida and Carlos drifts off with Marcela. However, he ends up dying (because of a gunshot wound), leaving Marcela and Chacho orphaned.
- Bookends: The Opening Credits are shown over scenes of Cruz Diablo flynning, these are the catacombs of the Count of Luna, where the movie ends.
- Brother–Sister Incest: See Incest-ant Admirer below.
- Calling Card: Cruz Diablo's cross.
- The Cavalier Years: Set in little-portrayed 17th century Mexico, it's pretty obviously inspired by stories such as The Count of Monte Cristo.
- Disney Death: The poison Marcela drank didn't quite take her life.
- Establishing Character Moment: The first three scenes show Cruz Diablo 1) Flynning and marking somebody's forehead, 2) taking from the rich and 3) giving it to the poor.
- Face Death with Dignity: Carlos stays calm when Chacho and his bandits are about to shoot him, and as his final wish he asks for his mom and the carriage be let go so they may not see him die. Chacho admires his bravery and lets him live.
- Famed In-Story: Cruz Diablo, disliked by bandits and the rich, who call him the Devil, and beloved by the poor.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Diego de la Barrera, Commander Rocafuerte and the Marquess Pedro de Florida murder the Count of Luna to take his estate and money.
- Malvina's jealousy of Carlos dating Marcela is what drives her to accuse them. Then she convinces her Carlos has died and gives her poison.
- Guns Akimbo: Commander Rocafuerte tries to fight Cruz Diablo this way but fails.
- Incest-ant Admirer: Chacho presumably didn't know Marcela was his sister when he was hitting on her after kidnapping her.
- Invasion of the Baby Snatchers: Diego de la Barrera took Marcela in as a baby after killing her father, the actual Count of Luna.
- The Jailer: Diego de la Barrera keeps Carlos and Marta in the dungeons of his palace.
- Lady and Knight: Marcela and Carlos.
- Like a God to Me: At the end of the movie, Carlos calls Cruz Diablo a god, contrasting with his name.
- Locked in the Dungeon: Carlos and Marta end up here. Carlos is tortured into admitting his plan to elope with Marcela while Marta is left alone, quickly going crazy.
- Maid and Maiden: Marta and Marcela.
- Mal Mariée: Marcela's fate as her father has given her hand to old man Marquiss Pedro de Florida. She's saved after Cruz Diablo kills them both for being implicated in the murder of the Count of Luna.
- Master Swordsman: Cruz Diablo.
- Noble Male, Roguish Male: Carlos and Chacho.
- Pre-Meeting: In the first bar scene when Cruz Diablo confronts Commander Rocafuerte.
- The Reveal: Nostromus, the man living in the palace's walls, is hinted to be Cruz Diablo. However, in some scenes he shares the room with the man. At the end of the movie it's revealed both Nostromus and Chacho, who is revealed to be his son, share the collective identity of Cruz Diablo.
- Marta threatens to reveal Diego de la Barrera is not the actual Count of Luna and that Marcela is not his daughter. Later she also reveals the Marquess Pedro de Florida and Commander Rocafuerte helped him along.
- Royal Rapier: Being a swashbuckler it's hardly surprising this is everyone's weapon of choice, aside from a few pikes that don't see action and a couple flintlocks.
- Secret Relationship: Carlos denies her relationship with Marcela even while being threatened with a red-hot metal rod.
- Secret Squatter: Nostromus, who lives in the walls of the palace and spies from behind paintings on people.
- Terrible Trio: Diego de la Barrera and two collaborators kill the actual Count of Luna.
- Underestimating Badassery: At the start of the movie, Commander Rocafuerte calls his men wimps for fearing Cruz Diablo, who promptly appears and defeats him, leaving his mark on his forehead. Rocafuerte excuses himself saying his guns were out of ammo.
- The Usurper: Diego de la Barrera.
- Villain Opening Scene: Diego de la Barrera, the Marquiss Pedro of Florida and Malvina are introduced before Carlos, Marcela or Marta are.
- Villainous Crush: Old man Marquiss Pedro of Florida asked Diego de la Barrera for the hand of his young daughter. It's later revealed he aided in the murder of the actual Count of Luna, Marcela's actual father.
- Villains Act, Heroes React: Cruz Diablo's modus operandi.
- Woman Scorned: Malvina, which causes her to hold a grudge against Marcela, to the point of giving her poison so she can kill herself.
