National Mechanics

National Mechanics (Spanish:Mecánica nacional) is a 1972 Mexican comedy film filmed in May 1971 with locations near the free highway to Cuernavaca, and directed and written by Luis Alcoriza. It was released in Mexico City on December 28, 1972.[1][2]

National Mechanics
Directed byLuis Alcoriza
Release date
  • December 28, 1972 (1972-12-28) (Mexico)
CountryMexico
LanguageSpanish

Synopsis and TV sequel

An owner of a mechanic's shop who is a car racing enthusiast (Manolo Fábregas) goes to attend one of the races in the company of his family and friends. Among the excesses, the commotion and chaotic partying, he is cheated on by his wife (Lucha Villa), his daughter (Alma Muriel) has sex with the groom, and his mother, the grandmother of the family (Sara García), dies from stomach congestion.

A sequel was made in 1972 as a television series starring David Reynoso and Lucha Villa, and it ran for only a few episodes. It was titled Telemecánica nacional (National Telemechanics in English). The cast was completed by Nubia Martí and Jorge Ortiz de Pinedo. In the first chapter, the family came with the corpse of the grandmother. Since they had taken her sitting in the car, she was in a stiff position unable to straighten her up, so they did all manner of things to fit her body in the coffin.

Partial cast

Release

The film was released in Mexico City a year and a half after it was shot. It was ranked 74th on the list of the 100 best Mexican films, according to the opinion of 25 critics and film specialists in Mexico, as published by Somos magazine in July 1994.[3]

Release history
International publication date
CountryTitleDate
 Mexico Mecánica nacional December 28, 1972
 France Mécanique nationale January 8, 1975
 Spain Mecánica nacional January 28, 1977
 Hungary Autós hétvége October 27, 1977 (Filmmúzeum)
 Poland March 1978

Awards

Ariel Awards

The Ariel Awards are awarded annually by the Mexican Academy of Film Arts and Sciences in Mexico. Mecánica Nacional received five awards out of 10 nominations.[4]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
15th Ariel Awards Mecánica Nacional
(tied with El Castillo de la Pureza and Reed, México Insurgente)		 Best Picture Won
Luis Alcoriza Best Direction Won
Lucha Villa Best Actress Won
Héctor Suárez Best Supporting Actor Nominated
Gloria Marín Best Supporting Actress Nominated
Luis Alcoriza Best Original Screenplay Nominated
Best Original Story Won
Carlos Savage Best Editing Won
Manuel Fontanals Best Scenography Nominated

References
  1. Mora p.120
  2. "Mecánica Nacional: Una mirada a la idiosincrasia mexicana" (in Spanish). Retuécano. April 5, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  3. "Las 100 mejores películas del cine mexicano". Archived from the original on February 8, 2010. Retrieved January 23, 2009.
  4. "XV 1973 — Ganadores y nominados" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Artes y Ciencias Cinematográficas. 1973. Archived from the original on June 16, 2016. Retrieved May 24, 2016.

Bibliography
  • Mora, Carl J. Mexican Cinema: Reflections of a Society, 1896-2004. McFarland & Co, 2005.
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