简介：Prologue:let'sputitstraight.BetsyBlairismiscast.IsthisbecausesheplayedBorgnine'ssocalleduglygirlintheOscar-winning"Marty"(1955)?Perhapsso,butherbeamingface,herluminoussmile,herintenselongingforhappinessareanythingbutunattractive.She'snotAvaGardner,byalongshot,butsheeasilyoutshinesherwouldbehandsomelover. Prologue2:Isitpossible,consideringthehighratingof"callemayor",thatnobody-Spanishusers,getalife!It'syourculture!-feltlikewritingaboutthisunfairlyoverlookedgem?"CalleMayor"(GrandRue,Hauptstrasse,MainStreet)istheplacewhere,inaprovincialtown,peoplemeet,talkandwait.Allawomanhastodo,Toniasays,iswaitwaitwait,behindherwindow,attheball,oron"callemayor".Isobelhasbeenwaitingforeighteenyearsforaman,because,inthefiftiesinSpain(andinEuropaaswell),theonlywayawomanhadismarriage.Orshewouldbecomeawallflowerandaspinster. "Callemayor"isatrap:theomnipresenceofreligioncanbefeltherethereandeverywhere,withthechurchbellsmarkingoutthehoursinatownthathasstoodstillforyears,withthenunspacingupanddownthestreet,askingforafewpesetasmorefortheirgoodworks.Agroupofmen,notsoyounganymore,issearchingforsomethingtodo.Agoodjokewouldbenicetokilltime:sotheyaskoneofthemtopretendhe'sinlovewithIsobel,thethirty-fiveyearoldwoman-atthetime,itwasmuchtoolate!-.Isobelbeginstoliveinadream,andthebuckcannotbringhimselftotellherthetruth(outofpity?hedoesnotknowhimself)..Isayitagain,BetsyBlair,althoughexcellentwasnottherightchoice:firstshe'snotSpanish,andmainlyshe'snotugly.Soitdoesnotalwaysworkwell,because,ifwewereintheman'sshoes,wewouldfallinloveheadoverhealswithher.ButthismustnotpreventyoufromwatchingJuanBardem'ssensitivework:hisdepictionoftheprovincialismisabsorbing,thesadlandscapesontheedgeoftownorthislittlerailwaystationwherethetragedyisresolvedaremasterfullyfilmed. JuanBardemwasacommittedartist.Hewasarrestedbeforehefinished"CalleMayor"andlaterheproducedBunuel'smasterpiece"Viridiana".It'sreallytoobadthat,nowthatSpanishcinematriumphsagainwithAmenabar,Bardem'snameshouldbevirtuallyforgotten.…