Balladeer’s Blog’s latest look at silent films covers Cuba’s early cinematic efforts.
FIRE DRILL aka Simulacro de Incendio (1897) – On January 24th of this year, Gabriel Veyre (at left) held the very first exhibition of silent film shorts in Cuban history at a theater in Havana.
Veyre was the Lumiere Film Company representative to Central America, and he parlayed the popular reaction to the Havana exhibition into financial support for Fire Drill, the first movie made in Cuba. That 1-minute film short from February 1897 was a documentary look at firefighting in Havana. Actual firefighters of the Central Fire Station of the City of Havana played themselves.
FILM COMMERCIAL FOR LA TROPICAL BEER aka the Missing Sorcerer (1898) – This was the very first film directed by a native Cuban – Jose Esteban Casasús, a noted pioneer of Cuban Cinema. Lasting just under a minute, this short advertised the brewery & product of La Tropical beer and was produced by Cinemataca de Cuba.
CONSTITUTIONAL ASSEMBLY (1901) – A film capturing the 1901 assembly, the equivalent of our Constitutional Convention. Following the defeat of Spain in the Spanish-American War, Cuba produced its first constitution a few years later. That document was openly based on the United States Constitution but had 115 articles instead of America’s 7.
The three branches were Executive, Legislative (bicameral) and judicial. Cuban presidents were to be elected for terms of 4 years, while Senators were elected for an initial term of 8 years, following which they could run for additional terms of 4 years each. The lower house members were elected for an initial term of 4 years, following which they could run for additional terms of 2 years each.
In 1940 another Constitutional Assembly revised the document.
PALATINO PARK (1906) – Directed by Enrique Diaz Quesada, this film short presented the rides and other attractions of a brand-new amusement park in Havana.
HAVANA IN AUGUST (1906) – Another Quesada film, this one presented the various sights of Havana. A short forerunner of the grand cityscape documentaries from 1920s silent cinema.
CINEMA AND SUGAR (1906) – Directed by Manuel Martinez Illa, this was a commercial for the Manati Sugar Company and its mills. The concept was like the La Tropical brewery commercial above, but this production was reportedly aimed at raising investors in a stock offering by Manati.
LA TUTELAR DE GUANABACOA (1906) – A film of that year’s religious celebration of the title, a ritual that continues to this day, sometimes in defiance of the government. The director is not known.
A DUEL ON THE BANKS OF THE ALMENDARES (1907) – Directed by Chas Prada, this short presented an armed duel on the banks of the title river. The film has not survived, but some accounts claim it was Cuba’s first movie with a fictional storyline. Others, however, state it was more of a public safety short warning against the consequences of duels, which were proliferating at the time.
LA LEYENDA DEL GUIJE DEL RIO SAGUA (1907) – Another Chas Prada film which has not survived. From outside sources it is known that Prada cast his daughter as a character in the film and that he did not pay any of the performers. The film, which is called Cuba’s first movie with a fictional storyline – IF – A Duel on the Banks of the Almendares does not fit that description.
Prada used the film to tell the origin story of Cuba’s Goblin of the Sagua River. It involves a cruel, jealous man murdering a new bride, then being chased and shot to death. He collapses into the waters of the Sagua River where he transforms into the clawed, hairy goblin or guije.
I’LL EXAMINE ADDITIONAL CUBAN SILENT FILMS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
Balladeer's Blog 
Pingback: CUBA’S SILENT MOVIES (1897-1907) – El Noticiero de Alvarez Galloso
Logged, thank you sir!
Thanks for this segment dedicated to Cuba Silent Movies. Movies in Cuba were well developed before 1959 and still there are some decente films .
I’m happy to do it! Cuba even beat Italy to a fictional film storyline!
Oh, do you have any additional details about the Tutelara ceremony in Guanabacoa?
That I dont have. But I can send some You Tube videos of Comedians such as Tres Patines, Garrido y Piñeiro which were from the 1930s to 50s. There was also another film done in Miami titled La Cuba De Ayer. There have also contributions by Cubans in the Local Miamk scene in theater and comedy. I have those photos that I can send vía E Mail. My E Mail address is rcag62@gmail.com
Okay, great, thank you! I will be in touch later this week. Terrific offer!
I just published movies, videos made in Cuba. Many from pre 1959 and others in Miami
Okay, thanks! I’m on my way to see!
I published movies, videos of Cuban culture including some in Miami. I also published some curiosidades of the 1960s
Okay, thanks, I’m on my way to see!
Thanks
Anytime!
Before getting to the films about Cuba. The curiosidades of the 1960s were present. Especially when Castro was beginning to destroy Cba. Luis Bravo was a Rock N Roll singer of the 2950s who left Cuba in 1962 after recording his cover of the Teen Ídolo by Ricky Nelson..He eventually was marginalidad in Cuba and Miami. Cuba because of Castro. Miami because of the Beatles. He died in 2002 at 60 yesrs of age.
Meme Solus was also from the 1960s and was a mixtura of Elvis and Liberación. He left Cuba in 1987 after being a Non person for 20 years for wanting to leave Cuba. In spite of the Elvis and Luberace mix, Meme Solud is a very nice person. He gave this blog high marks when it was founded.
Holy cow. To think of what careers they might have had in freer countries.
Yes. I agree. Luis Bravo appeared to be the hardest hit.
So sad to hear.
Luis Bravo was a very tragic ending to a career that deserved to get started and continued,
It certainly sounds like it.
Luis Bravo was the hardest hit as he was unable to produce any hits of significant value after leaving Cuba in 1962 and died in poverty in Miami in 2002 at 60 years of age. He did appear in the Mike Douglas Show but there is no video.
Meme Solis as I said was Elvis and Liberace in one at a time when Castro and Cuba was doing revolution. How he survived the UMAP Concentration Camp I dont know but he barely survived being a non person from 1967 [when he applied to leave Cuba] until 1987 [when he was allowed to leave]. He praised my blog [just like other artists from Cuba did [including my cousin].
I have a few more afterwards to share. One more group in Miami and a clandestine recording studio in Cuba [as of now] but that will be separate.
I am really enjoying all this information! It’s great that your blog got to interact with so many of these people!
Thanks for your comments. It was a pleasure and honor as well.
You’re very welcome! Thank YOU, too!
Severino Puente was a singer. actor, comedian and director in Cuba AND USA. He directed my cousin whoo was an actress in Cuba and is still an actress in USA.
Wow! I had no idea! What has she been in?
Will be replying later
Okay!
She was in Miami Vice once in 1985 and in various soap operas [telenovelas]. One of them was Amandote {Loving You]. Marilyn Romero has her own theater group called MarGi Happenings
Jeez! I had no idea …
She was. https://miamivice.fandom.com/wiki/Marilyn_Romero The site says that Marilyn Romero was active from 1985 to 2003. She is still active
Wow. If she uses IMDb Pro she can correct that if it matters to her.
https://miamivice.fandom.com/wiki/Florence_Italy_(Prostitute)
Thanks! I will read about her other roles, too!
Severino Puente wass also necesito and one of the first who this blog high marks. The same with my You Tube videos.
Terrific!
I mean nice.
I figured.
Zully Montero, Nattacha Amador and Gilberto Reyes were actors in Cuba and America who I also met. Of the three, Gilberto Reyes is still alive and his comedy has hhelped people even in depredador times
That is so cool! I didn’t know you met so many of them!
I did..They aldo helped me in the beginning of my blog
That must have been very rewarding for you!
It was
😀
It was rewarding. I am also helping some of these artists receive the publicity they deserve. I still have some more to reveal.
It is great that you have been doing that!
😍Good information about silent films. Thanks for sharing. Edward. Good morning and happiness to you.
Thanks very much! Same to you!
This is truly a fantastic post, dear friend. Wow! Thank you.🤙👏🙏
I appreciate the kind words! Thanks very much!
You are highly welcome. 🤙
😀
These are super cool! I’d have loved to visit that amusement park in Havana! It’s an inventive way of advertising.
Thanks! I agree, it would have been fun!