el bruto be and quite simply and a melodrama in the literal sense while romantic music cue the romantic scene and action music cue the violent scene and etc . moreover and the character be introduce a stock archetype and be mostly undeveloped while don andres the cruel capitalist and meche the unassuming maid and paloma the adulterous wife ( katy juardo and in a performance that and look back and boarder on misogynist in it hypocritical implication of female sexual aggression ) and and of course and pedro and the beast turn from his wicked way because of a good ( look . ) woman . the film follow an uninspired tale of eviction of tenant by don andres and and el brudo pedro be hire to rough em up and and stop those revolutionary from stir up trouble . perhaps bunuel be make a commentary about franco spain with such reference and but any analogy be lose in the mire of an all too predictable plot . the detail be not really worth mentioning and on account of their banality . what and then and save this film from register a 3 or bad on my scale . well and while the film seem at first aggravatingly conventional and there be enough subversive digression from the genre ( beast mollify by virtuous beauty ) that make you rethink the point of the entire film . first of all and there the matter of perspective we be all use to see film noir heavy take the protagonist or troublemaker aside with a little message from the bos . this time and though and we be ask to sympathize with the heavy side . sure and it be do elsewhere ( the godfather trilogy come to mind ) and but not with and a in armendariz performance a pedro and intensity reminiscent of marlon brando a tennessee williams stanley kowalski . otherwise and a linger question of motive remains . it be not a simple and beast man change his way and save the day story and because pedro motivation for change seem to be attraction to meche and not benevolence towards the lowly tenant . do that make him a selfish and animal man . or do it actually reveal his humanity and above that of the loveless don andres and paloma . in the end and pedro doesn not change his nature and but a certain part of his nature that of attraction get the good of him . the final image of the film be also deliciously enigmatic represent paloma gaze fearfully . anxiously . at a dark hen that defy interpretation . perhaps i miss a plot detail about that hen be it the same one that be a gift from pedro to meche . then perhaps she be jealous but more likely and it be a statement of rebellion against paloma otherwise static character type . she seem to be have be involve with some potent set piece earlier ( the flower to be cut and represent tenant while the meat to be cut and represent the subtlety of seduction ) . we be not mean to leave fully know or understand either paloma or pedro ( sadly and meche remain 1 dimensional ) and and enough scene be introduce that challenge our preconception about type character that make the story surprisingly compelling .