Illusion Travels by Streetcar (Mexico, 1953) 90 min B&W DIR: Luis Buñuel. PROD: Armando Orive Alba. SCR: Luis Alcoriza. DOP: Raúl Martínez Solares. MUSIC: Luis Hernández Bretón. CAST: Lilia Prado, Carlos Navarro, Fernando Soto, Agustín Isunza, Miguel Manzano, Guillermo Bravo Sosa, José Pidal, Felipe Montoya, Javier de la Parra. (Clasa Films SA)
Illusion Travels by Streetcar is a lovely little fable about two foppish streetcar engineers, Caireles (Carlos Navarro) and Tarrajas (Fernando Soto), who sadly must retire the “113” car. That night, after Tarrajas stars in an amateur theatre production of Genesis, the two men decide to go back to the streetcar depot, hoist a few drinks, and then take the beloved car out for one last run. In their foolish reverie, they pick up peasant passengers, and refuse to take their money. Then at dawn, after sleeping off their drunken fun, their efforts of sneaking the car back into the yard before anyone notices it is missing, become a comedy of errors.
As in Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, the most simplest of tasks gets thwarted. They are stopped by a teacher who has a gang of unruly kids- they mistake their car for a “special” vehicle to take them on a school trip. Meanwhile, Tarrajas’ sister Lupita (Lilia Prado) (engaged to Raoul, whom Tarrajas detests) learns of their escapade and the chase ensues to stop the men before their acts are discovered. Raoul pursues the renegade streetcar, and gets into an automobile accident for his trouble. Then, the duo has a foe in a makeshift passenger, Papa Pinillos (Agustín Isunza), who used to work for the transit company yet was dismissed on account of his asthma. In his fervent dedication to his former employer, he reports the stolen car to the transit company… but the officials disbelieve him due to his previous troublemaking acts! Alas, the duo manage to squeak the streetcar in before anyone does try to check out Papa’s story, and all is well.
Because this is a commercial film, we wisely but wrongly expect Caireles to replace Raoul as Lupita’s new beau, as he is a strapping soul with clean cut leading-man looks. However, since all of this film takes place in one day, we cannot expect everything to be resolved in one neat little Hollywood bow within such a short time period. The wraparound voiceover describes this as one little event involving various people in the city before they go back to their everyday lives. This comic duo will remain a pair of fools, and Lupita will still berate them for such.
And yet, one notices the sly little Buñuelian touches. (Even a romp like this involves the church!) In the segment featuring the class on a school trip, a couple of kids point out to an orphaned classmate that his mother is outside their window. He looks out to see a prostitute. Plus, the theatrical mockup of God’s creation of Heaven and Earth may seem like lampoon on the surface, but instead religion reveals its prevalence in people’s lives, even in unlikely moments. Despite the thin characterizations, and the rushed production (the use of rear-screen projection is glaringly obvious for many of the streetcar interiors), I have a great fondness for this picture. Illusion Travels by Streetcar is one of Buñuel’s most charming projects. It is little more than a sweet little fable, but it lovingly lingers in the memory.