Leticia Neria PhD thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText ...

Differences are funny
As mentioned earlier, the features of some characters will be exaggerated in order to
make them match stereotypes, and occasionally, these features help us to distinguish
what a culture finds to be different. Thus, a certain character may become the allegory
of those we consider different and laughable. Once we recognise which social groups
are the butt of jokes we will understand who are disliked or considered as inferior by a
society in a specific time.
First, in these four films there is at least one Spanish character. In Calzonzin
Inspector the Spaniard wears a beret, has bushy eyebrows, and smokes a cigar. They
also have small businesses as in Calzonzin Inspector where the Asturian Don Fiacro
owns a cantina called ‘El Sanatorio’. In El Águila Descalza, the Spaniard has a general
store. In both films these men are disrespectful and condescending to Mexicans.
However, when they try to mistreat the comic characters, whom they consider inferior,
they themselves suffer humiliation and punishment.
When Poncho tries to return his neighbour’s spoilt milk to Don Alejo, the
Spaniard in El Águila Descalza, they start arguing in a very interesting sequence, not
only for the dialogues, but also for the visual scene:
Don Alejo (DA): Y dile a esa hija de la mala vida...
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Poncho: Hijo de la mala vida será usted, explotador de mujeres
indefensas.
DA: ¿Explotador yo? Mira que se está rifando una hostia y tú tienes
todos los boletos.
P: ¡Pues aviéntate hijo de Hernán Cortés, que aquí está tu arbolote de la
noche triste!
DA: ¡Y tú, indio emplumado, hijo de la gran… Tenochtitlán!
Chona: ¡A mucha honra!
P: Puritita raza de bronce.