XVII century Spain. Don Pablo tries to climb position and falls into the hands of students, rogues, whores, fake skilled, executioners, jailers and comedians. Based on "The Buscón called Pablos" Francisco de Quevedo.
Acting
Francisco Algora's gleefully amoral Pablos carries every scam with twisted charm.
Costume
Absurdly detailed 17th-century rags-to-riches-to-rags wardrobe on a shoestring.
Writing
Quevedo's savage wit survives, barely, through Berriatúa's uneven adaptation.
Director
Luciano Berriatúa
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Quevedo's novel invented the Spanish picaresque; this 1979 adaptation arrived during the 'Transition' when Franco's censorship had just ended, making its crude energy oddly political.
TMDB's 5.5 rating comes from literally two votes—this film is so obscure it basically doesn't exist statistically, which somehow fits Pablos's whole deal.
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