Cantinflas

Ever since the regime of Madero, comedians below the Rio Grande have savagely sniped at pompous Mexican politicos. Famed is Comic Roberto Soto for his feat of kidding Calles' Labor Boss Luis Morones out of office. An oldster now, Soto's wit is not so sharp as it used to be, and he has been supplanted in favor by a thin, big-eyed, loose-jointed youngster of 28, who was christened Mario Moreno, is known throughout Mexico today as Cantinflas.

Wistful as Chaplin, baggy in the rear, Cantinflas is rated the finest comic Mexico has yet produced. To the Government he is an annoying fellow. A few weeks ago in the course of rehearsing a revue he introduced an acid skit on Mexican election scandals. Although his show had not yet opened, the Government promptly closed the Folies Bergere Theatre where Cantinflas holds forth. Protesting the ban as a violation of his civil liberties, Cantinflas spoke softly but sternly to a couple of officials, soon persuaded them that his followers would not permit the Government to gag him. The Folies Bergere reopened, with Cantinflas joyously needling the Government more sharply than ever. Last week, playing two shows daily, Cantinflas included in his revue a satire on the new Federal deputies, due to open their legislature session on Sept. 1. Final instructions he receives as a phony deputy : "Now go to a shooting gallery and practice up for the opening."

In his role of a bedraggled, lonesome bum, Cantinflas gives the impression of having drifted in off the streets. Actually he has been pretty well heeled throughout his career, spent three years in the Law School of the National University of Mexico and taught for a spell before he entered the theatre. Unlike most Mexican actors, he did not get to the top via carpas or tent shows, but started playing under a real roof. Today he makes $300 a week.

When Spanish War Minister Indalecio Prieto visited Mexico, he went to watch Cantinflas, advised Cardenas to put a stop to his joshing. Said he: "You ought to stop this. It was by permitting such ridicule of the Spanish Republican Government that we lost public confidence resulting in our downfall." Ignored was Prieto's advice. Cantinflas is now popularizing a new verb in the Mexican language. The verb is "cantinflear," which means to talk much, say little, indulge in wild non sequiturs. Cantinflas constantly rebuffs German propagandists eager to use the popular theatre in Mexico to get the Fuehrer's message across.

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