Marvels of the Bull Ring (1943)

"Maravillas del Toreo", (Marvels of the Bull Ring) from Mexico City native, and writer-director Rafael J. Sevilla, is among the most successful of several movies which focused on bull-fighting that were released in the 1940's. This one even made a very respectable showing with U.S. audiences. Reasons for the film's cross-cultural appeal is likely because of interest in its stars. hilean-born Conchita Cintron, called the Golden-Haired Goddess, was the sport's first and only real-life female bullfighter. She was paired with Mexico's most famous Matador at the time, the legendary Pepe Ortiz. The characters played by Cintron and Ortiz find themselves caught up in a love triangle, as they each strive to prove their worth in the bull-ring and work their way to the top of their chosen profession. Although only loosely biographical at best, this movie does contain actual graphic, and bloody bullfights, complete with sword through the heart bull-killing scenes that were filmed primarily at crowed rings in Spain and Mexico.