Cinema
La cabina
Antonio Mercero · 1972
Synopsis
A square in Madrid, early in the morning. Workmen are installing a telephone booth there. A little later, a man who has just taken his son to the school bus goes in to make a call; the door closes behind him, the telephone does not work, and the door refuses to open again. Passers-by try to help him, then gather in ever greater numbers to watch; a burly man, another armed with a screwdriver, police officers each try in turn, without success.
Context
Spanish television accepted the project to reward the success of a series by Mercero. Shooting took place in July and August 1972, in the Plaza de Arapiles in Madrid and in other parts of the city, with José Luis López Vázquez in the almost sole role. The censors had a shot cut in which they thought they saw a ministry; it was the Nuevos Ministerios metro station. Broadcast on 13 December 1972, the film frightened people: viewers stopped closing the doors of phone booths. It was shown all over the world, and the telephone company hired the actor for advertisements.
Who it is for
A television medium-length film, an open parable that each viewer read in their own way; in France, it was seen as an image of Francoism.
Prizes and reception
International Emmy for best television film in 1973, the only Spanish programme to have won it; Ondas Prize and Quijote de oro the same year.