Ensayo De Un Crimen (aka The Criminal Life Of Archibaldo De La Cruz) (1955)

A spoiled and overprivileged small boy (Rafael Banquells Hijo) is given a gift of a music box by his mother (Eva Calvo). The music box comes with a legend that says it can cause the death of an enemy when played. Wishing his nanny (Leonor Lausas) dead, a stray bullet comes through the window and kills her. Taking the mindset of a serial killer, as a grown up (Ernesto Alonso) he carries this mental state into adulthood. Co-written and directed by Luis Bunuel (DISCREET CHARM OF THE BOURGEOISIE), this quirky black comedy probably isn't as outrageous or shocking as it seemed in 1955 but it's still wickedly amusing. Who hasn't ever desired someone dead for some egregious act or offense but imagine you could make them die without the physical act of killing! The protagonist has enough of a conscience to want to change all this but does he actually have the ability to make people die or is it just coincidence? Or maybe he's just plain crazy! Perhaps it's second tier Bunuel but it is one of Bunuel's most accessible films. Sadly, as one of Archibaldo's potential victims, top billed Miroslava Stern committed suicide at age 29 before the film was released. With Rita Macedo, Ariadna Welter and Rodolfo Landa.