The best María Félix’s drama movies

Nineteenth-century Paris comes vibrantly alive in Jean Renoir’s exhilarating tale of the opening of the world-renowned Moulin Rouge. Jean Gabin plays the wily impresario Danglard, who makes the cancan all the rage while juggling the love of two beautiful women—an Egyptian belly-dancer and a naive working girl turned cancan star.

On a small Mexican island dwells a group of Indians who live in the traditional manner and who disdain outsiders. The beautiful Maclovia and the poverty-stricken Jose Maria are in love, but her father refuses to allow their marriage, or even any communication between them, due to Jose Maria's lack of means.

In the fall of 1824 Javier Montenegro, Bradomin Marquis is spared death hanging by Captain Casares, and in return, the Marquis agrees to help him escape to America. Adaptation of "Sonata de Otoño" and "Sonata de Estío" of Ramón María del Valle-Inclan, which included elements Bardem later works of the author.

The love between María Ángela and Fernando is impossible because there's an ancient history of hate between their families. His father killed hers, and other family members have killed each other for years. When María Ángela's grandfather finds she's in love with Fernando, he frames the young man and forces her to marry Manuel. Maria Ángela finds that Manuel doesn't love her and together plan her escape with Fernando. But things go wrong and the lovers find their destiny in The Spirit's Canyon.

In Mexican Revolution times, a guerrilla general and his troops take the conservative town of Cholula, near by Mexico City. As the revolutionaries mistreat the town's riches, Armendáriz falls for beautiful and wild Beatriz Peñafiel, the daughter of one of the town's richest men.

Called by the Mexican President himself, and in spite of a heart condition, young teacher Rosaura Salazar travels to the deserted town of Rio Escondido to accomplish the mission of bringing education to the poorest people. Being there, Salazar has to fight Regino Sandoval the evil landlord of the town. He has transformed the town into his own property, imposing his will and spreading death everywhere.

Aroused citizens assassinate an unpopular Caribbean despot, then two men vie for his gorgeous widow Ines. Ojeda is a steamy, isolated island, the penal colony for an oppressive dictatorship. A reactionary seizes the murdered governor's post, and rushes to eliminate his romantic rival, an idealistic underling. The bureaucrat Vazquez hopes to marshal the angry residents of the capitol, El Pao, plus the many political prisoners, to oust Governor Gual.

The story of an indigenous who gave his life for the love of a white woman, whom he confused, because of her beauty, with Maria the virgin, fighting against the society, the prejudices, and the race.

A woman of low estate is beloved of a promising young man, but sacrifices her love for him in order to protect his future and reputation.

During a lull in the Mexican Revolution when Francisco Madero became president and attempted to implement land reforms, two former revolutionaries are pitted against each other for the love of the same woman.

A woman hardened by her past now runs a ranch she acquired through manipulation and bribery.

Judging by the number of times it has shown up on Spanish-language cable TV, La escondida is one of the most popular and best beloved of the Maria Felix vehicles. The star runs the emotional gamut as Gabriela, who rises from the depths of poverty to the heights of Mexican society as a much-sought-after courtesan. Eventually, however, Gabriela proves that she is still true to her peasant heritage by casting her lot with the rebels in the 1916 Mexican civil war. Pedro Armendariz co-stars as Felipe, the charismatic rebel leader who wins Gabriela's heart - and inadvertently causes her downfall. La escondida is stunningly photographed by the late, great Gabriel Figueroa.

The Mexican Revolution serves as a backdrop to a torrid love triangle composed of three freedom fighters: a colonel, a widow, and a fiery female soldier.

Peasant woman leads a regiment during the final days of the Mexican Revolution. Also, romantic entanglements.

A Mexican film noir revolving around a crime: the suicide of one of Diana (María Félix)'s lovers and the disposal of his body in order to avoid a scandal. Diana not only engineers the entire scheme, but drafts her two other suitors: her fiance Adolfo (Julio Villareal) and his nephew Miguel (Luis Aldas).