De “este país no tiene arreglo” a… Salto a la gloria (1959)

Abstract

Salto a la Gloria recounts the life of the eminent Spanish histologist Santiago Ramón y Cajal from his childhood in Petilla de Aragón (Navarra, Spain). until the awarding of the 1906 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine. Without avoiding stereotypes (the mischievous child, the absentminded scientist dedicated exclusively to science) and archetypes surrounding the scientist at that time, the film moulds a biography both entertaining and decidedly close to reality. It includes moral messages specific to the historical moment in which it was filmed, and humor scenes clever not only in content, but also in their placement throughout the film. The director utilizes well-implemented sharp contrasts in order to unite the events of Cajal’s life: his rural childhood, his participation in Cuba’s war of independence or his admission into Zaragoza’s School of Medicine (Spain). From a current mentality, and in light of the true knowledge of Cajal’s life, scenes that attempt to emphasize his greatness seem comical, like the cabaret scene where the only thing that remains for him to say is “sin, sin....” In short, a good movie considering the financial resources provided and the time in which it was filmed.