Verbena trágica

In the early years of sound motion pictures, studios often filmed foreign language versions of American productions. Some utilized subtitles, others were dubbed. In some cases, American stars spoke foreign dialog from a script written phonetically on a blackboard just off camera. More commonly, however, the films featured an entirely different cast. Spanish-language productions were the most common of these alternate versions, thanks to sizeable Latino audiences in Los Angeles and other metropolitan markets, as well as those in Latin American countries. Directed by Charles Lamont and starring Spanish-born actress Luana Alcañiz and Mexican star Fernando Soler, the melodrama Verbena trágica surrounds a boxer, released after eight months in jail, who comes home to a recently pregnant wife. Produced by Cantabria Films, Verbena trágica was unusual for the multi-version formula in that an English-language version was never made, most likely due to the film's themes of adultery and revenge.

Verbena trágica was added to the National Film Registry in 1996.

(This writeup includes material from the LOC Brief Descriptions and Expanded Essays of National Film Registry Titles list and the AFI Catalog of Feature Films.)