Prudencia Grifell

Prudencia Grifell

Born: December 27, 1879
Died: June 7, 1970
in Lugo, Galicia, Spain
Prudencia Grifell (December 27, 1879 – June 7, 1970), born Prudencia Grifell Masipon, was a prolific actress of the Golden Era of the Cinema of Mexico.

Grifell was born to Spanish stage actors and started her acting career herself at the age of ten in theater in Venezuela and touring Spain and Latin America. By the 1900s she had become very popular and moved to Mexico to continue her career in stage, after the Spanish Civil War she decided not to go back to that country but instead to relocate in Mexico permanently after 1940.

Three years later, already at the age of 61, she appeared in her first film Internado para señoritas ("Girls Boarding School") with the stars Mapy Cortés, Emilio Tuero and Katy Jurado. Just as Sara García, her co-star as the Vivanco sisters in two films, she mostly played feisty but lovable granny roles.

Movies for Prudencia Grifell...

Why Was I Born a Woman?
Title: Why Was I Born a Woman?
Character: Doña Rosa
Released: August 20, 1970
Type: Movie
A family gathers to celebrate Mother's Day, that day a woman discuss many problems about her woman condition; husband, children and grandchildren will hear she tired and overwhelmed silenced by submission and obedience. Analysis of the family and gender roles.
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The Waltzes came from Vienna and the Children from Paris
Title: The Waltzes came from Vienna and the Children from Paris
Released: January 13, 1966
Type: Movie
Unmarried opera singer has a baby, and her friends convince her to pass it off as the grandchild of a wealthy old lady.
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El señor doctor
Title: El señor doctor
Character: Señora Martínez
Released: October 7, 1965
Type: Movie
It's about a country doctor that comes to the city while a clinic is built in his home town... he rubs off his care and compassion on others at the hospital with his humor and wit.
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Caperucita y sus tres amigos
Title: Caperucita y sus tres amigos
Character: Red Riding Hood's Grandmother
Released: April 20, 1961
Type: Movie
Villagers think the Big Bad Wolf has returned to his fierce, wild-animal ways. Also gypsies.
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Senda prohibida
Title: Senda prohibida
Character: Federico's Mother
Released: April 6, 1961
Type: Movie
The story of Nora, a poor but ambitious young woman, who uses her beauty to seduce a rich and married lawyer.
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Mis abuelitas... no más!
Title: Mis abuelitas... no más!
Released: March 30, 1961
Type: Movie
Bush-league actor allows two adorable grannies to believe he's their long-lost grandson. Then: complications!
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The Trial of the Vivanco Ladies
Title: The Trial of the Vivanco Ladies
Character: Doña Teresa Vivanco y de la Vega
Released: January 18, 1961
Type: Movie
After being arrested the two adorable grannies spend some time in jail and then stand trial for the robberies they've committed.
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The Shadow of the Strongman
Title: The Shadow of the Strongman
Character: Dueña de burdel
Released: August 22, 1960
Type: Movie
Post-revolucionary Mexico. War secretary Hilario Jiménez is chosen as the candidate for presidency, but he isn't so sure about it, because he knows that his boss and current president, El Caudillo, has chosen a second one.
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La hermana blanca
Title: La hermana blanca
Released: July 19, 1960
Type: Movie
A young woman believes her fiance has died, and she enters a convent.
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Little Red Riding Hood
Title: Little Red Riding Hood
Character: Abuelita
Released: May 5, 1959
Type: Movie
The classic story of the Red Riding Hood spiced up by a couple of funny characters like the dog Duke, companion to the girl in her adventures, and the stinky Skunk, henchman to the Wolf.
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The Vivanco Ladies
Title: The Vivanco Ladies
Character: Teresa Vivanco
Released: April 9, 1959
Type: Movie
Two women of lesser descent are dedicated to stealing to support their brother's daughter.
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México nunca duerme
Title: México nunca duerme
Released: March 26, 1959
Type: Movie
Fretful granny is upset when her granddaughter isn't home by 9 PM on Saturday night, so she teams up with a gangster to tour Mexico City nightclubs looking for her.
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The Smile of the Virgin
Title: The Smile of the Virgin
Released: December 4, 1958
Type: Movie
Marita, a charming little girl, lives in the country with her grandmother. Her best friend is a modest servant, Anselmo, who almost everyday takes the girl to visit the church known as "Guadalupe's Basilica", an important cathedral in Mexico City, where she discovers Virgin Guadalupe and the legend about her apparitions in that place. Marita doesn't behave properly in school, and her teacher always has a punishment for the girl. She doesn't like school, and she doesn't want to return to school anymore. Besides, Marita's worried about her animals, like a cow who doesn't produce milk. The girl asks many miracles of Virgin Guadalupe, one of them is to not have to go to school. During a visit to the Basilica, Marita hears the Virgin's voice, and this could be the beginning of a responsible life for the girl, like to study and to be a good child.
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School for Mothers-in-Law
Title: School for Mothers-in-Law
Released: December 1, 1958
Type: Movie
Dizzy society matron plucks a hobo out of the gutter to rehabilitate him.
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El hombre que me gusta
Title: El hombre que me gusta
Released: November 13, 1958
Type: Movie
A man facing bankruptcy and ruin rehearses a couple of scenarios relating to suicide, until his family convinces him he's worth more alive than dead.
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Préstame tu cuerpo
Title: Préstame tu cuerpo
Character: Simplicia
Released: April 1, 1958
Type: Movie
Heaven Can Wait scenario; a young woman dies forty years ahead of schedule because her guardian angel made a mistake... so the divine powers that be put her back on earth in a new body.
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Mi desconocida esposa
Title: Mi desconocida esposa
Character: Abuela
Released: January 22, 1958
Type: Movie
After moving from Guadalajara to Mexico City, a young woman gets embroiled in a series of puzzling mistaken-identity misadventures.
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Horas de agonía
Title: Horas de agonía
Released: January 8, 1958
Type: Movie
Nubile young woman seems to be quite free with her affections... but she has a deep, dark secret. Deep. Dark.
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Raffles
Title: Raffles
Character: Doña Constancia
Released: January 1, 1958
Type: Movie
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Pepito and the Monster
Title: Pepito and the Monster
Character: Abuelita
Released: September 30, 1957
Type: Movie
The boy Pepito, is looking for work to help his grandmother, who is not receiving her pension. He wants to be a magician's assistant, and thus begin his problems because a crime happens and a monster appears.
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Sublime melodía
Title: Sublime melodía
Released: November 1, 1956
Type: Movie
Young widow with kindergarten-age daughter butts heads with her mother-in-law.
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Pensión de artistas
Title: Pensión de artistas
Released: August 24, 1956
Type: Movie
Between-engagements troupers at a theatrical boarding-house con a rich acquaintance into financing a show.
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The Third Word
Title: The Third Word
Character: Angelina
Released: July 3, 1956
Type: Movie
The English-language title of this Mexican musical was The Third Word. Singer Pedro Infante stars as a pampered young man who is sheltered by his doting aunts. Deciding that their darling boy needs an education, the ladies hire pretty schoolteacher Marga Lopez. Upon discovering that her pupil is 28 years old, Marga is momentarily nonplused, but then settles into her duties. Inevitably, romance blossoms between Pedro and Marga, much to the aunts' dismay.
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Angel Face
Title: Angel Face
Released: March 1, 1956
Type: Movie
Mischievous little girl pulls a variety of pranks for the purpose of preventing her parents from divorcing.
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The Force of Desire
Title: The Force of Desire
Character: Juana
Released: July 22, 1955
Type: Movie
Wicked girl uses nude modeling as a way to seduce a wealthy painter into marriage, while still trying to keep an artschool stud piece on the side.
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The Case of the Wee Murdered Woman
Title: The Case of the Wee Murdered Woman
Character: Sra. Llopis
Released: May 27, 1955
Type: Movie
Ghosts and premonitions; a married woman discovers the true love of her life while being plagued with supernatural phenomena relating to her imminent murder. It's a comedy.
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El plagiario
Title: El plagiario
Released: April 28, 1955
Type: Movie
Gangster's daughter learns about her dad's illegalist lifestyle.
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X Murderer
Title: X Murderer
Character: Señora Encinas
Released: March 18, 1955
Type: Movie
A murderer turns himself to the police, but claims amnesia and insists he's unable to tell them anything about his crime.
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The Monster of the Shadow
Title: The Monster of the Shadow
Released: March 10, 1955
Type: Movie
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To Hell with Women
Title: To Hell with Women
Released: February 17, 1955
Type: Movie
Small-town elects a female mayor. She suppresses all the time-honored masculine pastimes, and the men rebel.
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Una mujer en la calle
Title: Una mujer en la calle
Released: February 3, 1955
Type: Movie
An implausible accident causes a street prostitute to become close friends with an aristocratic old lady.
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Después de la tormenta
Title: Después de la tormenta
Released: January 21, 1955
Type: Movie
This Mexican melodrama may have been released above the border as After the Storm. The principal characters are a pair of twin lighthouse keepers. They try their best to live together with their wives under the same roof, but the delicate balance is shattered when one of the brothers falls in love with his sister-in-law. When one twin is lost during a storm, the other assumes his identity, with the expected romantic complications. If Despues de la Termenta sounds familiar, it is because the screenplay was inspired by the 1946 Bette Davis vehicle A Stolen Life.
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Prisionera del pasado
Title: Prisionera del pasado
Released: October 28, 1954
Type: Movie
Romance between a flamenco singer performing in Mexico and a gov't soldier during the Mexican Revolution.
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Cuando me vaya
Title: Cuando me vaya
Released: June 4, 1954
Type: Movie
Fictionalized version of the life of songwriter Maria Grever.
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La ladrona
Title: La ladrona
Released: March 18, 1954
Type: Movie
Twin sisters butt heads over a feller. One goes into a convent, the other becomes a professional thiefstress.
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The Devil's Money
Title: The Devil's Money
Character: Sra. Olea, madre de Manuel
Released: September 11, 1953
Type: Movie
Los dineros del diablo (The Devil's Money) is a Mexican drama film directed by Alejandro Galindo. It was released in 1953 and starring Amalia Aguilar and Roberto Cañedo.
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Las infieles
Title: Las infieles
Released: July 9, 1953
Type: Movie
Governess falls in love with the uncle of the children she's teaching. Then complications.
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Mujeres que trabajan
Title: Mujeres que trabajan
Character: Srita. Benavides
Released: April 22, 1953
Type: Movie
Women connected with a female-run employment agency and a women-only boarding house bond together in mutual support.
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Siete mujeres
Title: Siete mujeres
Released: January 1, 1953
Type: Movie
Mexican feature film
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La sexta carrera
Title: La sexta carrera
Released: January 1, 1953
Type: Movie
Mexican feature film
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Póker de ases
Title: Póker de ases
Released: December 25, 1952
Type: Movie
Four brothers try to manage their careers and love-lives under the close supervision of a domineering mother.
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El genial Detective Peter Pérez
Title: El genial Detective Peter Pérez
Released: September 3, 1952
Type: Movie
Bumbling detective solves a murder on board a train.
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El ruiseñor del barrio
Title: El ruiseñor del barrio
Released: August 15, 1952
Type: Movie
Ten or twelve years ago, a young man wrecked his car and his wife was killed in the accident. Today, his wealthy mother-in-law is still full of hatred and bitterness toward him, and she prefers not to acknowledge her granddaughter. Will love and tenderness find their way into the crusty old bitch's heart?
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Those Green Eyes
Title: Those Green Eyes
Released: April 22, 1952
Type: Movie
Orphan girl under the protection of a benefactor begins to suspect that her mother had an affair with him and that he's her father.
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Two Faces Have the Destiny
Title: Two Faces Have the Destiny
Character: Doña Remedios, mamá de Anita
Released: March 21, 1952
Type: Movie
Ruined alcoholic doctor escapes a tropical plague and begins a new life back in civilization, taking over the identity of a dead man.
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Mi adorado salvaje
Title: Mi adorado salvaje
Released: March 21, 1952
Type: Movie
The old folks back home in Spain have arranged a marriage for their niece living in Mexico. To side-step their demands, she pretends to be already married, with a male acquaintance who agrees to pose as her husband while her relatives are visiting.
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Lodo y armiño
Title: Lodo y armiño
Released: November 30, 1951
Type: Movie
Wealthy libertine tries to seduce another man's mistress by threatening to send him to jail if she doesn't put out. Blowback from his sleazy behavior affects five other people; everybody suffers. Enormously.
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María Cristina
Title: María Cristina
Released: November 15, 1951
Type: Movie
Decent, hard-working young woman gradually finds her way toward love and happiness. With occasional spasms of Afro-Cuban dancing.
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Recién casados... no molestar
Title: Recién casados... no molestar
Released: August 9, 1951
Type: Movie
Newly-married woman discovers that her husband's a virgin and not the notorious Don Juan that she'd heard rumors about, and their marriage almost collapses because he's faithful and monogamous and good.
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Apartment house
Title: Apartment house
Released: February 8, 1951
Type: Movie
Personal dramas among the residents of an apartment house.
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Historia de un corazón
Title: Historia de un corazón
Released: January 1, 1951
Type: Movie
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Entre tu amor y el cielo
Title: Entre tu amor y el cielo
Character: Doña Francisca
Released: November 30, 1950
Type: Movie
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Inmaculada
Title: Inmaculada
Character: Doña Rosa
Released: September 15, 1950
Type: Movie
A single mother discovers her daughter getting ready to elope with an unworthy boyfriend, so she sits the girl down and tells her the whole entire story of her own very unhappy marriage.
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Over the Waves
Title: Over the Waves
Character: Calixta Gutiérrez de Alfaro
Released: September 13, 1950
Type: Movie
The life of the musician Juventino Rosas, who despite his talent lived an existence of misfortune and poverty.
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Esposa o amante
Title: Esposa o amante
Released: June 21, 1950
Type: Movie
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Nuestras vidas
Title: Nuestras vidas
Released: May 24, 1950
Type: Movie
Frivolous woman falls in reallytruly love for the first time, but her past catches up with her and her fiancé kicks her to the curb. Then joining a convent and amnesia and stuff.
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La dama del alba
Title: La dama del alba
Released: February 25, 1950
Type: Movie
Family rescues a woman from the river nearby where their daughter committed suicide years before. Unresolved mysteries. And meanwhile, there's a mysterious woman in black who shows up at the hacienda just before somebody dies.
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Ladronzuela
Title: Ladronzuela
Released: December 28, 1949
Type: Movie
Homeless girl placed in a court-appointed foster home under the care of a social worker.
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Nosotros los rateros
Title: Nosotros los rateros
Character: Madre de Mercedes
Released: September 7, 1949
Type: Movie
A young woman, a thief and a lawyer find themselves in the same hotel room without planning it. Mercedes, the thief, has a brother who, by mistake, kidnaps the lawyer Alberto, which will cause a mess.
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Soledad
Title: Soledad
Character: Roberto's mother
Released: November 28, 1947
Type: Movie
Soledad, a maid born in Argentina, works at a Mexican farm. The son of her employer will deceive her, pretending to marry her and leaving her pregnant. When she finds out that she has been tricked, she runs away from the farm. During her flight she meets a group of artists that'll change her life.
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El amor abrió los ojos
Title: El amor abrió los ojos
Released: July 24, 1947
Type: Movie
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Los nietos de Don Venancio
Title: Los nietos de Don Venancio
Released: June 13, 1946
Type: Movie
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La culpable
Title: La culpable
Character: María
Released: January 1, 1946
Type: Movie
Mexican movie
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Adulterio
Title: Adulterio
Released: March 1, 1945
Type: Movie
Man commits suicide over his wife's infidelity. His father spends the rest of his life trying to figure out which of son's two children is illegitimate.
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El globo de Cantolla
Title: El globo de Cantolla
Released: July 7, 1944
Type: Movie
Three boys and three girls in the 1890s.
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Internado para señoritas
Title: Internado para señoritas
Released: November 11, 1943
Type: Movie
1940s-style teen comedy set in a private school for girls.