Bracho’s 1960 passion project, based on the famous 1929 novel by revolutionary author Martín Luis Guzmán, daringly tackles the corruption of the Mexican elite and the country’s political process; its depiction of treachery and sleaze (all based on the behavior of real-life politicians) outraged the army, and left it banned for over thirty years. Tackling the murderous scramble for power between strongmen and their suck-ups after the Mexican Revolution, The Shadow of the Tyrant still has time for rousingly populist set pieces (showgirls who sing “Respect the popular vote! Don’t be a rat!”), noirish intrigues, and some wonderful location shooting amidst Mexico City’s cultural landmarks.