Interesting Mexican commentary on culture and the passing of "Cantinflas"

Fortino Mario Alfonso Moreno Reyes, also known as 'Cantinflas' (August 12, 1911 – April 20, 1993) was a Mexican comedian and actor.

As I continue to wade through old New York Times reports for my dissertation, I came across an interesting old quote about the passing of the Mexican comic-actor "Cantinflas." The quote is from a report published on April 23, 1993, entitled "Loved Clown Exits Down Memory-Filled Streets."

As dozens of [Mexican] fans described their loss, the sense of nostalgia seemed to apply almost as much to the world that he satirized as to the comic himself.

"On television now they bombard us with so many things that are not ours," complained Lauro Pacheco, 39, an office worker for the telephone company... Referring to the United States, Mr. Pacheco added, "It is all things from the other side -- the rich person marries the poor person -- things that are not of our world."

...

To American audiences, Cantinflas (pronounced cahn-TEEN-flahs) was known almost entirely for his role as David Niven's sidekick, Passepartout, in the 1956 film "Around the World in 80 Days." But in Mexico he was remembered for films like "Cantinflas the Boxer," "Neither Blood Nor Sand" and "Patrol Car 777," and roles in which he twisted the thickly formal language with which working-class Mexicans are expected to use when addressing people of higher position to make fun of those at the top.

...

In the more studied remembrances that dominated much of the capital's radio programming, several critics described Cantinflas's comedy as much like that of Chaplin's, but with an even sharper satirical edge.

"More than anything, he wanted people to see that there had to be more equality in Mexico," said Jose Alberto Murillo, a 19-year-old student. Now, Mr. Murillo said, many people seemed to be forgetting that.