The Young and the Damned

"The Young and the Damned" (original title: "Los Olvidados") is a 1950 film by Spanish-Mexican director Luis Buñuel. The film is a stark and unsentimental portrayal of a group of impoverished children living in the slums of Mexico City. The narrative begins with the escape of a teenage delinquent, Jaibo, from a reformatory. He quickly reunites with his old gang, a group of street children who survive by stealing.

Among them is Pedro, a boy who yearns for the love of his mother, who resents him and shows him no affection. Pedro's desire for a better life and his mother's approval clashes with the harsh reality of his environment and the corrupting influence of Jaibo. After Jaibo murders Julián, a boy he accuses of being an informant, Pedro is the sole witness. This event tragically intertwines the fates of the two boys.

As Pedro tries to break away from a life of crime by taking a job, he is constantly pulled back by Jaibo and the seemingly inescapable cycle of poverty and violence. The film follows their downward spiral, offering a bleak and powerful commentary on the societal conditions that create such desperation and hopelessness among the young.

Luis Buñuel's "The Young and the Damned" is a powerful and unflinching critique of a society that abandons its most vulnerable members. The film argues that juvenile delinquency is not an inherent trait but a direct consequence of the brutalizing effects of poverty, neglect, and a lack of opportunity. Buñuel directly confronts the romanticized notion of poverty, instead presenting it as a dehumanizing force that breeds violence and despair. The film's core message is a plea for social awareness and responsibility, suggesting that the "damned" are not just the children but the society that has forgotten them. It challenges the viewer to look beyond the surface of urban progress and acknowledge the grim realities hidden in its shadows. The film's title, "Los Olvidados" (The Forgotten Ones), encapsulates this central idea.

While the film is widely seen as a work of social realism, its surrealist elements, particularly Pedro's dream, invite alternative interpretations. Some critics analyze the film through a psychoanalytic lens, focusing on the Oedipal dynamics between Pedro, his mother, and the usurping father-figure, Jaibo. Pedro's resentment of his mother is coupled with a deep longing for her affection, a conflict that is vividly dramatized in the dream sequence where she offers him rotting meat.

Another interpretation focuses on the character of Jaibo not just as a villain, but as a manifestation of the raw, untamed id—a pure product of instinct and survival in a world devoid of societal rules. In this view, he represents the complete breakdown of social and moral order. The film can also be read as a more abstract, existentialist fable about the absence of redemption in a godless world, where characters are trapped in a cycle of suffering with no hope of escape. The bleak, predetermined fate of the protagonists supports this darker, more philosophical reading that goes beyond a simple call for social reform.

"The Young and the Damned" had a profound and lasting cultural impact, both in Mexico and internationally. At the time of its creation, Mexico was promoting an image of modernity and progress. Buñuel's film shattered this image by exposing the brutal reality of poverty hidden within its capital city. This led to significant controversy, with many accusing the film of being anti-Mexican. However, the film's success at the Cannes Film Festival, where Buñuel won Best Director, forced a re-evaluation and eventually cemented its status as a masterpiece of Mexican cinema.

The film is considered a landmark of neorealism, though Buñuel infused it with his signature surrealist elements, most notably in Pedro's dream sequence. This blend of stark realism and psychological depth was highly influential. It departed from the more sentimental portrayals of delinquency common in Hollywood at the time, offering a more complex and critical social analysis. "The Young and the Damned" is often cited as a major influence on later films that deal with similar themes of urban poverty and youth crime, such as "Pixote" (1981), "City of God" (2002), and "Amores Perros" (2000).

Its unflinching portrayal of the social determinants of crime and its focus on "the forgotten ones" resonated with international audiences and critics, solidifying Buñuel's reputation as a world-class director. The film's legacy lies in its powerful social critique, its artistic innovation, and its enduring ability to force audiences to confront uncomfortable truths about society.

Upon its release in Mexico, "The Young and the Damned" was met with widespread hostility. Audiences and critics were shocked by its raw and unflinching depiction of poverty and juvenile delinquency in Mexico City. Many felt it was a slanderous and pessimistic portrayal of the nation, which at the time was trying to project an image of progress and prosperity. However, the film's fortunes turned dramatically after it received international acclaim, particularly after Luis Buñuel won the Best Director prize at the 1951 Cannes Film Festival. This foreign validation led to a reassessment of the film in its home country, where it is now considered a cinematic masterpiece. Today, audiences generally praise the film for its powerful performances, its stark realism, and its courageous social commentary. While some viewers find its bleakness and brutality difficult to watch, it is widely recognized as a deeply moving and thought-provoking work of art.