
José Bohr
Directing
Biography
Born in Germany on November 3, 1901 under the name of Joseph Bohr Elzer, the young José Bohr arrived with his family to colonize southern Chile in 1904. It was in the city of Punta Arenas where he began his precocious cinematographic and musical career, composing songs including the hymn "Punta Arenas", playing the piano for silent films and making his first film works before he was in his twenties. After emigrating to Santiago in 1921, he went to Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, hired by the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make a documentary. Later he settled in Buenos Aires, where he composed a good part of the 200 songs that swelled the popular songbook of the time, such as "Y tenía un lunar", "Cascabelito" and "Pero hay una melena", as well as advertising tangos for music houses. He performed for the first time in the United States in 1925, starring in the musical show Gaucho at the Paramount Theater in Broadway. In this country he rubbed shoulders with the stars of the big screen, enjoying bohemian life and success. Shortly thereafter, he starred in the first Spanish-language film produced in Hollywood, Sombras de gloria, for which he received a symbolic Oscar, since the category of best foreign film did not yet exist. In Mexico, where he moved in 1932 and became friends with renowned artists such as Luis Buñuel, Cantinflas and Jorge Negrete, he became one of the pioneers of cinema, shooting more than thirty films. It was there when, in 1936, Claudio Arrau starred in and interpreted the music for his film, which was about the life of Liszt. Upon his return to Chile in 1940, he served as general director of Chile Films and shot 16 films. He composed the music for all of them, as was usual in the sixty films he made during his lifetime. Some of his most famous films are Uno que ha sido marino, Si mis campos hablaran and El gran circo Chamorro. In addition to being named Illustrious Son of the city of Punta Arenas in 1976, the Government decorated him with the Bernardo O'Higgins Order of Merit. In the 1980s he settled in Denmark with his sons Daniel and Eduardo, also dedicated to film and music. He died on May 29, 1994 in Oslo, Norway.
Known For

An agent of the anti-drug brigade is captured and ends up addicted to marijuana, which causes him to enter the mafia.
Marihuana (El monstruo verde)

A woman's uncontrollable jealousy over her husband's former girlfriend results in her losing not only her house but her young son is taken away from her.
Ex-Flame

Desideria de los Ríos is an amateur actress who works in a theater of bad death and looks for the way to become a luminary of the screen.
La Dama de las Camelias

Hercules, a poor individual earns his living as a walking street ad, carrying a gigantic advertising sign on his shoulders. His biggest concern is his daughter Leonor, who helps at home by working as a seamstress. Afflicted by the economic situation, Hercules gets a job as a casino watchman. There he must face a trio of mobsters and a kleptomaniac baroness who tries to seduce him with her vampire airs and whom Hercules ends up falling in love with.
El último guapo
Venezuelan adaptation of The Four Featehr by A.E.W. Mason. A story of courage and redemption set in the British Empire's colonial era. When Harry Feversham resigns from his military post before a Sudan campaign, he's branded a coward and given four white feathers by his fiancée and friends. To prove his bravery, Harry embarks on a dangerous mission to Sudan to aid his comrades in secret. Overcoming peril and doubt, he redeems himself, eventually returning the feathers.
Las cuatro plumas

In a small city, talented María was trained as a singer by blind composer Joaquín. They both dream of making it big in the capital but, when they finally make the move, they find that success is not achieved without struggles.
Una luz en mi camino

Juan is summoned by Goldenberg to offer him a job in the cheap business. To get away from him, Pardo evades his proposals justifying himself by saying that he must consult with his partner; who, in reality, does not exist. As the story progresses we can see how this partner, who is called Mr. Davis, takes on a life of his own inside Juan's mind.
Pacto con el Diablo (o el socio, Mr. Davis)

A British ex-Grenadier Guards officer moves to America, but struggles to find work. After he is employed as a chauffeur to a wealthy family, he falls in love with his employer's daughter.
Thus is Life

Two shoeshine girls and a newspaper vendor survive in the Mapocho neighborhood of Santiago. While looking for better luck, Maruja becomes involved with a businessman who helps her become a famous singer. Meanwhile, the two shoeshine boys happen to come across some money from a bank robbery, changing their luck.
One Who's Been a Sailor

Theatrical producers discover a new musical-theatre star in a small farming town.
Canto a mi tierra
The film tells the adventures of a bohemian who, after a joyful bender, dreams delusions of grandeur that reality brings back down to earth.
Mi noche alegre

The action begins in 1847 with the arrival of the first German settlers in southern Chile. Don Vicente Perez Rosales is in charge of welcoming the immigrants who arrive by boat to the remote areas of Villarica. After the customary speeches promising loyalty to their new homeland, the settlers begin to work the land. Years pass. Frustrated Daniel, his noble brother Simón, and sweet Dora are three of those pioneers whom history revisits in their youth to explore a triangle of love and desire.
If My Fields Could Talk

Luponini, a bank employee, becomes a robber due to a broken heart. His criminal career, successful at first, is soon threatened by the betrayal of one of his accomplices and the contempt of Luisa, his ex-wife.
Luponini (El terror de Chicago)

Elderly suburban man is imprisoned over a misunderstanding about some garden utensils.
Procesado 1040
The characters are refugees from the war who have arrived in America. Ricardo Moller is a scientist who the war has left sexually mutilated, while Arturo Gonzálvez is a professor who believes that another passenger is insane, unaware that she is his wife accompanied by their children.
La cadena infinita

El Malo, notorious Mexican bandit, forces the Mayor of Sierra Blanca, Seth Landport, to open the safe and turn over to him 2,000 pesos, which the bandit gives a promissory note for to the Mayor. Seth rushes to the cantina where Sheriff Rankin is drinking, and the sheriff posts a reward for the capture of El Malo. El Malo informs his men of the reward. The bandit and his sidekick, Pedro, visit the cantina where Pedro resumes a former acquaintance with Dolores, while El Malo has his attention directed to a tango being performed by Carmita. El Malo pushes her dancing partner aside and finishes the dance with Carmita. Since Seth's description of him is not accurate, El May visits the sheriff and promises to deliver the wanted bandit to the cantina the following night. THe following morning, El Malo and Pedro depart, and, halting their horses on a hill, view the stagecoach being held up by a trio of outlaws.
Rogue of the Rio Grande
It premiered at the Teatro Royal in Punta Arenas on August 1, 1919 with the following paintings: – Mass and walkers leave Plaza Muñoz Gamero. – Christening and departure of the national frigate “Alejandrina”. – Destruction of a schooner at the loading dock. – Picturesque Loreto Mine. – Skating scenes in the Cerro Cruz lagoon. – Known local people. – Street scenes. Film restored by the National Cinematheque of Chile.
MAGALLANES FILM: ACTUALIDADES DE MAGALLANES Nº3

A plastic surgeon goes mad when he discovers that his wife have an affair. He fakes her death and disfigure her and locks her in the cellar.
A Macabre Legacy

It tells the adventures of a tailor, played by the comedian Morvello, who believes he has won the lottery. There comes a succession of scenes of the protagonist turned millionaire, who is abruptly frustrated when going to collect his prize when he discovers with surprise that he has got the wrong number (In the book “Chilean Silent Cinema”. Eliana Jara Donoso. Santiago, 1994) Film restored by the National Cinematheque of Chile.
Easily, or The Lottery Ticket

Flor del Carmen, daughter of the foreman of a farm, is in love with a peon: her father is opposed to this marriage, but instead yields to the threats of a rich and cynical peasant who lent him money while in trouble, in exchange he offers his daughter to him.