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Comedy drama

The Executioner (1963): Cast & Plot

The Executioner (1963) movie poster

The Executioner is a 1963 comedy drama directed by Luis García Berlanga, starring Emma Penella as Carmen, la hija de Amadeo, Nino Manfredi and José Luis López Vázquez. It runs 1 hour 31 minutes.

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The Executioner (1963) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 31m (91 min)
Genres
Drama , Comedy
Original language
Spanish
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Executioner About?

The premise of The Executioner without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A morbidly witty tale follows an undertaker who reluctantly marries the daughter of a long‑serving executioner; when his father‑in‑law retires, he is thrust into the grim trade he despises, confronting duty, family honor, and his own aversion to state‑sanctioned death.

The Executioner Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • satire comedy
  • dark comedy
  • spain
  • retirement
  • death penalty
  • mallorca
  • photography
  • daughter
  • executioner
  • undertaker
  • death
  • sardonic
+38 more
  • social satire
  • toolbox
  • state employee
  • prison director
  • prison kitchen
  • prison warden
  • strangulation
  • moving in together
  • death row
  • last wish
  • champagne
  • cave
  • posing as a tourist
  • tourist attraction
  • signing an autograph
  • autograph
  • job assignment
  • letter of recommendation
  • book signing
  • construction site
  • forced marriage
  • premarital sex
  • marriage proposal
  • reference to charlton heston
  • customs officer
  • airport
  • funeral service
  • superstition
  • occupation in title
  • 1960s
  • satire
  • wedding veil
  • wedding ceremony
  • unplanned pregnancy
  • street music
  • ship
  • real estate fraud
  • prisoner
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Cast & crew

The Executioner Cast & Characters

Emma Penella leads the cast as Carmen, la hija de Amadeo, with Nino Manfredi as José Luis Rodríguez, el enterrador and José Luis López Vázquez as Antonio Rodríguez, el hermano mayor de José Luis. Directed by Luis García Berlanga; 49 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in The Executioner

· 45 more
Show all 49 cast members
Plot

The Executioner Plot Summary

What happens in The Executioner from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 1-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Set in Madrid, Amadeo works as an executioner, carrying out sentences with a measured, quiet routine. He meets José Luis, a funeral-parlour employee who has just collected the body of the latest prisoner. Both men carry the weight of their unusual line of work: the funeral worker struggles to find a girlfriend, and Amadeo’s daughter, Carmen, can’t attract a partner because of her father’s grim occupation. When Carmen and José Luis get to know each other, they begin a romance, and it is soon revealed that she is pregnant.

Full summary

The whole story of The Executioner, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

The Executioner Trailers & Videos

2 videos: 1 trailer and 1 featurette.

El Verdugo (1963) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]
  • Featurette Pedro Almodóvar on Filmmaker Luis García Berlanga
Details

The Executioner Also Known As

18 alternative titles, including “Le bourreau” and “Палачът”.

Also known as
  • Le bourreau
  • Палачът
  • O Carrasco
  • Pyöveli
  • A hóhér
  • La ballata del boia
  • Kat
  • Палач
  • Der Henker
  • Not on Your Life
  • Cãlãul
  • Кат
+6 more
  • 刽子手
  • Călăul
  • 집행자
  • 劊子手
  • התליין
  • Bödeln

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FAQ

The Executioner FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of The Executioner, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Executioner?

The Executioner runs 1 hour 31 minutes (91 minutes).

When was The Executioner released?

The Executioner was released on August 31, 1963.

Who directed The Executioner?

The Executioner was directed by Luis García Berlanga.

More films by Luis García Berlanga

Who is in the cast of The Executioner?

The Executioner stars Emma Penella as Carmen, la hija de Amadeo, Nino Manfredi as José Luis Rodríguez, el enterrador and José Luis López Vázquez as Antonio Rodríguez, el hermano mayor de José Luis, among 49 credited actors.

Does The Executioner have a post-credit scene?

No. The Executioner has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is The Executioner in?

The original language of The Executioner is Spanish.

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