Cantinflas and World Literature: Popular Cosmopolitanism and Comedic Adaptation in Mid-Century Cinema.

This paper explores two adaptations of world literature starred by Mexican comedian Cantinflas: Los tres mosqueteros (1942) and Romeo y Julieta (1943). Comedic adaptation of world literature is essential for the development of cinema as an instrument of popular cosmopolitanism, which democratizes and massifies world literature in Mexico. From this angle, I argue for the idea of popular cosmopolitanism as a category to describe film industries where the project of the nation state engages world literature and world cinema. I also posit this term as a way to address gaps and limits in Miriam Hansen's idea of "vernacular modernism." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of World Literature is the property of Brill Academic Publishers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)