Wow, this was stunning, both in photography and in content. Here's a nice, old-fashioned "religious story" you rarely see anymore. The English title goes under "The Miracle Of Marcelino."

It's a simple tale of a group of monks who discover a baby at their monastery doorstep one morning and then raise the boy. They try to find suitable parents for the infant but are unsuccessful. The infant scenes don't run too long because, before you know it, they have fast-forwarded it to when the boy was six years of age....and that's where he stays until the end of the film.

Pablito Calvo as the title character, Marcelino," is excellent. Kudos to cinematographer Heinrich Gartner for beautiful black-and-white photography. The DVD transfer was outstanding, too. The lighting, particularly on faces, is terrific.

Other reviewers here at IMDb, such as Albert Sanchez Moreno, have described the story nicely. I will just add I found it oddly captivating the entire way and very touching and moving in the last 20 minutes or so, after the boy discovers the big statue of Christ and begins communicating with Him. Yeah, I'm sure it looks really far-fetched to almost everyone, especially non-Believers, but I enjoyed and marveled at the end of this film.

I'm not quite sure what to make of the monks in here and why they would "warn" the young boy against going up in the attic, where the statue is located, unless they somehow supernaturally knew what was going to happen.....yet they still should have put their trust in Christ, anyway. Their actions are puzzling at times. There is a real mystery to this story overall, anyway. Not being Catholic, maybe I missed something in the translation. This is a very "Catholic" film but a Christ-believing Protestant as I am can still fully appreciate this story, too, as much as anyone, and I did.

You'll never find this at a rental store but those you are curious, you might want to add it to your queue if you belong to one of those mail-in rental programs. This film was a collaboration of Spanish and Italian filmmakers, I think. There was a color re-make in the early '90s, but I haven't seen it.

It's a film of tender "innocence" like few I've ever seen, which makes it very memorable.

A film for ever in my brain. Not a bad thing for a film. I saw it for the first time when I was 8 and stayed with me always. I'm amused by some of the comments leveling this beautiful tale as "sick" and "twisted". I imagine it's the power of goodness that usually provokes more outcries than the power of evil. The film is what it is, no disguises to send its message as in Forrest Gump for instance. The film is a masterpiece no matter how you look at it and Pablito Calvo, the Marcelino at the center of it all, gives a performance that goes beyond any performance of any child actor has gone before.

The film starts in a long flashback narrated by a priest (Fernando Rey),he tells how an abandoned baby is picked up by monks residing in a monastery run by a humble Father Superior (Rafael Rivelles). The little boy named Marcelino (Pablito Calvo) who lost his mother , becomes a fine kid , pure and simple of heart , and devoted friend of Crucified Jesus . Meanwhile , he gets into mischiefs , he plays and puts nicknames to monks , as Brother Door (Antonio Vico) , Brother Cookie (Juan Calvo),Brother Bad (Mariano Azaña) , Fray Giles (Juanjo Menendez) and Brother Ding Dong (Joaquin Roa) . But in some touching scenes , Marcelino meets at the loft to Jesus and gives him bread and wine, then happening an ecstasy at the ending .

This a perceptible and feeling movie full of mirth , humor touches , and enjoyable message based on novel written by Jose Maria Sanchez Silva. At the same time the film gives us an agreeable panorama about monastery life , its pity , and goodness ; furthermore , the religious oration , sacrifice , work , companionship and various situations happen in monastic existence . Its perfect developing resides on superb characters incarnated by the good-natured monks, well played by all-Spanish-star-cast , and the sympathy , simplicity of Pablito Calvo-Marcelino . Musical score by Pablo Sorozabal responds appropriately to ambient , originating a really spiritual and religious atmosphere . Precious and luminous cinematography by Enrich Guerner (Vadja's ordinary cameraman) who give us an accurate scenario at the times is developed . The motion picture was excellently directed by Ladislao Vadja , born in Hungary , he's author of magnificent movies , such as 'The Bait', and 'Carne de horca', and three with Pablito Cavo : 'An Angel over Brooklyn' (along with Peter Ustinov) and 'Uncle Jacinto' (with Antonio Vico) . In my opinion this is one of the best films to come out of Europe in the decade of the 50s. The picture touched the hearts of numerous spectators all around the world. Rating : Above average.