Mateo Melgarejo is a notary public and scribe for the illiterate people of Santo Domingo, a neighborhood north of Mexico City's Zócalo. A squatter friend asks for his help in negotiating with the land census bureau to regularize a land title. After a great deal of frustration with the government bureaucracy, he writes a letter to the cabinet minister, earning an audience with him. The minister hires Melgarejo to reform the bureau, and the appointee proceeds to lecture the officials on their duties in a democratic society. At the end, he gives up the post, returning to Santo Domingo to help its poor residents.
Cast
Cantinflas
Mateo Melgarejo 'Mateíto'
Chela Castro
Vicky
Lucía Méndez
Barbara
Ángel Garasa
Avelino Romero 'Romeritos'
Manolita Saval
Estrellita
Delia Peña Orta
María
Alonso Castaño
Don Nachito
Miguel Manzano
Don Antonio, señor ministro
Daniel Herrera
Huésped de Yucatán
Tamara Garina
Tamarita
Alejandra Meyer
Julia Ramírez, secretaria del licenciado
Pedro de Aguillón
Sr. Alcalino Buenrostro
Gastón Melo
Huésped de Nuevo León
Mónica Prado
Empleada de oficina
Héctor Suárez
Burócrata
José Manuel Fregoso
(uncredited)
Manuel Alvarado
Gordo (uncredited)
Socorro Avelar
Lupita (uncredited)
Carmen del Valle
Empleada oficina (uncredited)
Rubén Márquez
Empleado oficina (uncredited)
Marcelo Villamil
Empleado oficina (uncredited)
Federico González
Empleado departamento de quejas (uncredited)
Rojo Grau
Spindola Jr. (uncredited)
Cecilia Leger
Cliente (uncredited)
Inés Murillo
Chonita, sirvienta (uncredited)
Fernando Pinkus
Burócrata (uncredited)
Fernando Yapur
Mayordomo (uncredited)
Pedro Damián
(uncredited)
Raúl 'Chato' Padilla
El Licenciado
Crew
Miguel M. Delgado
Director
Tito Davison
Screenplay
Cantinflas
Story
Gloria Schoemann
Editor
Rosa Schoemann
Assistant Editor
Jorge Stahl Jr.
Director of Photography
Américo Fernández
Assistant Director
Jacques Gelman
Producer
Salvador Lozano Mena
Production Design
Alfonso Govea
Costume Design
Agripina Lozada
Hairstylist
Ana Guerrero
Makeup Artist
Raúl Portillo
Sound Editor
Ramón Moreno
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Gonzalo Gavira
Sound Effects
Francisco Alcayde
Sound Recordist
Gustavo César Carrión
Original Music Composer
Carlos León
Additional Dialogue
Miguel Ángel Madrigal
Script Supervisor
Armando Solís
Unit Production Manager
