THE RICH ALSO CRY...a trip down memory lane
























CUANDO SEAS MIA' hit our screens in 2005 after a long telenovela hiatus, the last,until then the Brazillian soap, 'SECRETS OF THE SANDS'.
Since then, more telenovelas have been pouring in; a far cry from the time when the practice was a new telenovela was presented AFTER its predecessor wrapped up, the only exception being the period when 'THE LADY OF THE ROSE' aired on Saturdays and Sundays at 10 p.m and 'WILD ROSE' was shown on Mondays to Thursdays on NTA 10 , immediately after the 10 o' clock News.
Most people have probably forgotten THE RICH ALSO CRY(Los Ricos Lloran Tambien), the first global telenovela and the VERY first Mexican soap to hit our screens, back in the 90s. It's a Telenovela that will forever remain in our memories, mostly because of the Principal characters;
Marianna played by Veronica Castro (who happens to be a year older than my Mum... it's true, the telenovela was produced in 1979),Luis Alberto played by the handsome and very macho Rogelio Guerra(right), Augusto Bendico(who sadly died at the ripe old age of 83 on January 19, 1992) played the family kindly but no- nonsense Don Alberto who took the orphaned Marianna in and treated her like the daughter he and his wife never had, including encouraging her to be a positve influence on his wayward son ,Luis Alberto but at the same time protecting her from being taken advavantage of. There's also Elena, Alberto's wife (first played by Alicia Rodriguez then later by Marilu Elizaga). And last but not least, the woman THE RICH ALSO CRY fans hated so much and was a constant thorn in Marianna and Luis Alberto's flesh, Elena's niece, Esther played by Rocio Banquells whose diabolical action caused most of the action in the telenovela but reports indicated that most people cried when she asked for forgiveness on her deathbed.
The whole story began with the orphaned Marianna going to the big city to locate her late father's lawyer friend who had recently visited them at the ranch(after Leonardo's death, her stepmother Irma, threw her out) but ended up in the household of Don Alberto who insisted on adopting her as his daughter instead of hiring her as a maid, much to her suprise and much to the displeasure of his wife and their niece,Esther who saw the much more beautiful Marianna as a threat to her plans to trap her cousin Luis Alberto, into marriage.
Luis Alberto and Marianna disliked each other on sight, he was spoiled and arrogant and she was the only person besides Alberto who could stand up to him. But gradually, her maturity and beauty won him over and instead of viewing her as an object of lust, fell in love with her and started showing postive change. But the cold hand of Esther split them up; she accused him of raping her while he was drunk and was now carrying his baby. Meanwhile, Irma discovered that there was a hiddden Will, naming Marianna as the sole heir to the ranch and she sent her lover Diego to look for her and then murder her, BUT when he finds her Diego decides to seduce her instead and marry her for her money.
However, Mariannna begins to date the son of Alberto's business associate instead, who is her father's name sake, Leonardo, as well as being closer to her in age , unlike Luis Alberto, who is 32,(she was merely 18). A friend of Diego and Irma-a ruthless gangster- sent a hitman but the man ended up killing Marianna's roommate instead, in their flat. Esther(after staging a miscarriage to cover her tracks) got pregnant for real by Diego and ran away, due to his and the fake doctor's blackmail but ended up very ill and the family learnt of her deceit but forgave her, including Luis Alberto and Marianna. Both Esther and her baby died and Luis Alberto and Marianna reconciled. The climax of the story was Diego killing his gangster friend, the discovery of the Will, and Diego and Irma's arrest.
The telenovela apparently ended with Luis Alberto and Marianna's wedding after she got back her inheritance from her even more diabolical stepmother Irma, but alas, NTA 10 didn't finish the story as they probably didn't want to shock us with what happened next...
Luis Alberto took over the business like his father had always wanted him to do- which meant he had to go on business trips. One day, when he wasn't at home, Marianna's ex-fiance,Leonardo, came to visit Alberto(at least that what he said) and while talking with her, she suddenly feels ill and faints, naturally he catches her to prevent her from falling on the ground. But at that same moment, Luis Alberto came home, saw Leonardo holding his wife and jumped to a VERY WRONG CONCLUSION. It turned out that the reason why Marianna had fainted was because she was pregnant but ALAS! Luis Alberto refused to believe the baby was his(out of jealousy) and refused to listen to Marianna's pleas; he stayed in Brazil attending to his business, leaving Marianna alone with Maria, Ramona and the other servants to console her. After several months, he sent a letter announcing he was divorcing her and Marianna threw a fit- she ran away and fainted on the street. She had her baby but due to the  shock of L.A's cruelty and the after effects of child birth, she lost her mind and gave her baby to a stranger- naming him Beto after his father and grandfather. 
A repentant L.A found her at a psychiatric hospital and begged her forgiveness, adopting a baby girl to make it up to her. But for years, Marianna could'nt
Marianna did'nt dare tell anyone but Marisabel later found out the truth & was distressed to discover she was actually adopted. Luis Alberto meanwhile gets very jealous and angry over Mariana's great affection towards young Beto and finally asked her for a divorce. Marianna then told Beto the truth and he was overjoyed the lady he was very fond of was his bio- mother. Luis Alberto entered the house just as Marianna and the children just finished having dinner; branishing a gun to defend his honour but Marianna & Marisabel revealed the truth to him just in time. She and Luis Alberto repaired their marriage after he tearfully apologised to her and begged her and Beto to forgive him.
I was absolutely shocked when I came across this info and just had to post it. Everyone who had watched this soap would of couse be on Marianna's side; i remember her as the epitome of virtue itself, why on earth Luis Alberto(who fought so hard to keep her loving him) would draw to such a conclusion in the first place but at least it ended happily at long last.
 


TRIVIA: The actor who played  the priest, Father Adrian, (Rafael Banquells) was not only  the director of  THE RICH ALSO CRY  but in real life the father of Rocio Banquells (Esther). 

 

Comments

  1. The TV series "The Rich Also Cry" has awakened me from a long sleep.

    Where can I buy an English-audio/translated version????

    I can only see Spanish audio with English subtitles on eBay from
    LOS RICOS TAMBIEN LLORAN - DVD BOXSET *NEW. Is there a possibility of getting a translated version?

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  2. I adore "The rich also cry"! I was 12 yo when I 1st saw it. now im 27!! and still love it!! mmm Luis Alberto...Marianna.

    btw the 1st actress who played Elena was so sweet. I liked her more than another Elena.

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  3. i loved reading your blog, i watch The Rich also Cry and Wild Rose dubbed in English in Kenya as I was growing up. They were tied in popularity with Dallas and whole families watched together. That is how global they were... i still love telenovelas and i watch them now in spanish and learn bits of the language everyday!

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  4. Memories of the Mexican soap has never been extinguished in my mind! - Tony Budd (Nakuru,Kenya)

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  5. A wonderful soap opera. Would skip a meal for it. TLM. Los Angeles,California. USA

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  6. tha rich also cry was and will always be my favourite mexican soap.kindly send me an english copy of the same for me to repeat it.ma adress is 2394-00100 nairobi kenya.my names Vera Atieno

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  7. please where can i buy the whole series of the rich also cry

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  8. has anyone buy the whole series or part of it? I'll love to know please.

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  9. My sister bigups for the great work your doing yuo qualify for no 1 soap fan. where can one buy the old soaps like no one but you,savage heart and esmeralda with english subtitles.
    Regards,
    Hubaiya

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  10. can anyone advice us where we can get this videos

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  11. I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE RICH ALSO CRY" SINCE I CAME TO AMERICA 16 YEARS AGO, UNTIL I JUST GOOGLE TODAY. IN THE 90S WE WILL RUSH HOME TO GO AND WATCH THIS MEXICAN OPERA. I REMEMBER A FRIEND THAT CAME FOR A WEDDING FROM ANOTHER STATE WHO RUSHED TO MY HOME IN NIGERIA WITH HIS WIFE TO WATCH AN EPISODE THAT WAS SHOWING THAT WEEK THAT IS HOW CRAZY PEOPLE WERE WITH THE RICH ALSO CRY. I WANT TO BUY THE WHOLE SERIES. I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY SHOW LIKE IT

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  12. check Amazon.com to buy online. I saw it and its made up of 6 discs

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  13. yes it's a fantastic telenovela. But TU O Nadie(NO ONE BUT YOU) which now has three remakes is my favorite.

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  14. hi, do you have the actual link to amazon for the 6 discs (the rich also cry) ? i just looked and did not see anything. Thank you

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  15. Try http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7417426 or http://www.amazon.com/Los-Ricos-Tambien-Lloran/dp/B000OT6V46

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  16. where can i find lady of the rose,,,dubbed,,,there is nothing about it anywhere,,used to be a girl gabrielle swanson,,

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    Replies
    1. The lady of the rose is available on YouTube now as Lady in rose.

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  17. I'm sorry, i don't know. I'm not even sure it's available yet on DVD

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  18. I used to watch wild rose and am not sure where i can find it pls help

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  19. please where can i get the secrets of the sand DVD

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  20. Copy this link and paste on the address bar: http://www.mercado0800.com.br/MULHERES-DE-AREIA-2%C2%AA-VERSAO-COMPACTO-EM-15-DVDS-Lencois-Paulista-DVD_anuncio-anuncio-10112.aspx

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  21. will never forget the rich also cry, wild rose, no one but you, wish there is a way to buy it or download it. from ify, naija.

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  22. where can l get the disc for THE RICH ALSO CRY,am based in nigeria or if it can be download.is a must for evry to have.

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  23. Iwas only 10yrs and Iloved watching the Rich Also cry.Eunipher kericho kenya.

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  24. I think this is one of the most vital info for me. And i am glad reading your article.
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  25. I couldn't refrain from commenting. Exceptionally well written!


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  26. Omg!! Can't believe I saw this. I could neva forget the days my family and I wud rush out of evening services just to be on time for "the rich also cry...then a few years later "Camela"..

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  27. Beautiful movie. Loved it. Then will stop everything just to be on time for the the soap

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  28. Lovely movie l watch it when l was a kid and I need to watch it again please let me know when is possible thank

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