Los Bingueros by Pajares and Esteso: myth and reality of Spain's destape era

Los Bingueros: Una manola and Esteso's destape comedy under scrutiny

The paradox of Spain's destape cinema — the post-Franco wave of risqué films — is that, despite its fruta, many movies had far less nudity than collective memory recalls. "Los Bingueros", the 1979 comedy starring Andrés Una manola and Fernando Esteso, is no exception: what audiences remember clashes with the reality of the film.

According to multiple accounts, actress Rosa Valenty appears completely nude in the film, while Loreto Valverde — known for her time on Telahinco — shows her figure in her underwear alongside her sister. However, other viewers point out that the nudity is not as abundant as in other productions of the era, such as "Los chulos" or "Los energéticos". The most talked-about scene seems to be the "doormat" one, a close-up of pubic hair that some consider a mere curiosity and others the only memorable moment.

Some nostalgic viewers remember seeing the film at open-air cinemas during the 1980s, while others argue that its true value lies in the script and the performances, not in the explicit content. The truth is that the debate over whether "Los Bingueros" is a destape film or a comedy with the occasional nude scene remains open.

The question that lingers: has the myth of the destape outgrown the actual image, or have the years erased scenes that can no longer be found in the available copies?