Don José

Don José^[1] is a character featured in the 1929 Silly Symphony short El Terrible Toreador.

Background

Personality

Don José is a stout soldier who is one of the patrons of a Spanish cantina in Spain. He is shown to try to get Carmen's attention in trying to attract her during his encounter with her. However, when a toreador named "Escamillo" intervenes, Carmen ended up showing a hatred against José, making him her rival. He even snuck up into the bullring to put Escamillo in trouble during a bullfighting match at the Plaza de Toros, but despite his jealousy, Escamillo even won against the bull by finishing him off and impressing Carmen.

Role in the short

Don José is first seen stuffing peas and potatoes in his mouth and chewing on a large drumstick during lunchtime at the cantina. Carmen approaches José who tries to get his attention, which she serves him beer just before giving her a cent. She then dances in front of José to impress him using her tray. Just as she continues dancing, Don José becomes impressed and gives Carmen another cent, but it lands on a spot instead. However, a toreador named Escamillo intervenes, causing Carmen to find her love interest and make José disliked by her.

Later when Escamillo engages in a match against a bull, Don José watches Escamillo fighting against a bull in a comic fight, much to him feeling jealous of Escamillo while Carmen cheers on his love interest during a fight. Throughout the fight, José sneakily sprinkles some pepper on Carmen's bouquet of flowers who tosses them at Escamillo, causing the bull to have a sneezing fit leading to Escamillo's victory. José does not appear again afterwards, even after Escamillo's victory.

Gallery

Trivia

• Don José's name is not mentioned in the short and was only revealed in production material.

References