Corazón Salvaje in a nutshell

Sometimes people are still waiting for a canonical overseas version of a single classic epic. Corazón Salvaje is one such example, beginning its life as not only a novel trilogy, but also a partly lost Cuban radionovela and a degraded Mexican film.

Although the trilogy was likely conceived first, the Cuban radionovela was the earliest version available to the public in 1954, with the Mexican film arriving 2 years later by starring the amazing Martha Roth. But it’s thanks to the successes of both the first radionovela and film versions that the trilogy was saved from development hell in 1957. 

The actual first telenovela of the trilogy was made by an unspeakably awful committee at RCTV, which still has made a single cringeworthy mashup (the 2009 show) look good (in comparison) decades later. Since its shit-show of a short airing life bored even its media-illiterate audience, it might’ve stunk so hard that it’s practically forgotten lost media ever since. 

It’s also one of only two onscreen adaptations made outside of Mexico, alongside the rather alright Juan Del Diablo, which was made a year later in Puerto Rico. Juan Del Diablo might’ve been pretty average, with a less hammy cast unlike the crappy 2009 version. 

Another 1966 telenovela of Corazón Salvaje is not only the first telenovela adaptation made in Mexico, but also the best pre-1990s telenovela adaptation. It’s otherwise monochrome in comparison to the fellow equally good Mexican retellings that came in 1977 and 1993. 

The second film adaptation remains the most faithful onscreen version of the tale. It was released in 1968 to large amounts of commercial success not only in Mexico, but also in both Mainland China and Soviet period Russia. Despite this, it’s an okay movie with a rushed bittersweet ending, even if it’s not as great as the 2 telenovelas that came later. 

Cashing in on the 1968 film’s success was a Mexican remake of the Cuban radionovela released the next year. Its cast was full of Mexican talents but still remains partly lost media, largely thanks to the decaying of many episodes in plain sight. 

The 1977 telenovela, a softer remake to the 1966 Mexican show, was yet another major success in both China and Soviet period Russia combined. It’s got a great cast of actors and it’s also well made for a telenovela aimed at an audience of both children and adults, with the addition of a happier ending. 

The 1993 telenovela, a spinoff remake of both 1966 and 1977 versions set fully in Mexico, is the first one made after Caridad Bravo Adams’ passing in 1990. It is also the world’s most successful onscreen version of the tale, coupled with a wonderful all star cast of actors and writers. It also has graced the screens of many nations around the world, such as Romania and Italy. 

Last but not least is the glamorous but rather badly executed 2009 mixup with the otherwise fabulous Aracely Arambula and Eduardo Yáñez. The producers of that show are, more often than not, slimy twits, although the 1965 show might’ve had it so much worse. Frankly, keep in mind that it ain’t even the worst version known to mankind, a title which likely belongs to the currently long gone 1965 show of all telenovelas.