Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Dance of the 41’ On Netflix, A Drama About The Queer Dance Party That Rocked 20th Century Mexican Society

Who doesn’t love a good historical drama? From interpretations of Marie Antoinette and the British Monarchy to stories about the heroes of World War II and tales of U.S. presidents, there’s pretty much a ‘based on true events’ drama for just about everything. Dance of the 41 – or El baile de los 41 – now streaming on Netflix, shines a light on a pivotal moment in Mexican LGBTQ+ history – and can hang with the best of the prestige period dramas out there. 

DANCE OF THE 41: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Ignacio de la Torre (Alfonso Herrera) is marrying Amada Díaz (Mabel Cadena), the daughter of Mexico’s President Porfirio Díaz (Fernando Becerril). Ignacio’s career is on the rise, and with any luck, his new status as son-in-law of the president will help push him into new territory. As his marriage begins and his career takes flight, Ignacio is also falling in love – with another man. Ignacio brings Evaristo Rivas (Emiliano Zurita) into the fold with a group of queer men that meets regularly to party, have sex, and entertain one another. While it initially seems as though Ignacio may be able to keep his lives separate, increasing suspicion and snooping from wife Amada (who doesn’t hesitate to get her father and brother involved when she’s unhappy) results in his double life being exposed, even if only to her for the time being.

Torn between angry wife, jeopardized career, and dedicated lover, Ignacio struggles to make sense of his world and future. He continues to meet with the group of 42, but eventually, the party comes to a screeching halt. A police raid on a a special ball (at which many of the men are dressed in drag) sees its members – even those from the upper echelons of society – named and shamed in the public, with one exception: Ignacio. He might escape the worst of the punishment thanks to the status of his father-in-law, but the aftershocks of this event and the friends he lost may very well change his life – and Mexican history – forever.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Dance of the 41 boasts a lot of the historical drama beats we’ve become accustomed to as viewers, but a lot of it – both tonally and story-wise – is all its own. That said, it may appeal to period drama fans of titles like Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Anna Karenina (2012), and the plethora of 19th century royalty films out there.

Performance Worth Watching: The talented ensemble is what makes Dance of the 41 so incredibly memorable, but Emiliano Zurita’s turn as Evaristo – or “Eva”, as Ignacio affectionately refers to him – is heartbreaking. It’s the kind of performance that sneaks up on you, like a flower bud slowly opening up before your eyes. Zurita’s screen presence is a uniquely quiet and emotional one, gently stealing our hearts just as he steals Ignacio’s. He doesn’t have a lot to say, but there is so much going on behind the eyes. Watching him play Eva immediately drove me to check out what other work he’s done.

Memorable Dialogue: There are a lot of rich, nuanced exchanges here, but I got a kick out of a brief moment of levity with Ignacio when he’s asked why there are rules: “For others to follow.”

Sex and Skin: Everyone is naked and there are all kinds of sex in Dance of the 41; uncomfortable wedding night sex, almost-sex on a piano bench, dimly-lit bathtub sex parties, post-horseback ride river frolicking, sensual, romantic sex, you name it.

Our Take: It may be set at the beginning of the 20th century, but the messages in Dance of the 41 feel incredibly contemporary. This is a story that takes place 120 years ago, but its depiction of the way the LGBTQ+ community is treated and referred to by others is totally resonant. These are people who feel they have to hide away from the world to find their true happiness, and are forced to create families with people they don’t really love and put on faces for everyone else to see. Some of the film’s more moving moments come not from the central cast, but from the group of men donning gowns and jewelry and putting on shows, eyes filling up with tears as they express themselves freely – even if only for a moment.

Dance of the 41 is unafraid to get into the sexy stuff, but it never feels exploitative or gratuitous. All of the sex scenes and nudity feels in line with the rest of the film and its messaging, combing to create a memorable drama. Naked bodies aren’t just there to be titillating; as with every other shot in the film, it feels purposeful and essential to telling the bigger story at the film’s core. Director David Pablos tells this story with a beautiful complexity, balancing themes of homophobia, chauvinism, and misogyny with ease. Amada may be something of a villain in Ignacio’s story, but she’s also a victim in her own right – and the film doesn’t shy away from touching on these more delicate subjects.

The “dance of the 41” is said to have been the first time homosexuality was made visible in Mexico. I’ll admit that I knew absolutely nothing about this historic event prior to the film, but emerged feeling inspired to dig deeper and understand just how seminal it really was. Dance of the 41 feels like an especially timely film, and in addition to being a thoroughly affecting drama, it will likely also educate viewers.

Our Call: STREAM IT. With its beautiful production design, stunning performances, and important story, Dance of the 41 could easily stand alongside some of our most prestigious historical dramas.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines, hogging the mic at karaoke, and thirst-tweeting. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.

Stream Dance of the 41 on Netflix