The popular term "ficheras films" came from the 1975 film
Bellas de noche, which was also known as
Las ficheras. The film told the stories and experiences of many dancing women who entertained men at nightclubs. The genre peaked in popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. The
settings and
plots of these films tended to be simple, usually dealing with the sexual escapades of working-class Mexicans. The male leads were often construction workers, bricklayers, truck drivers or even unemployed petty scammers, while the female leads were often
nightclub dancers, waitresses or prostitutes in small
brothels. Other female lead roles included
unfaithful wives, women with a busy sex life, or "everyday" women. The films were not generally appropriate for children, and frequently received classification as being unsuitable for minors under the age of 18. Although the films had
sexually suggestive plots and used comedic
innuendos and
double entendres, they were not overtly explicit, and were never considered to be
pornographic. Furthermore, it was not uncommon for the male characters in these films to comedically fail in their attempts to win over, or have sex with, the female characters. When a man was successful in
wooing a woman, the performances were deliberately over-exaggerated and
pantomime-like, aiming to generate laughter more than arousal. The genre is similar to, and possibly influenced by,
Italian erotic comedies. == Examples ==