It is not uncommon around Mexican independence Day that a new movie that enjoys support from government cultural bodies and focuses on one of the country’s icons sallies forth in theaters around the country.

This year was no exception, as “Cantinflas,” spotlighting the comedian who became enormously and internationally popular during the 1950s and 60s, debuted last weekend, just before the September 16 holiday.

The Mexican-made film is about one-third in English — the scenes dealing with the build up to the 1956 movie “Around the World in 80 Days” and interspersed in staccato fashion with Spanish scenes (helpfully labeled with date and location). Yet most of the actors, none of whom are blockbuster stars, are Mexican or can be considered Mexican because of long residence here, even the actress who compellingly plays Elizabeth Taylor. (The outstanding exception is Barcelona born Óscar Jaenada, who plays Mario Moreno, the man who fused with his character Cantinflas.)

The other two-thirds of the film, the Spanish-language scenes (naturally unsubtitled in local releases), may be tough going even for foreigners with excellent Spanish, as Cantinflas was famous, starting from his early years in circus tent shows, for fast-talking improvisations that left Mexican audiences gasping with delight and sometimes flummoxed. One critical scene, not humorous, in which Cantinflas’ Russian-born wife, about whom in reality little is known, reveals that she has been told she cannot have children, may be particularly inscrutable to English speakers.

Despite this scene and the rapid-fire Spanish (and demonstrating that a picture is worth a thousand words, especially when we are talking about the so-called Charlie Chaplin of Mexico), most of the film will be largely understandable and enjoyable to foreigners.

One marvel of casting is lead actor Jaenada, who was born in Spain yet manages, according to my Mexican informants, to convincingly pull off his role as this quintessential Mexican comedian, not to mention dance (while credits roll at the end of the film) a comical, quasi-flamenco version of Ravel’s “Bolero” almost as well as the real Cantinflas did so memorably. In fact, Jaenada, with a little help from a Cantinflas-style mustache and appropriate costuming, is almost indistinguishable from the real McCoy.

While naysayers have criticized “Cantinflas” as lacking detail and excessively obsequious to the legacy of the great star, who expects a film about a comedian to be very weighty? For those who eschew fluff, there is psychological and historical meat in scenes dealing with the star’s matrimonial challenges and his role as a fiery leader in the actors’ union. Also on the positive side, while you may not understand nearly as much verbal sleight of hand as the great comic’s audiences did, many of the actors and actresses are sheer fun to watch.

And “Cantinflas” the movie may inspire you to check out his original films, some readily available online.