“Snake!” someone shouted, their voice piercing through the air like a siren. Instantly, the cinema erupted into chaos. People began to scream, their faces contorted with terror, and scampered for safety, their movements frantic and disoriented. Just a few hours before, at 8:00 pm, they had settled down with eager anticipation to enjoy an Indian movie double feature at the Ascot cinema in Sangre Grande. The double feature included the romantic drama Mere Mehboob starring Rajendra Kumar and Sadhana, and the emotional Main Chup Rahungi featuring Meena Kumari and Sunil Dutt.

Hearing the desperate cries for help, PC Adolph Cummings, a police constable who was nearby, dashed into the cinema. He skillfully navigated through the panicked crowd searching for the snake. Eventually, he located and killed the snake, restoring a semblance of calm. PC Cummings also apprehended the two men responsible for bringing the snake into the cinema, charging them with disorderly behavior. He confiscated a bag which was allegedly used to smuggle the snake into the venue.

The Ascot cinema was known for showing Indian movies on a Friday night. The two men had entered the cinema at about 9:45 pm on Friday, July 8, 1966. One of the accused carried a bag, cleverly concealed under a sweater. Inside the bag was a macajuel snake, approximately 6 feet in length. They made their way to the pit section of the cinema. Back then, cinemas were divided into three sections: pit, house, and balcony, with pit tickets being the cheapest and balcony tickets the most expensive.

One hour after they settled into the pit section, one of the men whispered to the other to release the snake. The command was followed by a chilling shout of “Snake!” The pit section descended into pandemonium as patrons, gripped by fear, scrambled to escape. The air was thick with commotion and hysteria, as people tripped over each other in their desperate bid to flee. Some even bolted out of the cinema, their evening ruined by the terrifying ordeal.

The macajuel is the local name for the boa constrictor. It is the second largest snake in Trinidad. Although it is not venomous, the mere sight of it was enough to incite panic and confusion among the patrons, who had been engrossed in the movie moments before.

The men were tried and convicted by a Magistrate for disorderly behavior in a cinema. Each was sentenced to 6 weeks imprisonment with hard labor. They appealed their sentences, arguing that releasing a snake in a cinema did not constitute “disorderly behavior.”

Mr. Justice H. A. Fraser heard the appeal and concurred with the Magistrate that the men’s actions in the cinema amounted to disorderly behavior. However, seeing that they had no previous convictions, he overturned the imprisonment sentences and instead fined each of the accused $24.00, with additional costs of $7.50. They were also required to enter into a personal bond of $120.00 to maintain peace and good behavior for one year.