Mexican Spitfire at Sea

You know if I was honeymooning with Lupe Velez and had Marion Martin giving me the come on while on the same boat, the last thing I would have on my mind is some business deal. Then again Buddy Rogers was one of Hollywood's better known closet cases in real life.

And apparently in this film because he's taking the trip because a couple of nouveau rich marrieds, Florence Bates and Harry Holman, are on the voyage and he wants to land their account.

So with all these on board, Leon Errol as both Lord Epping and Rogers's Uncle Matt, Elizabeth Risdon as Uncle Matt's wife and Zasu Pitts as an aspiring playwright it's the usual Mexican Spitfire comedy of errors.

I have to say Zasu Pitts really should have been a regular in this series. She has just the right touch of zaniness.

The fifth entry in the "Mexicn Spitfire" series consists mostly of aimless running around without going anywhere, and people behaving like collective morons; despite the ship setting, it is almost totally static as well. Lupe Velez is still funny, but wasted in a minor supporting (!) role. It is obvious to anyone that this series is operating on fumes at this point - and even the fumes are getting exhausted. ** out of 4.

Dennis (Charles "Buddy" Rogers) takes Carmelita (Lupe Velez) on a trip to Hawaii for their second honeymoon. All Dennis really wants is to land some big contract. So he brings along Uncle Matt (Leon Errol) to pretend to be Lord Epping but, of course, the real Lord Epping is also on the ship. Because what would a Mexican Spitfire movie be without Leon Errol as the star? When Carmelita finds out the real reason for the trip, she becomes enraged and threatens, once again, to leave Dennis.

Honestly this series tires me out. Watching Carmelita shout and carry on like a child with a tantrum in front of a whole crowd of people is not funny. It just makes me want to fast forward to whenever she's not on the screen anymore. Don't even get me started on stupid Dennis, who apparently has no sex drive. But with the way he parts his hair I'm not surprised. There are some characters from the last movie that are shoehorned into this one. I might complain about Zasu Pitts but I would never complain about any excuse to look at beautiful Marion Martin again. Elisabeth Risdon also returns as Uncle Matt's wife, who remains just about one of the most unlikable people ever. It's a very repetitive series with the same material recycled over and over. If you have never seen a Mexican Spitfire movie, then this one is no better or worse than any other. But if you have seen others, you'll find yourself bored because of the lack of originality.

Lupe Velez is "the Mexican Spitfire" in the follow up, but it's everyone else that makes this chapter fun. My personal favorite is Florence Bates.. she made a limited number of films, and every one is a gem (Rebecca !) Bates has such an interesting life story. then there's Zasu Pitts who had started in silents, moved into talkies, and finished with Mad, Mad World. Character actor Leon Errol. The plot is too goofy to explain, and i don't think even the actors really knew what the plot was, but the whole idea is for Leon Errol to pretend to be someone else, and then the caper can began. Mistaken identies, clever one and two liners, and much muttering jokes under one's breath. and of course the usual language mixups by Carmelita (Velez). It's all very silly, but the word play keeps it interesting, like a Marx Brothers film. Directed by Les Goodwins, who had directed so many Spitfires with Velez. Shows now and then on Turner Classics. It's a fun one!

This little gem is one part the Marx Brothers' Monkey Business and another part a backwards I Love Lucy.

It is a model "B" film- short, inexpensive, but a clever script and some good work by an experienced cast.

I haven't seen any other of the "Mexican Spitfire" series but I will be looking for them. You might give them a try.