La cucaracha

Quite a good war drama but the love triangle was somewhat weak and its not as ironic or funny as it could have been. Straightfoward, with good performances (specially by Maria Felix) but not an overall great work as one would expect from an Ismael Rodriguez film with such an astounding cast. Very strong ending too.

Capably directed by Ismael Rodriguez, this piece brings together some of the key figures of Mexico's 'Golden Age' all of whom had collaborated on some of the greatest films from that era. Wearing his actor's sombrero on this occasion is one of his country's finest directors Emilio Fernández whilst cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa proves just as effective in colour and Raúl Lavista provides a powerful score. Actor Pedro Armendáriz impresses in a relatively minor role and together for the first time are the two undisputed Prima Donnas of Mexican Cinema, earthy Maria Félix and aristocratic Dolores del Rio. Needless to say the press built up a so-called rivalry between the two which did not in reality exist and indeed they became bosom buddies. Both these charismatic performers represent two sides of the same coin for although del Rio's sensuality is less overt than that of her co-star, not for nothing had Orson Welles described her as the most exciting woman he had ever known. She had been pursued for years by Fernández whose advances she rejected which had made their working relationship untenable but here they are, ironically, playing lovers. The personal life of Félix was far from uneventful as she was twice widowed and thrice divorced. She would go on to portray legendary Soldadera Juana Gallo although far too glamorous for the role whilst del Rio confessed she hoped this would be the last movie about the Mexican Revolution she would make.

Although not a classic of its type it is nonetheless visually impressive and features the strong, impassioned performances that for the most part are alas sorely lacking in today's one-dimensional Cinema.

Emilio Fernández, a colonel in Pancho Villa's army, comes into a Mexican town to scoop up as many men as he can to attack a heavily fortified city in what seems like a suicidal attack.

María Félix is the titular soldier/groupie/party girl who tries to get Fernández's attention, but he's having none of it and orders all the women following the soldiers to leave.

The suicidal attack turns out to be a ruse that buys Villa enough time to attack the city from another direction. Fernández is hailed a hero, and he now wants to get close to Félix, but she's not having it. After some slapping and stripping, they fall in love. Everything seems fine until former lover Pedro Armendáriz shows up demanding satisfaction. Fernández dispatches him, but thinks that maybe Félix is too much for him and polite and proper war widow Dolores del Rio might make a better match.

The Mexican Revolution is the backdrop for a really fiery love triangle melodrama. This is pretty heated stuff and lots of fun.

The Soldiers of Pancho Villa (1959)

The original Mexican title of this movie was "La Cucaracha". But, there was a 1934 technicolor short made in the U.S. with that same title, so here in the States, it's known as The Soldiers of Pancho Villa although you don't ever see General Villa in the film.

This Eastman Color movie, filmed in Durango, Mexico, by Ismael Rodríguez, is a great drama, and stars many famous Mexican actors of the golden age of Mexican cinema.

The film opens with Colonel Antonio Zeta (Emilio 'el Indio' Fernández) and what's left of his revolutionary soldiers, the Northern Panthers, staggering into town. His orders from General Villa are to attack a heavily fortified city with what ever soldiers he can muster. So, Colonel Zeta must conscript the local men and many boys of the village to join the fight whether they want to or not.

Captain Ventura (Antonio Aguilar) is a local officer who isn't sure whether to follow Colonel Zeta into a doomed mission or not, but anything for the revolution.

One of the drafted men that Antonio Zeta collects is the village teacher, who although he agrees with the revolution, is a pacifist. His wife, Isabel Puente (Dolores del Rio) pleads with the Colonel to set her husband free, to no luck. Isabel will soon find that her husband was killed and blames Colonel Zeta for this.

It is also here that he meets Refugio, or La Cucaracha (played by famous Mexican actress La María or María Félix) who is an infamous revolutionary, party girl, and camp follower. Naturally, the two are going to fall into a fiery love affair. That is until he meets up and must duel with a jilted ex-lover, Colonel Valentín Razo (Pedro Armendáriz).

This is one example of a Mexican film genre celebrating the Mexican Revolution (1910-1921, more or less) many of them directed by Ismael Rodriguez (or Emilio Fernández), photographed by Gabriel Figueroa and often starring either Maria Felix or Dolores Del Rio. This film is a melodrama starring Mexico's two great female film stars (Del Rio the more famous of the two in the United States but Felix probably the bigger star in Mexico) and photographed in color by Figueroa, who was earlier known for his moody black and white. As entertainment it's very enjoyable. Maria Felix isn't a great actress but she had a style greatly loved in Mexico and Dolores Del Rio is often luminous. Emilo Fernandez as the Colonel is impressive