Mexican Spitfire

Leon Errol handles his double role of Uncle Matt Lindsay and Lord Basil Epping superbly, but I have trouble liking the "Mexican Spitfire" Series because they all are contrived to produce mistaken identities, and these are telegraphed way in advance. Errol is funny as the stuffy Lord Epping, but I would have preferred a lot more wit and much less repetition.

Mexican SPITFIRE is actually the second film in the popular "B" comedy series starring Lupe Velez and Leon Errol (THE GIRL FROM Mexico was the first). This one takes over where the first one left off, with Carmelita (Lupe) and husband Denny (Donald Woods) returning from their honeymoon to be met by Woods' friendly uncle Matt (Leon Errol) and snooty aunt Della (Elisabeth Risdon). Aunt Della is still fuming her nephew married outside of society and brings along Denny's equal predatory ex-fiancée Elizabeth (Linda Hays), both determined to wreck this new marriage before it starts. Elizabeth gets Carmelita plastered with booze and then has her drop by Denny's office where he is meeting with an important client. Carmelita feigns being Denny's secretary as he meets with Lord Epling (also played by Leon Errol) of England about his advertising firm representing Lord Epling's line of liquor. While an inebriated Carmelita doesn't do so bad at the meeting, Denny is furious because he has invited Lord Epling to dine with them and now they are caught since he has met Carmelita as Denny's "secretary" (why this is just a big deal is beyond me, Carmelita is not blatantly intoxicated and shaming herself, couldn't Denny have just introduced her as his wife at the time just subbing in secretarial duties). Scheming aunt Della suggests Elizabeth pose as Denny's wife during the dinner and Carmelita and Uncle Matt have a plan of their own given Matt's remarkable resemblance to Lord Epling.

Lupe Velez is a delight as the English-fracturing Latin cutie whose moods swing like Tarzan on the vine, from loving to out for blood. Leon Errol is a good comic but the mishaps and repeated gags can make this movie seem longer than it's 67 minutes. Donald Woods is an appealing if generic romantic lead as Denny but the Aunt Della character is a little TOO bitchy and mean although Elisabeth Risdon does what she can with the character. It's a fun movie nevertheless with a Three Stoogesque slapstick finale.

Lupe Velez in the first of the "Mexican Spitfire" series of movies. There would be about eight of them. She plays Carmelita Lindsay, new wife of Ad man Dennis Lindsay. They are fresh back from their honeymoon in this picture when Dennis' old flame Elizabeth (also the name of Carmelita's Chihuahua by the way...) decides she sees something new in Dennis and wants to get back together with him despite his marriage to Carmelita. Lupe is wonderful in this role as a frenetic, wise-cracking bundle of energy. She makes funny faces, is very expressive, has a wonderful smile and has her hands full dealing with Elizabeth ( Not the chihuahua, the OTHER dog...). Add into the mix, Lord Epping a much-bucks client of her husband Dennis, cases of mistaken identity and you have a great movie at a little over an hour... Lupe is absolutely cute! She curses to herself under her breath in Spanish, a little comic technique later "borrowed" by Senor Desi Arnaz who was probably still in Cuba when these films came out, waiting for his big break. This movie isnt on video and is not played that often, so catch it when and where you can, hokay? Hokay!

Lupe Velez. Remember that name. Lupe Velez, the Mexican Spitfire. In a series of extremely funny comedies for RKO she played the title character, Carmelita Lindsay. Wife of Dennis Lindsay, a Caucasian, the films were practically a reverse "I Love Lucy" over a decade ahead of time. Lupe Velez was a vivacious, energetic, beautiful AND funny comedienne. I'd even go so far as to say that her of portrayal of Carmelita Lindsay was a blueprint for Lucielle Ball's Lucy Ricardo. Lupe even had her own humorous way of crying, much as Lucy did. She was also forever getting herself into silly situation after situation and hair brained scheme after hair brained scheme. While she was always married to the same man, (played by different actors) the other constant of the series was character actor Leon Errol as Uncle Matt. Together, Lupe Velez and Leon Errol made a great comedy team! A BIG THANKS to TCM for airing every one of these films back to back. Every time I think that the Hollywood well has run dry of anything I haven't seen that I'd like to, TCM finds something else worthy of attention. I hope TCM runs them again soon so I can see the ones I missed. Solid, funny, well done movies all! The only sad thing connected with them is the fact that Lupe Velez died a suicide in her mid-thirties. If only she had known how much laughter and enjoyment she would have certainly brought to future audiences, perhaps she would had she lived through her depression. If you really love funny films from the 1930s and 40s, these are your kinds of films! Certifiable reasons why it was known as The Golden Age of Hollywood.

Now that Lupe Velez and Donald Woods are safely married from The Girl From Mexico, this sequel film is the first with Mexican Spitfire in the title. Lupe is back with her broken English, a female version of Ricky Ricardo.

Now that she' married to the upper crust Woods, will it work? You've got Woods's Aunt Elizabeth Risdon and his former fiance Linda Hayes trying to make sure it doesn't. Lupe's ally however is indulgent Uncle Matt played Leon Errol.

Errol unveils his Lord Epping character as well, the slightly inebriated and titled Lord Epping character. Errol's drunk shtick served hi well through years of vaudeville, music hall, Broadway and finally movies which also include several short subjects.

Lupe and Errol are a funny team each with their own shtick. This was a good start for The Mexican Spitfire series.