Dime with a Halo

For an independent film marketed for kids, Dime With A Halo had a lot of adult content. Even with the Code cracking at the seams, I'm not sure how this one got through.

New kid in town Roger Mobley makes friends with Rafael Perez and a gang of kids in Tijuana after his sister, Barbara Luna, and he move down from Los Angeles where the Child Welfare has threatened to take Roger away from Barbara.

Apparently everyone in Tijuana bets the races, kids included. But there are laws about the pari-mutual window cashing tickets and kids buying tickets for that matter. Rafael, Roger and three friends pool their resources and buy a $2.00 six race exacta and hit it. They win over $80,000.00 but their American friend Paul Langton doesn't show up to cash the ticket for them. Of course weeks go by and the kids get into all kinds of schemes.

What was one racy scene for 1963 was Barbara Luna finding out about it and trying to appeal to young Rafael's budding hormones to get a hold of the winning ticket. Even ten years later the scene would have been a whole lot different. With what was there, I'm not sure how this got marketed to kids.

Dime With a Halo was shot in a cheap black and white with limited production values. It's one weird film for the kiddie trade.

By 1963 the Hollywood censorship crowd was on its last legs but it still had enough kick left to spoil this low budget film about Tijuana street kids. From the too sanitized strippers who do not strip to the foul mouthed urchins who do not curse (the strongest epithet is "cheapskate") but who are cute as all hell this picture feels much closer to "The Bowery Boys Go South Of The Border" than it does to realistic looks at urban youth made at roughly the same time, like, for example, "The Young Savages" which also features Rafael Lopez, the actor who plays Chuy and who gives by far the best of the kid performances.

Because of the general sanitization of the youngsters I found myself preferring the story of Paul Langton's big but defective hearted gambler and his almost Altmanesque involvement with Barbara Luna's hard working "stripper". Perhaps because they were adults and thus somewhat able to elude the choking grasp of the Hays Office or perhaps because Langton and Luna give the most nuanced performances I wish director Boris Sagal had delved deeper into their relationship and soft peddled the adorable, too G rated urchins. Alas, it's 80% cuddly barrio boys and 20% Mr. Jones and Juanita.

Give it a C plus.

PS...I will say that Phil Lathrop's camera and Karl Brainerd and Bruce MacDonald's sets manage to capture the look, if not the feel, of early 60s TJ.

This is a sweet story of hope, faith, disappointment, and plenty of life's lessons all centered around very likeable and wise boys. You will want everything to go their way even when they make some not-so-wise choices. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the lines that these very young men delivered in a very natural way. The boys were street-wise and yet very innocent and delivered witty lines that made this comedic drama worth watching anytime it is aired. I read the comments that disagree on whether this movie is kid appropriate. I'm pretty picky about that but I think I'd have no problem having my 11 year-old grandson watching it with me.

As this story unfolded in front of me on TCM a couple of days ago, I seemed to recall seeing this film decades ago. WHY does TCM play some classics so routinely that you groan when they are aired while films like this languish for, perhaps, years between airings? TCM is a maddeningly incompetent steward of the film treasury in its possession. But about this film...

Another commentator notes that it was marketed to children. I have no reason to argue the point; I don't know. I do, however, find it difficult to imagine that this film was intended for a juvenile audience. But I also find it difficult to imagine how this story ever made it into production in the first place. I find this film astonishing. Do not misunderstand - I love this movie, and moreover, I respect everything and everybody associated with its production. I am simply amazed that anybody in Hollywood thought this was a good commercial venture in the '60's! Why, you ask? First, it is not merely a story about Latinos, but a story about Latino kids in the streets of Tijuana. Moreover, as another commentator notes, the characters are portrayed primarily by Latino actors! How marvelous and unusual is that - in and of itself?

But the story is equally marvelous and unusual. It portrays a milieu that has seldom been portrayed, and never more accurately and vividly. The streets of Tijuana, the dressing room at the strip club, the automotive "graveyard" - in fact, all of the scenes are captured with rare authenticity. But more than that, it is a film about faith, and realizing that contentment and happiness are not dependent upon external circumstances (even wealth) but on the heart. This message is in total conflict with most of Hollywood's productions.

The POINT of the story, or moral, if you will, is obviously a very good one for young people. The paradox is that the STORY, itself, is set in an environment to which most people do not want young children exposed. There are many adult situations, even though these are handled with restraint. Moreover, there really is not enough action to sustain the interest of many young people.

The acting is uniformly good, occasionally outstanding. Barbara Luna is beautiful and delivers a great, nuanced performance. However, this movie stands or falls on the strength of the child actors. I think the film stands TALL! I have never seen a film with more good performances by juvenile actors. They are outstanding!

The B/W filming works hand-in-glove with the bleak settings and the story. I don't know what the budget of this film was, but the production values are much higher than you'd expect.

I highly recommend this little gem for those of you interested in a "little film" centered on the dilemmas of youth portrayed by an excellent young cast.

Number one the cast actually included Mexicans playing Mexicans (for the most part) unusual for the early sixties and they were poor but not evil. The kids were so good at establishing memorable believable characters you rooted for them all the way.The simple plot draws you into complicity with them as their innocence is tested by a chain of circumstances beyond their control or, more often, comprehension.Rafael Campos is particularly memorable to me because of that flashing wide smile and wonderful sweetness of nature.So tiny yet loaded with personality and charm. I am dying for the day this is available on DVD so I can show it to my children.(And experience it for myself again)