"Who asked you to love her? I just asked you to marry her!" That line pretty much sums up Lionel Barrymore's bellowing Uncle Henry in this modern set western which takes place in Mexico and focuses on some Americans living there dealing with loveable Mexican bandit Wallace Beery. With the casting of Beery in a Mexican role and Barrymore's constant braying, it's best to watch this as a comedy because it's completely over the top and absurd.
While MGM was not known for their westerns, they made a lot but only a few of them are considered classics in the genre. Here they stuff a bunch of their contract players in it (with Ronald Reagan on loan from Warner Brothers), and through its sepia tone, it looks great. Laraine Day takes a break from the Doctor Kildare movies to play Barrymore's niece now married to Tom Conway although she was once involved with Reagan as his childhood sweetheart.
A feud with wealthy Henry Travers over the selling of his ranch leads to Conway making an offer on it, and after a few reels, you begin to wonder where the top billed Beery is, especially since the film is only 70 minutes. He makes his entrance 24 minutes into the film, covered in sequins, looking like an overstuff pinnata. Beery and his swarm of stereotypical bandito's are very cartoon like, no Speedy Gonzalez in sight.
More comic relief is provided by Nydia Westman as Travers' daughter and Chill Wills as Barrymore's love starred ranch hand. In spite of its absurdity it's very amusing and fast moving to watch strictly as entertainment, not art. Beery pulls a Cagney on Westman (no grapefruit), and Barrymore in his wheelchair gets some slapstick to do as well. Reagan is the nominal hero, but his character is rather dull when compared to the flamboyant nut jobs surrounding him.
While MGM was not known for their westerns, they made a lot but only a few of them are considered classics in the genre. Here they stuff a bunch of their contract players in it (with Ronald Reagan on loan from Warner Brothers), and through its sepia tone, it looks great. Laraine Day takes a break from the Doctor Kildare movies to play Barrymore's niece now married to Tom Conway although she was once involved with Reagan as his childhood sweetheart.
A feud with wealthy Henry Travers over the selling of his ranch leads to Conway making an offer on it, and after a few reels, you begin to wonder where the top billed Beery is, especially since the film is only 70 minutes. He makes his entrance 24 minutes into the film, covered in sequins, looking like an overstuff pinnata. Beery and his swarm of stereotypical bandito's are very cartoon like, no Speedy Gonzalez in sight.
More comic relief is provided by Nydia Westman as Travers' daughter and Chill Wills as Barrymore's love starred ranch hand. In spite of its absurdity it's very amusing and fast moving to watch strictly as entertainment, not art. Beery pulls a Cagney on Westman (no grapefruit), and Barrymore in his wheelchair gets some slapstick to do as well. Reagan is the nominal hero, but his character is rather dull when compared to the flamboyant nut jobs surrounding him.