The Girl from Mexico

Wooden American publicity agent Dennis Lindsay (Donald Woods) meets loud and feisty Mexican singer Carmelita Fuentes (Lupe Velez) and brings her to the States. Carmelita quickly falls for Dennis but he only seems to have business on his mind. Plus he's engaged to a snobby socialite (Linda Hayes). So Carmelita conspires with Dennis' uncle (Leon Errol) to make Dennis jealous and win his affections. The first movie in the Mexican Spitfire series, although it wasn't intended as such. This was a surprise hit which led to the sequels. It's not a series I particularly love but I think this is my favorite of the bunch, primarily because it feels less formulaic and it's the only one where Lupe Velez actually feels like the star. In the subsequent movies Leon Errol's role would increase where he would basically become the real star, often playing more than one role in each film. Velez would just go through the motions in the subplot, which was usually a variation of the same thing: Carmelita gets angry and leaves Dennis but eventually the two reunite.

Velez is an acquired taste for sure. She's basically a combination of Ricky and Lucy Ricardo (predating I Love Lucy, of course). I like her in this movie, though. Maybe it's because in the sequels she seemed to be repeating lines and routines in every movie but here she hadn't perfected her persona yet so it feels a bit more natural. She also sings and dances in this one, which is a nice plus. For his part Donald Woods plays to his strengths (?) as a stiff wooden leading man. It somehow works contrasted with Velez screaming half her lines. Leon Errol's Uncle Matt is fun and easily the most likable person in the movie. Linda Hayes and Elisabeth Risdon round out the main cast. Hayes is OK playing a villainess but Risdon is a tough pill to swallow. Her character is just the worst. Ward Bond has a small role as a wrestler named Mexican Pete.

It's an enjoyable lightweight B comedy. I can see why they thought it would make a good series but it really didn't. They had no ideas and basically repeated plots and relied heavily on vaudevillian Errol to provide laughs. This first one is the best because it feels the most fresh. Still nothing exceptional.

Singer Lupe Velez (Carmelita) is brought over from Mexico by Donald Woods (Dennis). I'm not sure why - he needs a Mexican singer for a contract of some sort. Anyway, he is given the role of her "protector" whilst she is in the USA and, of course, Velez doesn't play ball. She is, after all, the "Mexican Spitfire" and you will understand why she is called this whilst watching the film. She seems a coarse version of Carmen Miranda, though not as talented. Woods has a fiancée in Linda Hayes (Elizabeth) who does not approve of the new arrival, whilst Velez spends the whole film disobeying instructions with the help of Leon Errol (Uncle Matt). Love is also in the air.

There are many opportunities for misunderstanding in this film as well as the play on the Mexican accent and poor English grammatical structure which provides the bulk of the comedy. It can be funny in parts but that whirlwind of constant energy gets very tedious and Velez is not someone you would wish to keep company with for very long. All the shouting, etc - just stop it and do some proper acting with subtle dialogue, please!

I wish Errol had taken Velez on various evenings out to 'kick the gong around' as she had requested, ie, smoke opium. I've tried it and it is great. It would have calmed her down and possibly added some depth to the film.

Just like when Ma and Pa Kettle became such a hit in The Egg And I that it became a movie series, Lupe Velez proved such a hit as the fiery and passionate Mexican singer Carmelita Fuentes that RKO did a whole series of Mexican Spitfire films. Velez who was on the downside of her career, she was no longer an A list player got her career extended a few more years. Sadly only a few years since she died by suicide in 1943.

This film which introduces the characters has Donald Woods press agent on a hunt in Mexico for a talented singer of the Latina persuasion for his boss Donald MacBride's radio station. He brings Lupe Velez and finds she's awfully hard to handle. The one she relates best to is Leon Errol who is his uncle. His aunt Elizabeth Risdon who usually played snooty old dowagers is at her snootiest here. Fiance Linda Hayes isn't too thrilled with Velez's presence either.

Velez and Errol worked well together and it was both of them that kept the Mexican Spitfire series going. Later on when Errol started playing the dual role of Uncle Matt and Lord Epping he could have spun out on a series of his own.

For better or worse this is what Lupe Velez is best remembered for cinematically as opposed to her sex life which was varied and tempestuous.

Lupe Vélez was the greatest! A staggering natural talent.

Only goof I found in the movie is near the beginning when he throws the towel slower than it actually hits her.

The Girl From México is not only a classic, but essential, because without it, despite being one of the great female comics of all time, Lupe Vélez would be forgotten about ( especially because too many of her films are unavailable (Wolf Song with Gary Cooper is one of the films I am looking for the most. East as West with her and Edward G. Robinson is another)). Her fiery temper, her dancing, her impressions and the ability to do physical comedy really work here. For anyone who has heard of Lupe Vélez, but has never seen her, this movie is where to start ( if you have seen her before and have not seen The Girl From Mexico what are you waiting for?). Was Lupe beautiful? Oh yea. Did she have screen presence? Without a doubt. But so did many actresses who have been forgotten about ( Betty Grable, Elsa Martinelli ( one of my favorites), Elke Sommer and Delores Del Rio ( who Lupe despised) are examples of this). But Lupe ( like Clara Bow and Jean Harlow ( other actresses from her era) she lives on. 10/10 stars.