The Girl from Mexico

It's almost unheard of a low-budgeted movie becoming so popular it spawned a series of feature films produced by a major Hollywood studio. That's what happened to RKO Pictures when it witnessed an unexpected phenomenon at the box office in actress Lupe Velez's June 1939's "The Girl From Mexico." Originally planned as a one and done Grade B film, the 'Mexican Spitfire' emerged as a blockbuster hit over the summer for the South of the Border singer comedian, spurring the studio to produce seven additional movies based around her fiery, yet magnetic personality.

As one of the first Mexican actresses in Hollywood, Velez broke into film in 1927, and transferred her success from silents, co-starring with Douglas Fairbanks in 1927's "The Gaucho," to sound. In one of the best skits in 1933's "Hollywood Party," she bested Laurel and Hardy in their classic egg-busting scene. Velez sang in several Broadway shows, raising her popularity while she paid a visit to her native country in 1938 to make the Mexican film "La Zandunga."

In "The Girl From Mexico," Velez is Carmelita Fuentes, a talented singer from a small Mexican town who Dennis Lindsay (Donald Woods), a scout from a New York talent agency, discovers and escorts her to the states for an audition. Dennis, who's engaged to catty Elizabeth Price (Linda Hayes), is unavailable to chaperone Carmelita around town on her first day in New York City. His uncle Matt (Leon Errol) fills in as tour guide and bends to her demands to take her to both a baseball game and a wrestling match. Carmelita yells so much at the sporting events she loses her voice, ruining her audition. While Dennis is heavily involved planning his upcoming wedding, he develops the hots for Carmelita, causing his fiancé to become jealous.

RKO used Valez's nickname, the 'Mexican Spitfire' in the titles for her next seven movies, ending with 1943's 'Mexican Spitfire's Blessed Event.' Comic Leon Errol did double duty beginning in the second in the series, 1940's 'Mexican Spitfire,' playing two characters, Uncle Matt as well as the eccentric Lord Epping, a British distiller. Director Leslie Goodwins encouraged his actors to ad lib, especially Velez and Errol, who loved to entertain the film crew with their off-the-cuff jokes. "The Girl From Mexico" contained one of Hollywood's first interracial couples. Woods remained Carmelita's on-screen husband for the first three Spitfire movies, followed by Charles 'Buddy' Rogers (Mary Pickford's husband), then actor Walter Reed. One of cinema's more fascinating trivia questions is what movie front-ended the double feature to the 1941 debut release of Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane?" Answer: 'The Mexican Spitfire's Baby,' the fourth movie in Velez's repertoire.

Once the series ran its course by 1943, Velez returned to Mexico to be in an adaptation of Emile Zola's 'Nana.' On December 13, 1944, Velez swallowed 75 Seconal pills and a glass of brandy in her Los Angeles home. She left a suicide note to her ex-boyfriend Harold Ramond, claiming she was distraught about her unwed pregnancy. The Los Angeles coroner dropped a pending investigation after her death because of the note. Ramond denied his involvement, setting off rumors on the person responsible for getting Velez pregnant, with actor Gary Cooper's name dropped in the mix. Pallbearers at her funeral included her ex-husband Johnny Weissmuller of Tarzan fame.

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.

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.

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 is so much fun here, and even though what would launch the 'Spitfire' series has the feel of a B movie, I found myself really enjoying it because of her. Her character has been brought to New York as a prospective singer by a talent scout, but she wants to see the town, so cajoles his uncle into taking her to a baseball game, wrestling match, and six-day bicycle race. In delightful ways, she mocks those who put on airs or try to control her, and sensing an attraction with the scout (even though he's engaged), begins trying to make him think she's seeing other men to make him jealous.

It's a simple story and pretty clear where it's going, but it's far from stupid (unlike the first sequel, which I saw before this one), and it's well told over its short 71 minutes. Mercifully there is less "fiery Latina" stereotypical behavior and simply more playfulness, and Vélez is absolutely charming. She's such a natural in her comedy and flirtation that it's quite a shame that this wasn't a more developed vehicle, and that even as it is, that it's not more highly regarded. I also really liked Leon Errol as the uncle here, who played off her beautifully, so much so that the thought occurred to me that it would have been wild if their characters had ended up together. Donald Woods is clearly the weak link, but the film succeeds because of Vélez and Errol.