Cinematic Discoveries Following the Footsteps of Mexico: Cult Guide

The Mexico Phenomenon

The vintage appeal of Mexico to maintain its cult relevance across several decades.

As it opens we find a young Mexican, Lopez, living in Juarez. He has joined the revolutionary party. The Federals advance toward the town and Lopez receives an order from Villa to join the forces. This he does leaving his wife, Rosa, and baby in the care of her father, a doctor. The Federals arrive and with them is Lieutenant Toro, a brutal officer. He breaks into Lopez's home searching for conscripts and takes a fancy to the wife; but the arrival of his superior officer keeps him from doing her any injury. In a convincing series of scenes a revolutionary spy is now caught on the outskirts of the town. This spy is to be Toro's agent and is set free after giving a promise to help in capturing Lopez's wife. An attack is made on the cabin; it is set on fire and Rosa is carried away, but Toro, in fear of a court martial, sets her free and she takes refuge with her father. Toro's next move is to decoy Lopez to the town and destroy him. The spy is sent back to the revolutionary camp and tells Lopez that Rosa is unfaithful. Lopez leaves camp without permission, has a brisk encounter with a Federal sentry whom he throws over a cliff, and finds Rosa still true to him. There is very commendable art in this meeting of wife with husband, and the acting conveys the changing emotion of it to us with justice and sense of proportion. It is followed by the attack of Toro's men on the house. Lopez is surprised, but makes his escape through the window and as those waiting outside give chase he fires killing the spy; but is himself captured. The court martial scene that follows also evidences the pleasing human qualities of the story that are found all through. Lopez, though defended by a Federal officer as his counsel, is found guilty of being a spy and condemned to death; but is helped by his father-in-law to escape. The fourth reel is a battle reel and deals mostly with an attack of a band of Federals under Toro and their repulse by the revolutionary forces.