THE GAY AMIGO

(director: Wallace Fox; screenwriters: Doris Schroeder/based on characters by O’Henry; cinematographer: Ernest Miller; editor: Martin Cohn; music: Albert Glasser; cast: Duncan Renaldo (The Cisco Kid), Leo Carillo (Pancho), Armida (Rosita), Joe Sawyer (Sgt. McNulty), Kenneth MacDonald(Captain Lewis), Walter Baldwin (Editor Stoneham), Fred Kohler Jr.(Brack), Fred Crane (Henchman Duke); Runtime: 62; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Philip Krasne; Mill Creek Entertainment; 1949)

“Though the story is weak, Renaldo and Carillo offer colorful portrayals and give spirited performances to overcome its deficits.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Wallace Fox(“Block Busters”/”Docks of New York”/”Wild Beauty”) amiably directs the second “Cisco Kid” picture for United Artists. In the 1950s, the film’s Cisco Kid, Duncan Renaldo, starred in the popular long-running series on TV. Writer Doris Schroeder keeps intact the mandatory fistfights and takes a whack at comedy over the minced Mexican dialogue between The Cisco Kid and his funny sidekick Pancho.

On the American side of the Mexican border, The Cisco Kid (Duncan Renaldo) and his sidekick Pancho (Leo Carillo) are mistakenly identified by U.S. Cavalry Sergeant McNulty (Joe Sawyer) as the leaders of the Mexican bandits who just staged a robbery. Captain Lewis (Kenneth MacDonald) decides not to arrest them but have Sergeant McNulty follow them so they can capture the entire gang. In order to catch the real culprits, The Cisco Kid and Pancho pretend to be bandits and rob a stagecoach. In their investigation, they discover the Mexican bandits are Americans. They also discover the head of the ruthless outlaws is the blacksmith Brack (Fred Kohler Jr.) and the big boss is the editor of the local Arizona newspaper, Stoneham (Walter Baldwin).

Though the story is weak, Renaldo and Carillo offer colorful portrayals and give spirited performances to overcome its deficits.

REVIEWED ON 8/24/2013 GRADE: B