There were three Cisco Kid movies made in 1945. That’s how popular the character was. This one, directed by Lambert Hillyer (who made so many movies, including Dracula’s Daughter) and written by Victor Hammond and Ralph Bettinson, is unlike many of the other movies in the series as its a musical. It starts with Cisco (Duncan Renaldo) singing to a potential girlfriend. Then, he and Pancho (Martin Garralaga) head to Mexico to stop the corrupt Miguel Sanchez (George J. Lewis) and romance the ladies like Pepita (Armida) and Dolores Gonzales (Lillian Molieri) who work in a cantina.
Sixty-two minutes long, this Monogram Pictures series joined Charlie Chan and Palooka Joe as their dependable features. They kept making them and audiences kept going to see them.
The Cisco Kid Western Movie Collection is available from VCI Entertainment. It has 13 movies and extras like two Cisco Kid TV episodes, interviews with Duncan Renaldo and Colonel Tim McCoy, and photo and poster galleries. You can get it from MVD.
One thought on “Cisco Kid Movie Collection: South of the Rio Grande (1945)”
Comments are closed.
My dad loved these movies. He always imitated Poncho. Hey, dad! If he was here, I’d buy this…and have to show him how to work the DVD deck!