In Old Arizona (1928)

Director:

Irving Cummings

Writers:

O. Henry (story)
Tom Barry (adaptation)

Release Date:

20 January 1929 (USA)

Genre:

Romance | Western

Tagline:

100% all -talking Fox Movietone Feature

Plot:

A charming, happy-go-lucky bandit in old Arizona plays cat-and-mouse with the sheriff trying to catch him while he romances a local beauty.

Plot Keywords:

Cisco Kid | Reward | Arizona | Swede | Gold

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 nominations

Cast

Warner Baxter	...	The Cisco Kid
Edmund Lowe	...	Sergeant Mickey Dunn
Dorothy Burgess	...	Tonia Maria

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish | Italian

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric System)

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Filming Locations:

Arizona, USA

Company:

Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Raoul Walsh was cast as the Cisco Kid, as well as being the director; but during a return drive to Los Angeles from Utah, a jackrabbit jumped through the windshield of Walsh's car, with both the rabbit and the broken glass hitting Walsh in the face. (Safety glass was added to cars the following year.) The damage to Walsh's right eye necessitated replacing him in the lead role, re-writing the script and re-shooting some scenes with a different director while Walsh recuperated; Walsh thereafter wore the eye patch for which he was known, and eventually lost the eye entirely. Some footage of Walsh, in chase scenes and long shots, remains in the film.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in You're My Everything (1949)

Soundtrack:

Ta-ra-ra Boom-der-é

Hay caramba! Thees Ceesco Keed seems to be a really deeferent guy than he was on thee Tee Vee!

ANYONE WHO GREW up during the period of 1930-60 in the USA, Canada, Timbuktu or anywhere that the Hollywood output is exhibited, would be familiar with "O. Henry's famous Robin Hood of the Old West…". The Cisco Kid and his sidekick, Pancho (sometimes referred to by the nickname of "Gordito" or "Little Fatty" in English) were a mainstay of the "B" Western Movie scene and later, as a Juvie TV Series. The role of the Kid had been passed from Baxter (the first talkie Cisco) to Caesar Romero to Gilbert Roland and then Duncan Renaldo; who essayed the role in both the last Monogram theatricals and the Ziv Television). Pancho/Gordito was perennially the job of Chris Pin-Martin; until Leo Carillo moved into the part with 'partner' Mr. Renaldo.

RELATIVELY FEW PEOPLE of this very same period were acquainted with the portrayal of this character by Warner Baxter; whom we are told won an Oscar for his performance as 'Best Performance by an Actor for 1929', the first really full year of sound pictures. This may seem to be a rather strange occurrence for what was a 'Major Motion Picture' and there is no definitive answer for it. However we believe we can offer a plausible and most probable reason for the film's lack of familiarity.

AS WE SEE it, the initiation of the CISCO KID Movie Series refined and softened the character; rendering Cisco more palatable for Family Viewing. Whereas we still saw wanted posters with a reward for his capture throughout the life of the series as it changed Studios from 20th Century-Fox to Monogram and passed the right to the Cisco Sombrero from Baxter to Romero, Roland and Renaldo; there was always plausible reasons to believe that poor Cisco was just a misunderstood ex-bandito, with the proverbial 'Heart of Gold.'

FURTHERMORE it appears that there may be another reason. Once again this is only conjecture, but there appears to have been a conscious effort by Fox to hold back the release of many of their earliest Talkies from release to the 1950's Television market. This lack of interest by the Copyright Owner, the 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation, may also have contributed to a an apparent neglect of their earliest sound pictures.**

WITH REGARD to the film, itself, IN OLD ARIZONA has all of those indicators that label it as being a very early talkie; even up to the point of possibly labeling it as being a primitive sound feature. All of the elements are present that reflect an overall lack of familiarity with the problems of coordinating the sound with the imagery of the movement of the players.

THIS IS NOT a slam on the Director. Raoul Walsh was a veteran of the great Silent Films of D.W. Griffith; having portrayed John Wilkes Booth in BIRTH OF A NATION. Mr. Walsh brought the experience of what was probably close to 29 years when he took possession of 'the Chair' to do the picture in 1928.* His innate talents were definitely on display; although he was undoubtedly continuing to learn and grow. It is our amateur opinion that much of the excessive and often awkward insertion of musical numbers in this movie and in so many others of that period was the result of an overwhelming desire by the various Studios to render their products as being close as possible to "All Talking. All Singing and All Sound!"

FOR WHAT WE expected from a 'Horse Opera', there certainly was an awful lot of dialogue. Of course, there was a story to tell and durn it if they weren't going to talk us through all of that exposition. In an incredibly short span of on screen time, we are introduced to Cisco, Army Sgt. Mickey Dunn (Edmund Lowe) and the lovely Tonia Maria(Dorothy Burgess); who places herself directly in the collision course path that the two were set on from the very start.

THERE IS A decidedly "Adult" viewing rating here. We see the large numbers of Working Girls present in the Gin Mill that this town has all of the Thorns that go along with the Roses in any Bouquet. This town's appearance and reputation would certainly not put it in good standing as fit subjects for Walt Disney or Norman Rockwell to use in their projects.

ALONG THE SAME line, Director Walsh leaves us with no doubt that the Senorita Tonia Maria was less than a girl next door type. In her very first appearance on the screen, we see her dispatching a 'John' from her house; cautioning him to high tail it, for Cisco is arriving presently. Her love of money is made explicit as she obviously seems interested in more and more of it. Cisco doesn't realize it; but he is being played as a chump. Her favors are bestowed to many others. Unknown to the Kid is the undeniable truth that to her, he is just another 'Trick'.

THE HOLD-UP of the Stagecoach by Cisco at the beginning of the story and the comic relief situation of having our Anti-Hero meet up with the unsuspecting town Sheriff and equally clueless Sgt. Dunn in the town Barber Shop; while he was getting a shave and taking a bath, all were important preludes to a most surprising and gruesome a climax.

UNTIL WE MEET again, Schultz and I want to say, "GOOD-BYE AMIGOS, SEE YOU SOON!" (Roll the Credits, Schultz!) See You Next Time!

NOTE: * We read that Raoul Walsh was set to portray Cisco in this film; but just prior to the scheduled shooting time, he was badly injured in an auto accident, losing an eye.

NOTE: ** A good example of an early sound movie held back by Fox is SOUP TO NUTS (Fox, 1930) which introduced the movie audiences to Ted Healy & The 3 Stooges.

POODLE SCHNITZ!!