The Return of the Cisco Kid *** (1939, Warner Baxter, Lynn Bari, Cesar Romero, Henry Hull, Kane Richmond, C Henry Gordon, Robert Barrat, Chris-Pin Martin, Henry Hull) – Classic Movie Review 8285

Director Herbert I Leeds’s 1939 Western The Return of the Cisco Kid stars Warner Baxter, who returns after a long gap in the first of 20th Century Fox’s film series of seven Cisco Kid movies, in which Cisco helps a woman Ann Carver (Lynn Bari) to keep her ranch against the machinations of the wicked entrepreneur Sheriff McNally (Robert Barrat).

The series regular Chris-Pin Martin plays Cisco’s other sidekick Gordito, Henry Hull plays Ann’s wayward grandfather and Ward Bond has one scene as Accused Rustler, being beaten unconscious by Sheriff McNally.

Despite the Fox studio’s obviously low budget, this is a lively and entertaining episode. It was a hit and started off a series in which Cesar Romero (who plays Cisco’s sidekick Lopez in this film) took over as Cisco in The Cisco Kid and the Lady (1939).

Also in the cast are Kane Richmond as Alan Davis, C Henry Gordon as Mexican Captain, Adrian Morris as Deputy Johnson, Soledad Jiménez as Mama Soledad, Harry Strang as Deputy, Arthur Aylesworth as Stagecoach Driver, Paul E. Burns as Hotel Clerk, Victor Kilian as Bartender at Stage Stop, Eddy Waller as Guard on Stagecoach and Ruth Gillette as Flora.

Milton Sperling’s screenplay is based on O Henry’s characters in the 1907 book The Caballero’s Way, though very remotely so as in O Henry’s story Cisco is a 25-year-old desperado in the Texas-Mexico border country, killing at least 18 people for sport, and now he is a heroic Mexican caballero.

The Return of the Cisco Kid is directed by Herbert I Leeds, runs 70 minutes, is made and released by 20th Century Fox, is written by Milton Sperling, is shot in black and white by Charles G Clarke, is produced by Kenneth Macgowan, and is scored by Cyril J Mockridge.

It was released by 20th Century Fox on 28 April 1939.

Romero took over the lead role of Cisco and Martin continued to play Cisco’s other sidekick Gordito in six further films.

Baxter previously played Cisco in In Old Arizona (1928), winning an Oscar, The Arizona Kid (1930) and The Cisco Kid (1931).

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8285

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