list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Viva Villa! on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Viva_Villa/37234/default.aspx Title: Viva Villa!
Year: 1934
Director: Howard Hawks, Jack Conway
Plot: A far from factual filmed biography of Mexican patriot Pancho Villa, Viva Villa! was written by lengendary screenwriter Ben Hecht. We first meet the young Villa when his father is beaten to death after protesting Diaz' seizure of the Mexican peons' land. Pancho exacts a temporary revenge by knifing one of his father's killers, then heads for the hills, where he organizes a band of renegades. As he "matures," Pancho is played by child actor Phillip Cooper and adult star Wallace Beery. Though ruthless in his treatment of the rich, Pancho is a hero to the poor, who receive the spoils of Villa's raids. Befriended by American reporter Johnny Sykes (Stuart Erwin), Villa becomes internationally famous thanks to Sykes' articles concerning his exploits. Pancho also finds a strong ally in Don Felipe de Castillo (Donald Cook), who introduces the rebel bandit to Madero (Henry B. Walthall), the leader of the peon revolt. Madero convinces Villa to join forces with him, the better to oust the Diaz regime. His principal rival in this goal is ambitious General Pascal (Joseph Schildkraut), who intends to set up an even more despotic regime once Diaz is eliminated. Emerging victorious in his fight against the federales, Villa is encouraged to go back home by Madero. Illiterate and dangerously naïve, Villa quickly runs into trouble with the new government, giving Pascal a chance to humiliate his former "comrade in arms." Later, Pascal shows his true colors by assassinating Madero and assuming control of Mexico. Thirsting for revenge, Villa and his men go on a bloody rampage, culminiating in the ritualistic murder of the treacherous Pascal (he is staked out on an anthill and covered with honey). Made president of Mexico upon the elimination of Pacal, Villa once more finds himself in over his head. Unable to deal with political infighting, Villa retires to his ranch. One day, after running into his old friend Johnny Sykes (Stu Erwin), Villa is shot and mortally wounded by his onetime friend Don Felipe, who holds Pancho responsible for the death of his sister Teresa (Fay Wray). As he dies, Villa begs Johnny to tell him what his epitaph will be. Improvising quickly, Johnny tells of Villa's love for Mexico and his many accomplishments. Partially filmed on location in Mexico, Viva Villa was plagued with a multitude of production problems, not least of which was the diplomatic gaffe committed by Lee Tracy, the film's original Johnny Sykes: While standing on a balcony watching a military parade, an inebrieated Tracy relieved himself on the troops below and was immediately fired. Another crisis arose when the Mexican government objected to star Wallace Beery, on the grounds that Beery usually played villains or buffoons. Despite these and other setbacks, Viva Villa was finally completed under the assured directorial hand of MGM troubleshooter Jack Conway and the expert supervision of David O. Selznick. Though some critics objected to the film's violence, Viva Villa was a financial success. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Number of blog posts: 1
]]>Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:01:16 GMTViva Villa!1934Howard Hawks, Jack ConwayA far from factual filmed biography of Mexican patriot Pancho Villa, Viva Villa! was written by lengendary screenwriter <a href="/players/P____93876/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Ben Hecht</a>. We first meet the young Villa when his father is beaten to death after protesting Diaz' seizure of the Mexican peons' land. Pancho exacts a temporary revenge by knifing one of his father's killers, then heads for the hills, where he organizes a band of renegades. As he "matures," Pancho is played by child actor Phillip Cooper and adult star <a href="/players/P_____4986/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Wallace Beery</a>. Though ruthless in his treatment of the rich, Pancho is a hero to the poor, who receive the spoils of Villa's raids. Befriended by American reporter Johnny Sykes (<a href="/players/P____22072/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Stuart Erwin</a>), Villa becomes internationally famous thanks to Sykes' articles concerning his exploits. Pancho also finds a strong ally in Don Felipe de Castillo (<a href="/players/P____14690/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Donald Cook</a>), who introduces the rebel bandit to Madero (Henry B. Walthall), the leader of the peon revolt. Madero convinces Villa to join forces with him, the better to oust the Diaz regime. His principal rival in this goal is ambitious General Pascal (<a href="/players/P____63650/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Joseph Schildkraut</a>), who intends to set up an even more despotic regime once Diaz is eliminated. Emerging victorious in his fight against the federales, Villa is encouraged to go back home by Madero. Illiterate and dangerously naïve, Villa quickly runs into trouble with the new government, giving Pascal a chance to humiliate his former "comrade in arms." Later, Pascal shows his true colors by assassinating Madero and assuming control of Mexico. Thirsting for revenge, Villa and his men go on a bloody rampage, culminiating in the ritualistic murder of the treacherous Pascal (he is staked out on an anthill and covered with honey). Made president of Mexico upon the elimination of Pacal, Villa once more finds himself in over his head. Unable to deal with political infighting, Villa retires to his ranch. One day, after running into his old friend Johnny Sykes (Stu Erwin), Villa is shot and mortally wounded by his onetime friend Don Felipe, who holds Pancho responsible for the death of his sister Teresa (<a href="/players/P____77568/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Fay Wray</a>). As he dies, Villa begs Johnny to tell him what his epitaph will be. Improvising quickly, Johnny tells of Villa's love for Mexico and his many accomplishments. Partially filmed on location in Mexico, <a href=/films/37234/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Viva Villa</a> was plagued with a multitude of production problems, not least of which was the diplomatic gaffe committed by <a href="/players/P____71575/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Lee Tracy</a>, the film's original Johnny Sykes: While standing on a balcony watching a military parade, an inebrieated Tracy relieved himself on the troops below and was immediately fired. Another crisis arose when the Mexican government objected to star <a href="/players/P_____4986/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Wallace Beery</a>, on the grounds that Beery usually played villains or buffoons. Despite these and other setbacks, <a href=/films/37234/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Viva Villa</a> was finally completed under the assured directorial hand of MGM troubleshooter <a href="/players/P____85755/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Jack Conway</a> and the expert supervision of David O. Selznick. Though some critics objected to the film's violence, <a href=/films/37234/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Viva Villa</a> was a financial success. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide1http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/v62147ymhtv.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Viva_Villa/37234/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/6/18/31371.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 6/18/2008 1:01:16 PM
Body: I keep forgetting that Mike Myers is not actually playing an Indian in The Love Guru, and yet I’m constantly reminded by the film’s commercials, which show that ridiculous shot of a little kid’s body with Myers’ giant head digitally superimposed onto it. Really, Myers’ character (Pitka) is a white American who is left on the doorstep of an Indian ashram when he’s a child. Then he’s raised as Indian, I guess (or simply Hindu, but then why the accent?). Apparently the character, Pitka, couldn’t simply look and talk like Myers. He had to have that silly accent and the clothes and the facial hair, despite the fact that Deepak Chopra, who partially inspired the character (and who appears in the movie), is able to wear jeans and be clean-shaven. Because who would believe Myers as an Indian guru with just the voice, the clothes and his baby face? Of course, Myers is not the first actor to wear or grow a beard and/or mustache in order to take on the guise of another ethnicity. Sure, it’s also the accent and the makeup that transforms the actor, but with the most recognizable faces, it’s the facial hair that really seals the deal for supposed authenticity. Charlton Heston as Mexican in Touch of Evil (pictured above) - Maybe if Heston could maintain the accent he wouldn’t have needed the mustache. But then in photos he still would have just looked like regular old Heston. With the whiskers, however, he looks like regular old Heston with a mustache. If this look defined a man as Mexican, then many characters from the ’30s must have been Mexican. Rhett Butler? Mexican. Nick Charles (and anyone else played by William Powell)? Mexican. John Wayne as Mongolian in The Conqueror - I don’t think Wayne even tried with the accent, and it doesn’t appear like any makeup was applied to his face. But thanks to that catfish stash he’s totally convincing as Mongolian emperor Genghis Khan. Too bad Susan Hayward couldn’t wear facial hair to make her look more like a Tartar queen. Actually, it might have helped. Peter Sellers as Chinese in Murder By Death - He certainly wasn’t the first white actor to play Charlie Chan. There was Warner Oland, Sidney Toler and Roland Winters, among others. But he’s probably the only one not primarily famous for playing the Chinese-American detective. Not that it would be acceptable for anyone to portray Chan without the iconic facial hair. Edward G. Robinson as Reubenite in The Ten Commandments - Born a Romanian Jew, Robinson was more acceptably cast as an ancient Israelite than it would seem. Yet after playing so many Italians in so many gangster movies, he was going against type as the traitor Dathan. Did the character grow the beard to align him more with the Egyptians, though? If so, then this is a twofold instance of facial hair making the race. Wallace Beery as Mexican in Viva Villa! -Long before Charlton Heston wore a mustache to pass as Mexican, Wallace Beery did the same. At least Beery was playing a real person, though, and had to wear a mustache. Still, would anyone have believed the star as any non-iconically-stashed Mexican? Sacha Baron Cohen as a Kazakh in Borat - OK, so without the accent, Sacha Baron Cohen would just look like an early ’80s Freddie Mercury wannabe. But also, without that mustache, he’d merely look like Sacha Baron Cohen. Not that any of us knew what the actor really looked like prior to his publicity tour for this movie, but that’s beside the point. Eddie Murphy as white on Saturday Night Live - In the early ’80s, when many white men wanted to be Tom Selleck or Burt Reynolds, this kind of mustache was absolutely necessary for Murphy’s transformation. Anthony Quinn as an Arab in Lawrence of Arabia - The Mexican-American Quinn was great at playing against race. And he wasn’t the first or last to don a beard to play an Arab. But his portrayal was probably the most iconic representation of Arab for most of us who grew up in non-ethnically-diverse suburbs. John Cleese as French in Monty Python and the Holy Grail - You may recognize that he’s French by the exaggerated accent (his lines as the taunter are popular audio samples), but Cleese just wouldn’t be convincing as French without the exaggerated mustache. I know this, because at Halloween time, I see items called “French mustache,” meaning it’s an essential part of the stereotype. Meryl Streep as Jewish in Angels in America - You can’t play an Orthodox rabbi without the big frizzy beard, but when you’re Meryl Streep, regardless of how much of a chameleon you are, the beard is more than a must. It’s perhaps the only way of being passable as male and Jewish. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:01:16 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com6/18/2008 1:01:16 PM I keep forgetting that Mike Myers is not actually playing an Indian in The Love Guru, and yet I’m constantly reminded by the film’s commercials, which show that ridiculous shot of a little kid’s body with Myers’ giant head digitally superimposed onto it. Really, Myers’ character (Pitka) is a white American who is left on the doorstep of an Indian ashram when he’s a child. Then he’s raised as Indian, I guess (or simply Hindu, but then why the accent?). Apparently the character, Pitka, couldn’t simply look and talk like Myers. He had to have that silly accent and the clothes and the facial hair, despite the fact that Deepak Chopra, who partially inspired the character (and who appears in the movie), is able to wear jeans and be clean-shaven. Because who would believe Myers as an Indian guru with just the voice, the clothes and his baby face? Of course, Myers is not the first actor to wear or grow a beard and/or mustache in order to take on the guise of another ethnicity. Sure, it’s also the accent and the makeup that transforms the actor, but with the most recognizable faces, it’s the facial hair that really seals the deal for supposed authenticity. Charlton Heston as Mexican in Touch of Evil (pictured above) - Maybe if Heston could maintain the accent he wouldn’t have needed the mustache. But then in photos he still would have just looked like regular old Heston. With the whiskers, however, he looks like regular old Heston with a mustache. If this look defined a man as Mexican, then many characters from the ’30s must have been Mexican. Rhett Butler? Mexican. Nick Charles (and anyone else played by William Powell)? Mexican. John Wayne as Mongolian in The Conqueror - I don’t think Wayne even tried with the accent, and it doesn’t appear like any makeup was applied to his face. But thanks to that catfish stash he’s totally convincing as Mongolian emperor Genghis Khan. Too bad Susan Hayward couldn’t wear facial hair to make her look more like a Tartar queen. Actually, it might have helped. Peter Sellers as Chinese in Murder By Death - He certainly wasn’t the first white actor to play Charlie Chan. There was Warner Oland, Sidney Toler and Roland Winters, among others. But he’s probably the only one not primarily famous for playing the Chinese-American detective. Not that it would be acceptable for anyone to portray Chan without the iconic facial hair. Edward G. Robinson as Reubenite in The Ten Commandments - Born a Romanian Jew, Robinson was more acceptably cast as an ancient Israelite than it would seem. Yet after playing so many Italians in so many gangster movies, he was going against type as the traitor Dathan. Did the character grow the beard to align him more with the Egyptians, though? If so, then this is a twofold instance of facial hair making the race. Wallace Beery as Mexican in Viva Villa! -Long before Charlton Heston wore a mustache to pass as Mexican, Wallace Beery did the same. At least Beery was playing a real person, though, and had to wear a mustache. Still, would anyone have believed the star as any non-iconically-stashed Mexican? Sacha Baron Cohen as a Kazakh in Borat - OK, so without the accent, Sacha Baron Cohen would just look like an early ’80s Freddie Mercury wannabe. But also, without that mustache, he’d merely look like Sacha Baron Cohen. Not that any of us knew what the actor really looked like prior to his publicity tour for this movie, but that’s beside the point. Eddie Murphy as white on Saturday Night Live - In the early ’80s, when many white men wanted to be Tom Selleck or Burt Reynolds, this kind of mustache was absolutely necessary for Murphy’s transformation. Anthony Quinn as an Arab in Lawrence of Arabia - The Mexican-American Quinn was great at playing against race. And he wasn’t the first or last to don a beard to play an Arab. But his portrayal was probably the most iconic representation of Arab for most of us who grew up in non-ethnically-diverse suburbs. John Cleese as French in Monty Python and the Holy Grail - You may recognize that he’s French by the exaggerated accent (his lines as the taunter are popular audio samples), but Cleese just wouldn’t be convincing as French without the exaggerated mustache. I know this, because at Halloween time, I see items called “French mustache,” meaning it’s an essential part of the stereotype. Meryl Streep as Jewish in Angels in America - You can’t play an Orthodox rabbi without the big frizzy beard, but when you’re Meryl Streep, regardless of how much of a chameleon you are, the beard is more than a must. It’s perhaps the only way of being passable as male and Jewish. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/revenge/MemberTagFilms.aspxrevenge
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