Mexicali Shmoes (1959)

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

In this Speedy Gonzales short he takes a secondary part with the leads being Jose and Manuel, two cats that have decided that they have the brains needed to catch the fastest mouse in all of Mexico. Of course all of their plans back fire in amusing fashion. I particularly liked when one of them tried to catch Speedy with a fishing rod baited with cheese... all he succeeds in doing is getting dragged off by Speedy and when he finally returns he tells his friend that his sister in Los Angeles sends her regards. Eventually they realise they have no chance against Speedy so go after Slowpoke Rodriguez the slowest mouse in all of Mexico instead, I won't reveal how this turns out but will say it was the funniest part of the cartoon.The two cats were pretty funny, I think the cartoon worked better because it concentrated on them rather than on Speedy. For some reason incompetent cartoon characters are inherently funnier than their more successful counterparts.

I'm most definitely not a fan of Speedy, but this entry proves to be very amusing, thanks mostly to the antics of the two schmoes of the title, namely a catty duo in the comic tradition of Abbott and Costello.This time, however, the "Looney Tunes" boys work in an amusing variation. The thin cat is the dumb stooge here, while the paunchy feline plays his more aggressive but almost equally dumb partner.Nicely paced with some sharp gags, this one deserved its Academy Award nomination. And I loved the off-key song!Other Speedy cartoons that are worth a look include "Tabasco Road" and "Cat-Tails for Two".

Once again, some less-than-intelligent cats go after Speedy Gonzales, only to have him foil every one of their schemes. OK, so not only do pretty much all of Speedy's cartoons have basically the same plot, but they totally stereotype Mexico. Well, as I understand it, many Hispanics like that these cartoons portray our southern neighbor positively. So, Speedy does his usual stuff in "Mexicali Shmoes", always showing himself to be one cool dude; no wonder all the female mice love him. As for his cousin Slowpoke Rodriguez (the slowest mouse in Mexico)...well, clearly he has a reason for existence. Anyway, this one's worth seeing.

This cartoon, nominated for an Oscar, is the best of the Spedy Gonzales cartoon shorts that were made in the Golden Age of Warner Brothers. I saw this cartoon again recently and found it was much better than I originally thought it was years ago. The highlight of the cartoon for me has to be the appearance of "Slowpoke" Rodriguez, one of Speedy's cousins. Hilarious! Cartoon Network may or may not air this one. A bit difficult to find but well worth the effort. Recommended.