The Mexican Spitfire Series: Part 2 (1939-43)

Mexican Spitfire At Sea

Dennis and Carmelita are going on a cruise, for a second go of their honeymoon. Things become rocky when it turns out Dennis is still doing business. He's trying to win over a new client with the help of Lord Epping and his wife, but has to resort to trickery when he can't find the real Eppings anywhere. Uncle Matt must pose as the Lord, with the help of another passenger, or else the deal will fall through. But how will Dennis fix things with his own wife?...

Mexican Spitfire at Sea is one of the lesser entries in the series, though represents a slight improvement. The beginning is really the worst part of the film, bar one or two other scenes. This is down to the central relationship. Dennis comes off as a shitty husband, and Carmelita like an angry shrew. Neither seem like they're in a happy marriage here, always yelling at each-other, or lying behind their backs.

The story itself here is decent, if fairly basic. It's guilty of a lot of recycling, namely the Lord Epping double act, and all the expected misunderstandings, but there is some fresh stuff here that I really enjoyed, such as vacationing spinster Miss Pepper and her role in events.

The film does next to nothing with the cruise ship setting, and there are barely even any outside scenes. We're mostly cooped up indoors, and it feels like any other hotel. The climax doesn't make a lot of sense either. One man falls overboard and the emergency alarm is sounded, then everyone assumes the boat is sinking! Ah well, I guess that's just people for ya.

Despite a grumpy start, Carmelita is pretty fun here. She's feisty, has great dialogue (When informed he has 'another wife': "What! He can't do that! That's bigotry!"), and comes up with a great plan to make Dennis jealous. Dennis likewise improves as the movie goes on, but is still not perfect here. He's unable to stop working for even 5 bloody minutes during their honeymoon! Aunt Della isn't any better either. At the slightest sign of an outburst from Carmelita, however reasonable, she immediately goes into a lengthy tirade about how it was a mistake to marry her. Enough already, they've been married for years, give it a rest!

French maiden Fifi is another passenger. I was so surprised and happy to see her back! I figured we'd never see her again. But she's only really here to fill the Elizabeth role of someone Aunt Della wants to marry Dennis off to. Which is rather creepy! Dudes, not cool, that's his daughter!

Advertising rival Skinner is back, and this time I felt a little bad for him. All he wants is a contract, and he gets such a runaround! And lastly, Uncle Matt is his typical paternal and friendly self, while the Eppings are blustery, effete, and always show up at the worst times.

I'll say this for Mexican Spitfire at Sea, there's a minimum of awkwardness at least! It's not entirely absent, but I could actually watch this one without pausing and making faces. Only a single scene really made me cringe.

Continuity is a bit out of whack here. The Lindsays are on a second honeymoon as a do-over, even though their first actually went well! Fifi doesn't know who Lord Epping is, even though he's the one who arranged her adoption and escorted her, and Miss Pepper doesn't remember anyone from the last movie. Hell, even Lord Epping himself doesn't recognise Dennis! Although admittedly that's down to him being totally blotto all the time. Carmelita's maiden name has changed too, from Fuentes to Acosta. Some of these are little and not worth worrying about, but others do distract a little.

The comedy in Mexican Spitfire at Sea is mixed. Some of it is really good, like Skinner's attempts at crafting a logo. Some of it though is absolutely pitiful. There's one scene where Lady Epping is trying to get out of an evening gown, and looks like a trussed up turkey for the whole scene. It's not that hard! Just lift it up and it'll be off! But by far the worst is the inexplicable funny faces and barnyard animal scene. Everyone at the party is told the fake Lady Epping is deaf, so shout at her, along with those other things. If an explanation was given, I missed it, and it was just painful to watch.

The cast here are fine. All the regulars do fine jobs, others are more forgettable. Marion Martin makes a pleasant return to the series, character actor Harry Holman is fun, and Zasu Pitts is a dear, even if her British Lady act needs work.

Mexican Spitfire at Sea is the epitome of a mixed bag. There's just as much to like as there is to groan at. Still worth watching for fans of the series though...

Mexican Spitfire Sees a Ghost

Lord Epping is expecting visitors at an old family estate in the country-Percy and Edith Fitzbadden, one an excitable wreck, the other an old flame. Due to a mix-up of schedules, Lord Epping zips off to Canada for moose hunting, leaving Dennis in a tough spot, until he gets Uncle Matt to impersonate his eccentric client. Further complications ensure, especially when it becomes apparent the house is haunted...

True to its spooky title, Mexican Spitfire Sees a Ghost gets off to a scary start for one big reason. I opens without any pretenses as to who's the lead, starting with Lord Epping, then followed by Uncle Matt. Guess how long it takes till Carmelita shows up...TEN! It takes ten minutes into her own film for her to appear! And one that's barely over an hour too!

This sounds like it's an instant sign of things to come. However, the film does something very surprising despite this setback-It's actually original! Many of the recycled tropes of the series are completely absent here.

The plot is fairly basic, but enjoyable. It's a good vehicle for gags, without ever becoming too frustrating or awkward. And the misunderstandings are all the kind that make you go "Ohhhh, I can see where this is going!" with a grin. Even the Epping disguise, which invariably makes a return, is done to make a bit more sense here, and the movie even plays with the idea of where Matt always finds a wig and moustache.

Another positive is that not once does Carmelita leave Dennis, or even get angry with him! We don't even get Aunt Della being pissy about their marriage. She still doesn't like her, but has at least stopped trying to get them divorced.

Sure enough though, things aren't entirely rosy for Mexican Spitfire Sees a Ghost. You may have noticed that not once in the review have I mentioned any ghosts. That's because there are none! It's a given in a movie like this that the house isn't really haunted, but is instead the work of shifty criminals. All well and good. But barring a couple of minor scenes with Aunt Della, the heroes don't even become aware that the house is haunted until just about the hour mark. That's how long it takes for the villains to start play-acting as ghosts! By that point it just feels too late, especially for the title, which is almost like an afterthought now.

The climax itself is disappointing. It's all so hurried, and ends quickly. There's no coda either. The very second the climax ends, the movie ends. It's disappointing, and nothing is resolved, beyond the bare minimum (and even that is unclear).

Despite taking a long time to get there, Carmelita gets a strong introduction, in a delightfully cartoony manner. She also has some funny dialogue and malapropisms, like "Monolocos. You know, eye's windows". The cat impersonation scene is one of her best moments in the series, and guaranteed to make you laugh!...Or groan.

Uncle Matt is likewise fun, as he gets into his usual scrapes. He counters Aunt Della with a great zinger. "Matthew, you make me sick" "You're no antidote". The real Epping does eventually return from his hunting trip, without anyone's knowledge, leading to the expected mix-ups.

Dennis is a weak link. He's in a lot of scenes, but he's always either in the background, or completely off camera. I consistently forgot he was even there, even though his part in the story is supposed to be decent.

The Fitzbaddens are alright. Percy is ridiculously nervy, and deserving of a smack upside the head. But he has his moments. Edith is more level-headed, and has a somewhat sweet past with Lord Epping. Ada seems to have vanished from existence, but I like Edith better anyway.

Lastly, there are the villains. There's not much to discuss there. They're a gaggle of bootleggers, who are determined to keep their still private. They have a couple of decent moments, but just don't appear enough.

The acting is reliably good. Lupe is fun as as always, and her cat impressions are both scary and cute! I also found it amusing seeing a mainstream 1940s movie where a woman pulls money from her bra!

Charles 'Buddy' Rogers makes his last appearance as Dennis, and it's sadly a pretty forgettable performance. Leon Errol fares better as the true male lead, as Uncle Matt, and Lord Epping. Thankfully it's always clear which is which this time, due to good structure and development. Accent is a point of interest here. Leon's Aussie accent comes through in one line, and when he affects a working class accent to pose as a butler, half the time he sounds almost Australian than cockney!

I was mixed regarding Donald MacBride as Percy at first. He seemed to be playing a very phony sort of anger, and felt too goofy. However his amazing glares won me over, and by about the halfway point I felt he'd struck a good balance. Also here in a small but funny role is Mantan Moreland! I wished he had more screentime, but he makes every scene count, either through dialogue, or expressions.

Mexican Spitfire Sees a Ghost has its problems, some quite large, but it still manages to be one of the better entries in the series. We may not actually see the Mexican Spitfire battling the undead, but this is a decent substitute...

Mexican Spitfire's Elephant

A pair of criminals have stolen a valuable jewel, and hidden it inside an elephant statue. To smuggle it safely through customs, female bandit Diana gives it to fellow passenger Lord Epping, who just assumes she's an old ladyfriend. Meanwhile, Carmelita is feeling lonely and cooped up in the apartment, so sneaks out and finds herself a job at a nightclub. There she witnesses the criminals grilling the Lord for the elephant, and so she enlists Uncle Matt to don the disguise once more and fight off these crooks...

Mexican Spitfire's Elephant is a lot of fun. Carmelita's role is bigger, more befitting the title. Lord Epping is still involved, and the plot is set in motion around him, but he takes a more secondary role. This is for the best, and strikes the right balance.

The film has one of the better excuses for why the disguise happens. Part of the reason why I think it works so well here is that it's actually for Lord Epping's behalf. Usually Matt's double act lands the poor bugger in the soup. It still happens to an extent, but because it's not intentional, it feels less uncomfortable.

The title initially seems like a cheat, since not only is there no real elephant, it's also not Carmelita's, it's with Lord Epping! But thankfully the movie does eventually deliver on the promise of a real elephant, even if only one scene. He's a very cute boy, and I hope he got a nice bath after all that paint and polka dots.

I was a little afraid that the climax would feel rushed, considering there was only 4 minutes to wrap it all up, but not only isn't it abrupt, it's great! We have enough room for a fun battle, and a hilarious (if slightly baffling) epilogue.

Mexican Spitfire's Elephant appears to be a cheap production, spread out between only two sets. Some might see this as a downgrade compared to previous entries, but I think it works here. The film is good enough to withstand this, and what's a more minimal structure as long as the film itself is good.

Because America was finally getting involved in the war, this film makes an effort to include it in the story, and it does pretty well, in a natural way without overtaking the plot. Though it would've been nice to see a little more with the concept (it's basically an excuse to have extended dance sequences), at least it wasn't cheesy propaganda. It was amusing to see the entreat to buy war bonds in the end credits.

Carmelita is a nice determined heroine We get a return to her Mexican roots here. The last few movies haven't mentioned it much. Which isn't a problem per se, as it's enough for the lead character to be Mexican without clumsily referencing the fact every 5 minutes. But when you go several films without many direct ties, you begin to miss it. This more than makes up for any absence, and showcases lots of Latin dance.

Aunt Della behaves as you'd expect. Not a full-on bitch, but she does insist Carmelita be kept away during the Eppings' visit, because of her uncouth behaviour. Ignoring the fact that the Eppings are frequent visitors who are well aware of Carmelita, you'd think she'd be more concerned about all the harassment she receives whenever she meets the 'Lord'!

Uncle Matt is his usual self. Friendly to Carmelita, fearful of his wife, and inadvertently getting roped into another scheme. Della has discovered Matt in disguise a couple of times now, but this is the only time where it really comes into play in a major fashion, and it's great! Matt also reveals himself in a rare instance of honesty. It doesn't make a lot of sense, but it is a funny note to end the movie on.

Lord Epping has a good role here, and I was amused by how the criminals keep sending him out on an 'errand', and he just keeps going to the bar instead, without realising. The criminals are a fun pair, who each have amusing personalities, and make for fun comic adversaries. Never too serious, never too goofy either.

Dennis is the most underused he's ever been. His lowest moment however comes with the information that he refuses to let Carmelita have a job while married! What a cunt! He's basically clipped the poor girl's wings, and nailed her to the perch. It's worse when you remember the whole reason Dennis took her to America to begin with was for a job. So it's ok for her to work when it benefits your interests, but not hers? Thankfully Carmelita immediately ignores him and does it anyway.

Things aren't all bad though. Dennis almost becomes the man of the hour in a really exciting way, but fails. Still, I appreciate the effort on his part, and so does Carmelita!

Lupe Velez may have grown but too exaggerated as the series progressed, but her behaviour has been toned down a little. It's still fiery, but within reason. Her mannerisms are hilarious, and her Spanish outbursts are typically great. She gets to sing and dance too, proving she has plenty of talent.

Leon Errol is likewise good, even if it's hard to tell either Epping apart at times. There's another Dennis recasting, and it's hard not to notice since he now has a moustache! Walter Reed is the latest bearer of an increasingly thankless role.

Lyle Talbot is fun as the increasingly flustered crook. Marion Martin returns, but not as French orphan Fifi this time, despite being made up exactly the same. It's interesting seeing her act with her own accent. Tom Kennedy returns for the 3rd time, in another fun role. Luis Alberni gets plenty to chew on as the nightclub manager Luigi. Lastly, it's a delight seeing Keye Luke, in a short but memorable role as an American-Chinese stage magician.

Mexican Spitfire's Elephant proves to be one of the better films in the series! A shock, I know. You tend to assume the worst when the 7th entry of a series comes around (unless it's something like Godzilla or James Bond), but this manages to be a breath of slightly fresh air, and one of the funnier entries...

Mexican Spitfire's Blessed Event

Dennis is at Lord Epping's Canadian hunting lodge, competing with rival ad man Sharpe for the Lord's signature on his contract. When Dennis receives a telegram from Carmelita announcing 'Your cat has had kittens', he immediately assumes she's had a baby. He and an eager Lord Epping venture immediately to Arizona. Only one problem though. Carmelita wasn't pregnant-The Lindsay's cat was. Now the charade must be kept up, or else Dennis will lose the contract... 

Mexican Spitfire's Blessed Event is the final entry in the series, and it's a pretty disappointing one. It falls back onto all the old routines, and adds very little new to the table. One wonders if this was intended to be the last film, but if it had kept going, I dread to think how much further they'd go without keeping things fresh.

It seems galling that in a film supposedly about Dennis thinking his wife is pregnant, the writers still find a way to make it all about Lord Epping again, but honestly I'm impressed they actually manage to do it well! I'm not saying I like that he hijacks the plot again, but with how Dennis's misunderstanding benefits his career, it connects in a logical way.

The biggest problem facing Blessed Event is that the story is based around an uncomfortable kind of misunderstanding. It requires everyone involved to be idiots, and to constantly talk over and quieten Carmelita, otherwise she'd ask a pointed question, or give a pointed answer. In which case she would drop a few "Mierda's", and the movie would be over in 10 minutes. I mean, it seriously never occurs to anyone how Carmelita could have given birth when they only saw her days prior, and she wasn't pregnant?!

One slightly offputting element here is how snippily everyone's acting. Even the usually milquetoast Dennis is grumpy, privately calling Lord Epping an old fuddy duddy. The worst comes later on, when Dennis uncovers the truth...and has the nerve to get angry at Carmelita! Hey fuckface, you're the one who started the confusion! Carmelita's letter made things quite clear, but suddenly it's her fault for not making things clear enough, rather than yours for misreading it in the first place? And naturally Aunt Della assumes the worst too, saying Carmelita has ruined his career (from a single failed contract??) and should just get out of his life.

Why does Dennis need a baby to get the contract signed anyway? Honestly if Dennis was half the ad man he says he is, he should own up to his mistakes, and be able to fix them. Turn them into opportunities, instead of blaming your wife whenever things go pear-shaped.

Once everyone realises there is no baby, the second half becomes an easier watch. Uncle Matt's Epping disguise comes into play, as we always knew it would. Where the film takes a bit of a dip again is when Carmelita kidnaps a baby to keep up the charade. That's a federal offense, Mrs. Lindsay! It's pretty hard to watch when the real mother catches wind of it.

This gets the real Lord Epping in trouble, as always, but I really liked how the climax plays out. Because Sharpe, the accuser, made it clear to the police that the Epping who stole the baby is an imposter, that automatically clears him when the ad man confronts who he thinks is Matt.

As a lead, Carmelita is at her best here. Adorable, a great dancer, and very resourceful in a fix. She never yells at Dennis this time, or threatens to divorce him. Her husband on the other hand, fares quite badly. At no point in this film does Dennis try and listen to his wife. Every time she tries to explain things she quietens her and insists on

This film does raise an interesting question. If Dennis has presumably been enjoying his time as a husband by nailing Carmelita on a consistent basis, why isn't she pregnant already? I suppose it's not outside the realms of possibility, but these 8 films have taken place over the course of about 4 years. Ultimately this is addressed out-of-nowhere at the very end, and I'm curious if it would've stuck for the next entry had it come to pass.

Dennis's previous advertising rival Skinner always felt hard-done-by to me. He always came across as just a guy doing his job. Sharpe on the other hand is directly antagonistic. To the point where it actually gets a bit frustrating to watch, but that at least means he's successful as someone you hate. In the second half he improves, and is more fun to watch once the misunderstanding is over. He's still an asshole, just not annoying to watch.

When it's good, the comedy here is a hoot. Lord Epping's response to seeing 'himself' in his hotel room is funny. The best scene is when Carmelita and Matt try and adopt from an orphanage. "We want a baby boy, who is only one week old, and he must be half Irish, half Mexican, and half the United States."

The lady there is also unconscionably stupid, but at least in a funny way! I'm not asking for a comedy to be watertight with realism, but as long as it all makes you laugh!

The Sagebrush Inn is a surprisingly good setting, and I liked the attention to detail with its aesthetic, and adorable female staff! It doesn't get the focus it really deserves, but at least it's never meant to =. What's important is that for all its other faults, Blessed Event crafted a good setting for the action.

The cast here are good, even if the material is a bit rough. Velez and Errol give good final performances. Walter Reed returns sans moustache, which helps him look more like Dennis but is actually kind of a shame, because it would be the only thing allowing me to tell him and Sharpe apart! Perhaps to compensate for this, he dresses as a navy man, for some reason. Dennis, you're in advertising, you were never in the navy! Overall he's ok, but completely disappears for the whole midsection, until the last few minutes.

Black actress Marietta Canty is a delight, and has a sizable role with plenty of dialogue, even if she disappears in the second half. Something really confusing is seeing the Lindsay family butler return, but in the service of Lord Epping! The film seems to act like he's always been there. Comic pairing Wally Brown and Alan Carney have small roles, but not together. And finally I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the adorable ocelot who causes the film's central dilemma.

There's a good film trying to come through in Mexican Spitfire's Blessed Event, but it's hampered by a poor script that is just hard to watch at times. It's a shame the final entry in the series is its lowest point, especially when the previous film was actually quite good! This is only for fans, and even that's no guarantee of enjoyment...