Fiesta
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Leroy Prinz
Anne Ayars
George Negrete
Armida
George Givot
Antonio Moreno
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In Mexico, Don Juan Hernández's Rancho de las Flores is bustling with activity as a fiesta is underway to celebrate the return and impending marriage of Hernández's niece Cholita. When Cholita, who has been living in Mexico City, arrives, she disappoints her uncle with news that she is not going to marry her sweetheart José, but the snobbish Mexico City radio star Fernando Gómez, who has accompanied her home. While waiting for Hernández to bless her marriage, Cholita officially opens the festival by singing a song. José becomes upset when he learns about Cholita's engagement to Fernando, but Cholita claims that she thought José no longer intended to marry her because he never visited her in Mexico City. Although Fernando, who has lived in the city for his entire life, had never seen a goat or an Indian before his visit to the rancho, he manages to captivate the townspeople with stories of his heroic deeds. After calling the rancho a "terrible place," Fernando makes it known that he is anxious to take Cholita away from it. While the locals begin to wonder if the radio star is really a Mexican, José decides to teach both Fernando and Cholita a lesson, and enlists the help of Hernández and ranch hand Pancho in his scheme to pose as bandits and frighten the arrogant Fernando. After Hernández tells Fernando that a group of dangerous bandits are approaching, and that he must take up arms to help defend the rancho, José and Pancho enter the rancho disguised as bandits. Under threat of death, Fernando is forced to accept a challenge by the "bandits" to shoot a cigarette out of Pancho's mouth, but he accidentally shoots a bird instead. When Pancho takes his turn and tries to shoot the cigarette out of Fernando's mouth, the nervous Fernando swallows the cigarette. The disguised José then takes Cholita away, and, after singing a love song to her, reveals his idenitity. Cholita becomes furious at José and vows to leave for Mexico City with Fernando the following day. Fernando, meanwhile, has taken interest in the pretty Cuca, who has entranced him by telling him that she is wealthy. Realizing that Fernando is a fortune hunter, Cholita and Cuca plot together to play a trick on both Fernando and José. With the scene set for Fernando and Cholita's departure, Cholita returns Fernando's ring. Cholita goes back to José after he apologizes to her, and Fernando leaves with Cuca, of whom he has grown fond.
Director
Leroy Prinz
Cast
Anne Ayars
George Negrete
Armida
George Givot
Antonio Moreno
Nick Moro
Frank Yaconelli
George Humbert
Paco Moreno
Betty Bryson
Carlos Valadez
José Arias
Guadalajara Trio
Crew
Jesus Castillón
Oscar Felix
Cortland Fitzsimmons
Chet Forrest
Alfred Gilks
Charles D. Hall
Kenneth Higgins
Henri Jaffa
Bert Jordan
Natalie Kalmus
Lamberto Leyva
Nilo Menéndez
Eddie Montagne
Robert Pittack
Leroy Prinz
William Randall
Hal Roach
Narcisco Serradell
W. L. Stevens
Travilla
Edward Ward
Edward Ward
Bob Wright
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Fiesta marked the film debut of Los Angeles Civic Opera Company star Anne Ayars. The picture was also the only North American film of Mexican star Jorge Negrete. According to publicity materials, the picture features several authentic folk dances, including the dance of the Tehuanas, an Andalusian Gypsy Dance and the Oaxaca Plume Dance. The publicity packet also notes that the hacienda set was constructed on a Hal Roach sound stage, but some filming took place in Mexico. Actual Mexican locations were not observed in the viewed print. Fiesta was one of Roach's "streamlined features," a series of short comedies intended to fill the second half of a double bill. The first streamlined feature was the 1941 film Tanks a Million (see below).
