The Gay Desperado

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The Gay Desperado

1936

1h 26m

Musical

Comedy

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4 Reviews

69%

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100+ Ratings

Mexican gangster Pablo Braganza (Leo Carillo) plays by his own rules. When a movie theater owner stops an altercation by having famous singer Chivo (Nino Martini) entertain, Pablo kidnaps Chivo and takes over a radio station on his behalf. Later, inspired by the American gangster movies he loves, Pablo abducts two more innocents and set out to find American gangster Butch (Stanley Fields). His hope is that the American bad guy will teach him how to be more like screen mobster George Raft.

Otis Ferguson

The New Republic

While some of the show is fetching, the ideas mostly miss fire and the spell, as a whole and as upon audiences, is fitful and unsure.

May 7, 2024

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Ann Ross

Maclean's Magazine

Hats off to Mary Pickford and Jesse Lasky for producing a picture about an opera star with a new and funny plot.

Oct 2, 2019

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Fernando F. Croce

CinePassion

A skewed comic mural

Feb 7, 2010

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

... the joyride spread more silliness than joy my way.

Rated: C+

Sep 14, 2006

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Audience Member

Rather lame and probably somewhat offensive to members of the Latino community for its stereotypical depictions of Mexican "banditos" and lazy peasants. A bandit (Leo Carillo) who is obsessed with 1930s gangster movies emulates his heroes by kidnapping an opera singer (Nino Martini) and an heiress (Ida Lupino). Supposed to be a comedy-musical but you couldn't prove it by me (Martini does have a really good voice), One clever bit of business though...at one point in the film, several "real" gangsters show up. Each one is a lookalike of a famous movie gangster: James Cagney from "Public Enemy", Paul Muni from "Scarface", Edward G. Robinson from "LIttle Caesar" and George Raft from ....well, pretty much everything. Other than that...can't really recommend it.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

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Audience Member

As far as Gay movies go, not enough mano mano action and certainly not enough pazzaz... i rented this and fully expected a damn good chugg but to no avail..Ida Lupino, I'm not impressed.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

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Audience Member

awesome movie the gay parts were the best.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

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Audience Member

It had everything I expected - a Gay Desperado. A very pleasing film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

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Audience Member

Although I'm so tired of films about gay Mexican bandits in Chicago, this was worth it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/08/23

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Audience Member

my dream is to meet desperado

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/18/23

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Rouben Mamoulian

Director

Nino Martini

Chivo

Ida Lupino

Jane

Leo Carrillo

Pablo Braganza

Harold Huber

Juan Campo

James Blakeley

Bill Shay

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Synopsis

Mexican gangster Pablo Braganza (Leo Carillo) plays by his own rules. When a movie theater owner stops an altercation by having famous singer Chivo (Nino Martini) entertain, Pablo kidnaps Chivo and takes over a radio station on his behalf. Later, inspired by the American gangster movies he loves, Pablo abducts two more innocents and set out to find American gangster Butch (Stanley Fields). His hope is that the American bad guy will teach him how to be more like screen mobster George Raft.

Director: Rouben Mamoulian
Genre: Musical, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (DVD): Mar 20, 2001
Runtime: 1h 26m