''Gangsters Versus Cowboys'' (Spanish:''Gangsters contra charros'') is a 1948 Mexican

gangster film A gangster film or gangster movie is a film belonging to a genre that focuses on gangs and organized crime. It is a subgenre of crime film, that may involve large criminal organizations, or small gangs formed to perform a certain illegal act. The ...

written, directed by, and starring

Juan Orol Juan Rogelio García García, better known as Juan Orol (August 4, 1897 in Lalín, Pontevedra, Spain – May 26, 1988 in Mexico City, Mexico) was a Mexican-Spanish actor, producer, screenwriter and film director. He was known as ''The King of ...

, and featuring

Rosa Carmina Rosa Carmina Riverón Jiménez (born November 19, 1929) is a Cuban-Mexican actress and dancer. She was discovered in Cuba by the Spanish filmmaker Juan Orol, and made her debut in Mexican cinema in Orol's film ''A Woman from the East'' in 1946. S ...

and José Pulído. It was made as a sequel to Orol's ''

Gangster's Kingdom ''Gangster's Kingdom'' (Spanish:''El reino de los gángsters'') is a 1948 Mexican crime film written and directed by Juan Orol who also starred in the film. Like Orol's other films it was an attempt to copy the style of Hollywood films of the era. ...

''. However, it has become a

cult film A cult film or cult movie, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase which forms an elaborate subculture, members of which engage ...

due to its low-budget production values and

idiosyncratic An idiosyncrasy is an unusual feature of a person (though there are also other uses, see below). It can also mean an odd habit. The term is often used to express eccentricity or peculiarity. A synonym may be "quirk". Etymology The term "idiosyncra ...

style.

Plot

Gangster Johnny Carmenta (

), faces Pancho Dominguez ''El Charro del Arrabal'' (Jose Pulido), who has imposed his law in the town. The ''Rumbera'' Rosa (

) seduces both men firing their rivalry.

Cast

as Johnny Carmenta *

as Rosa * José Pulído as Pancho Domínguez ''El Charro del Arrabal'' * Roberto Cañedo as Julio

Legacy

The film has sometimes been compared with the work of American filmmaker

Ed Wood Edward Davis Wood Jr. (October 10, 1924 – December 10, 1978) was an American filmmaker, actor, and pulp novel author. In the 1950s, Wood directed several low-budget science fiction, crime and horror films that later became cult cla ...

, known as "the worst director of all time". However, in contrast to Wood's films, Gangsters Versus Cowboys was successful at the box office. Orol's films were popular, despite their technical deficiencies. According to the opinion of specialist critics of Mexican cinema, the film ranks as number 68 among the hundred best films of the

Mexican cinema Mexican cinema dates to the late nineteenth century during the rule of President Porfirio Díaz. Seeing a demonstration of short films in 1896, Díaz immediately saw the importance of documenting his presidency in order to present an ideal ...

References

Bibliography

* Daniel Balderston, Mike Gonzalez & Ana M. Lopez. ''Encyclopedia of Contemporary Latin American and Caribbean Cultures''. Routledge, 2002.

External links

*
''Gángsters contra charros'' in FilmAffinity.com

1948 crime films 1948 films Mexican black-and-white films Gangster films 1940s Spanish-language films Films directed by Juan Orol Mexican crime films 1940s Mexican films {{1940s-Mexico-film-stub