''Mexican Spitfire'' refers to a series of eight comedy films released by RKO Pictures between 1940 and 1943 starring

Lupe Vélez María Guadalupe Villalobos Vélez (July 18, 1908 – December 13, 1944), known professionally as Lupe Vélez, was a Mexican actress, singer and dancer during the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema. Vélez began her career as a performer in Mexican ...

and

Leon Errol Leon Errol (born Leonce Errol Sims, July 3, 1881 – October 12, 1951) was an Australian-American comedian and actor in the United States, popular in the first half of the 20th century for his appearances in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in film ...

. The movies featured the character of ''Carmelita Lindsay'' (Lupe Vélez), a sympathetic and temperamental Mexican singer who leaves her career and native country to meet Dennis Lindsay (

Donald Woods Donald James Woods (15 December 1933 – 19 August 2001) was a South African journalist and anti-apartheid activist. As editor of the ''Daily Dispatch'', he was known for befriending fellow activist Steve Biko, who was killed by police after ...

in the first three,

Charles "Buddy" Rogers Charles Edward "Buddy" Rogers (August 13, 1904 – April 21, 1999) was an American film actor and musician. During the peak of his popularity in the late 1920s and early 1930s he was publicized as "America's Boyfriend". Life and career Early ...

in the next three, and

Walter Reed Walter Reed (September 13, 1851 – November 22, 1902) was a U.S. Army physician who in 1901 led the team that confirmed the theory of Cuban doctor Carlos Finlay that yellow fever is transmitted by a particular mosquito species rather than ...

in the final two), an elegant and handsome American businessman. The series began with the 1939 film'' The Girl from Mexico'', which first introduced Carmelita and the other characters of the series. The premise is based mainly on the culture shock facing Carmelita in her new married life, especially when she gets to know the family and friends of her husband, including his stuffy Aunt Della (

Elizabeth Risdon Elisabeth Risdon (born Daisy Cartwright Risdon; 26 April 1887 – 20 December 1958) was an English film actress. She appeared in more than 140 films between 1913 and 1952. A beauty in her youth, she usually played in society parts. In later ...

). She finds in her husband's uncle, Matthew 'Matt' Lindsay (Leon Errol), a friend and adventurous accomplice, as they both get into trouble from situations usually caused by their scheming and by the volatile temperament of Carmelita, as well as Matt being forced at some point to impersonate the eccentric Lord Epping (also Errol), almost always when he's elsewhere on the premises. The plot often took a back seat to gags, many of them supposedly ad-libbed by Vélez and Errol during filming.

Films in the series

*'' The Girl from Mexico'' (1939) *''

Mexican Spitfire ''Mexican Spitfire'' refers to a series of eight comedy films released by RKO Pictures between 1940 and 1943 starring Lupe Vélez and Leon Errol. The movies featured the character of ''Carmelita Lindsay'' (Lupe Vélez), a sympathetic and tempera ...

'' (1940) *''

Mexican Spitfire Out West ''Mexican Spitfire Out West'' is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins and written by Charles E. Roberts and Jack Townley. It is the sequel to the 1940 film ''Mexican Spitfire'' and the second of the film series. The film stars ...

'' (1940) *'' The Mexican Spitfire's Baby'' (1941) *'' Mexican Spitfire at Sea'' (1942) *''

Mexican Spitfire Sees a Ghost ''Mexican Spitfire Sees a Ghost'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins and written by Charles E. Roberts and Monte Brice. It is the sequel to the 1942 film '' Mexican Spitfire at Sea''. The film stars Lupe Vélez, Leon Erro ...

'' (1942) *''

Mexican Spitfire's Elephant ''Mexican Spitfire's Elephant'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins and written by Charles E. Roberts. It is the sequel to the 1942 film '' Mexican Spitfire Sees a Ghost''. The film stars Lupe Vélez, Leon Errol, Walter Re ...

'' (1942) *''

Mexican Spitfire's Blessed Event ''Mexican Spitfire's Blessed Event'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins and written by Charles E. Roberts and Dane Lussier. It is the sequel to the 1942 film '' Mexican Spitfire's Elephant''. The film stars Lupe Vélez, L ...

'' (1943) Each film is not simply a comedic film, but a satire of the cultural shock and stereotypes of the Mexican people (and Latin American people in general) in the American society at the time.

Characters

* Names in white rectangles show which actors appeared in each film. A dark grey rectangle indicates that the character did not appear in that film.

In popular culture

''Mexican Spitfire'' has been compared and contrasted to ''I Love Lucy.'' Both feature Latino-Anglo couples, with a sweet troublemaker wife. Lucy reverses the racial makeup, but outbursts of frustrated Spanish from the Latino partner remain a theme.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mexican Spitfire Comedy film series Film series introduced in 1939