The Cisco Kid and the Lady (1939) User Reviews

The Kid has style, but that's about all this film has going for it

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 26 November 2007]

The film begins with Cisco and Gordito (his sidekick) talking about the fact that practically every crime that occurs is blamed on the Kid and they are seen collecting yet another wanted poster for their collection. Incidentally, NONE of the posters look anything like him and obviously other bandits are running around calling themselves the Cisco Kid. What nerve!

Soon, the plot begins to resemble a reworking of the classic THREE GODFATHERS, as the two stumble upon a dying man with a baby. Robert Barrat also arrives and unfortunately, it's all too obvious all too quickly that Barrat is a bad guy. Well, anyway, the dying man asks the three of them to care for the baby and be sure the little tyke gets the gold mine that is rightfully his. Then, he tears the map in three pieces and gives it to the three so they need to work together for the good of the baby. The three agree and the man dies. Only minutes later, through rotten parenting, the child is nearly killed by a stagecoach--and this REALLY looked like a dangerous stunt with a real baby! How they got away with this one, I'll never know.

The rest of the film consists of the Kid chasing women, dancing and making love--all the while also trying to keep Barrat from killing him and Gordito. In the end, since it is a B-Western, everything is wrapped up very neatly and the Kid rides away to further adventures.

Cesar Romero returns for the second time as The Cisco Kid and it is purely because of Romero's easy-going performance that it rises (slightly) above the ordinary. Otherwise, this film is essentially a B-movie Western with no surprises--like a Gene Autry film and the like. Not a whole lot of depth to the plot or characters, but still fun to watch as a simple time-passer.

Cesar Romero takes over the role of the dashing border bandit

[allanrad · 7/10 · 6 April 2001]

Tall,dark, handsome and charming, Cesar Romero's Cisco Kid dazzles the senoritas and baffles the bad guys. With Cisco and Gordito looking out for an orphaned infant, it could have been called "Two Bandits and a Baby." There is action but minimal violence as Cisco outwits rather outfights his adversaries. Veteran Robert Barrat is on entertaining form as the boss bad man and an amusing supporting role goes to George Montgomery, star of some good Westerns in the 1950s.

cisco is a romp

[froberts73 · 7/10 · 28 February 2011]

If you are looking for deep, hit the Atlantic. "The Cisco Kid and the Lady" is a lighthearted western, one of many flicks about the O Henry western hero.

Cesar Romero looks and acts the part and act is the proper word since, in real life, "The Cisco Kid and the Man" would be more appropriate.

Still, his performance, like his hair and teeth, is perfect. He seems to have enjoyed himself, and all can enjoy veteran Chris Pin Martin as the Kid's answer to Gabby Hayes and Smiley Burnette (with whom I had the pleasure of spending a day).

One of the interesting things about the picture is that it is early George Montgomery. He looks like a western high school senior.

The ladies are pretty, the kid is cute, the horses are well groomed. There is not much action, but there is a good story and it is a fun way to spend about 75 minutes.

In this picture, as in a later one, Romero is quite a 'joker'.

Cesar Romero debuts as the Cisco Kid

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 5 August 2014]

Cesar Romero made his debut playing The Cisco Kid in The Cisco Kid And The Lady. It should more properly be The Cisco and the two Ladies because he woos both Saloon entertainer Virginia Field and schoolteacher Marjorie Weaver in this film.

It doesn't start this way, but Cesar Romero and his Sancho Panza Chris- Pin Martin come across a dying miner coming into file a claim with his infant son. Cisco rescues the infant and the dying man splits up the mine map three ways between Cisco, Gordito and Robert Barrat not realizing it was Barrat who shot him.

Romero is fast on his feet in many way. This film features him doing the tango with Field, he started out as a dancer in show business. He does a nice job of balancing two women Field and Weaver until George Montgomery arrives on the scene as Weaver's fiancé from Kansas City. This film was one of Montgomery's earliest featured roles. And Romero has to keep his wits about him when dealing with Barrat who is a shrewd adversary.

This film marked Romero's interpretation of the Cisco Kid as a gallant knight of the plains with an eye for the ladies. This is one cowboy who's not satisfied kissing his horse.

Romero has charm to spare in keeping the audience rooting for him. After 75 years he still does.

Rico Suave

[tejanaZ · 6/10 · 14 April 2008]

an earlier comment describes this film as just a reworking of "3 Godfathers" (John Ford, 1948) ... an interesting idea but not logical since this film was produced and released in 1939! Many may like "3 Godfathers" more ... after all that's a real film with a plot and stars and all the trappings of dramatic storytelling. They obviously have similar plot devices but they don't really compare because "Cisco Kid and the Lady" is just a lighthearted B-movie romp made for Saturday afternoon matinees. Still, it did come first, by almost a decade. This is not very deep drama but "Cisco ..." can be a lot of fun.

Romero makes a very charming, dapper and debonair Cisco. He flashes a gorgeous smile, a sexy singing voice, a sexier accent and lithe dance style. To quote Warren Zevon "... his hair was perfect." An interesting casting note: the wholesome school teacher is dark haired and the fiery saloon girl is a blonde... not the usual stereotypes.

Good - but - Gilbert Roland is still my favorite.

[donahue-1 · 26 January 2010]

Classic B Western.

However - I thought that I'd respond to two earlier conflicting reviews concerning The Three Godfathers. One reviewer was correct in that this theme is very much similar to The Three Godfathers - 1936 - starring Chester Morris.

If you want to see an excellent western - please check out Chester Morris in the 1936 (original). In my opinion it is "harder and gritter" and better than the 1948 John Ford remake with John Wayne.

Also - it boasts - two of the best supporting actors in the business - Lewis Stone and Walter Brennen.

Having said all of this - The Cisco Kid and The Lady is still an excellent "oater" and fun to watch.

Enjoy.

Cute little series

[HotToastyRag · 6/10 · 7 May 2021]

Those of you who loved Warner Baxter as the Cisco Kid should know The Return of the Cisco Kid was his last installment. Starting with The Cisco Kid and the Lady, Cesar Romero took over for the next six movies. In my opinion, there's no reason to be disappointed by the change. Cesar also puts on an accent, he also sings, rides a horse, makes jokes, and saves the day and rides off into the sunset with his faithful sidekick Chris-Pin Martin. Plus, he's better looking, so his dalliances with women are more fun and believable.

In this one, Cesar, Chris-Pin, and Robert Barrat come across a toppled stagecoach. A dying man inside bequeaths them his goldmine, and his baby son. In a very funny and clever trick, the man rips the map and deed in thirds, so all three men have to work together to get the gold. Robert soon turns on them, demanding their third of the paper by gunpoint - but Cesar smokes his paper in a cigarette and Chris-Pin swallows his. "We have very good memories. As long as nothing happens to us..." Cesar smiles.

I'm starting to like the Cisco Kid movies. They're cute and harmless, and they have the predictable flow of a sitcom: beginning reminding the audience of the characters, the middle follows a brief, fixable problem; and the end shows the leads joking together as they leave in search of a new town. There's the same theme song ("La Cucaracha") in each movie, and both leads have their own catch phrases. Chris-Pin always adds, "I think" after his assertions. Cesar repeats, "I never fight with my hands. If I hurt my hands, I can't play the guitar. If I can't play the guitar, I can't sing love songs. And if I don't love, I can't live!" from earlier films. Yes, they're B-westerns, but they're fun if you're in the mood for them. And they're enjoyable during an afternoon when you want a little comfort and stability - and a cute guy to look at.

No Pancho?

[ctomvelu1 · 5/10 · 21 March 2011]

I grew up with Duncan Renaldo as O. Henry's The Cisco Kid and and Leo Carillo as his sidekick Pancho, so watching toothy Caesar Romero in the title role and Chris-Pin Martin as his sidekick "Gordito," came as quite a shock. I have also seen Warner Baxter as the Kid, but for me, Renaldo will always be Cisco. This lighthearted romp, little more than a filler piece, has Cisco rescuing a baby and keeping the bad guys at bay. Very little action. Mostly, we watch Romero grin his way through a series of scenes, including a badly staged dance number that seems to go on forever. I am trying to remember if this Cisco Kid ever took his hat off for anything. This is a historic curiosity rather than a must-see. Future cowboy star and one of Dinah Shore's spouses, George Montgomery, costars.

Defying the cliché's of the genre!

[mikequinlan61 · 8/10 · 30 March 2014]

Let me lay it out for you... a western with a Hispanic star, #1. A Western where the star is a criminal, not just mistaken for a criminal, #2. A Western where our hero makes a play for the saloon girl, 'girlfriend' of the bad guy, and rides off into the sunset with her?, #3. A Western where the 'bad guy' (with wanted posters all over the place) is the good guy by default at the end?

Cesar Romero steps into the boots of the Cisco Kid (taking over the role from Warner Baxter) in this western that finds the Kid safeguarding the claim of a murdered prospector. Later, with the deceased prospector's orphaned daughter the rightful heir to a profitable mine, the Kid places the child in the care of a pretty schoolteacher, who has eyes for another man.

The funny twists and turns of this action oater kept me entertained throughout. Cesar Romero was great and the supporting cast was fine as well, and the film is smartly paced and cleverly plotted. Good fun!

I think Cesar Romero as Cisco such a great Performance

[Sanbrunoboy1 · 10/10 · 8 March 2024]

My other esteemed reviewer made some Curious Historical Errors but just like my poor grammar it does not matter in the big picture ..lol Any how this series was not Cesar Romeros film debut like others had stated .. He had been in numerous films in bit parts and a few leading man films like "Show them no Mercy" for example is a real must see for cesar romero fans by the way .. I think he did a better job then Mr. Warner Baxter as Cisco the kid .. Any how Romero made Six of these Cisco kid B-films for 20th Century I suggest you watch them all .. As there a mix of pretty good and So So ..but one thing is for sure is he always had a gorgeous Female costar like Mary beth Hughes and others thank Cesar Romero for your hard work ..