*Plot and ending analyzed*
Verano ardiente (1971) at first seems like an anti-Vietnam war flick. It features Jorge Rivero, as Mario Maldonado, a Mexican, or dual residency, drifter, riding a bus from Texas into Mexico. The road is blocked by a limo that's stopped and the bus driver comes out to harass the driver about it. Mario (Jorge Rivero) also comes out to look about, and he speaks to the man who's limo is stuck, who gets on the bus to ride to town, and he starts yapping to him. It's found out that Mario (Jorge Rivero) is a Vietnam vet and the man says he's a hero, etc. The man owns a tractor supply business and gives Mario (Jorge Rivero) his business card.
Mario (Jorge Rivero) bums around town and goes to tractor supply business and that's where the man who's limo was stuck, has his business. He offers him a job.
One night, Mario (Jorge Rivero) is at the Tastee-Freez (Tastee-Freez is a fast-food restaurant. I didn't know they were Mexico.) He asks for some matches from the cashier, Maria de la Luz Flores (actress "Julissa") and gives her a large bill. Later, she runs out to give him his change. He starts taking her out and even starts a fight at a bowling alley, which was a really contrived scene. Some guys just sit by Maria de la Luz Flores (actress "Julissa") and he goes nuts, tossing one down the lane into the pines (implausible, hahahaha.) She has sex and gets pregnant and Mario (Jorge Rivero) starts to avoid her, instead, concentrating on the boss's daughter, who he later wants to marry. He's really a jerk and his behavior changes.
Maria de la Luz Flores (actress "Julissa") takes care of her mother in her home, where incidentally she is watching TV (I noticed a Libertad Lamarque (an Argentine actress and singer) film is playing.
The film turns violent when Maria de la Luz Flores (actress "Julissa") is taken to an odd doctor for a forced abortion. Mario (Jorge Rivero) tells her to go through with it. She refuses and runs away. Later, in a forest, Maria de la Luz Flores (actress "Julissa") is karate-chopped by Mario (Jorge Rivero) in a violent, yet odd scene. He then throws her body down a ravine, where a shepherd kid finds her and tells the police. The police suspect Mario (Jorge Rivero), as there is ample evidence such as tire tracks, his "dog tag", etc. They bring up his history, he's killed 128 Viet Cong and received a Silver Star medal.
At the church, Mario (Jorge Rivero) is about to marry the boss's daughter, when the cops surround him. Another hilarious scene ensues, whereby a few cops get shot by Mario (Jorge Rivero). It was funny in many ways. They nail him at the end, and that's it.
Some of the film is contrived and stilted, especially when Mario (Jorge Rivero) says things in Americanism English, like "Hey baby, that's the way it is." Overall, it's not bad to watch though, for it showcases early Mexican 1970's cinema.
Jorge Rivero was a Mexican actor who appeared in a few American movies (The Last Hard Men (1976), Rio Lobo (1970), Soldier Blue (1970)). He was a weightlifter and starred in a few "El Santo" movies and plenty of low budget films like Manaos (1979), Pistoleros de la frontera (1967), Manaos (1979) and Evil Eye (1975). El Santo was a masked Mexican wrestler.
Verano ardiente (1971) at first seems like an anti-Vietnam war flick. It features Jorge Rivero, as Mario Maldonado, a Mexican, or dual residency, drifter, riding a bus from Texas into Mexico. The road is blocked by a limo that's stopped and the bus driver comes out to harass the driver about it. Mario (Jorge Rivero) also comes out to look about, and he speaks to the man who's limo is stuck, who gets on the bus to ride to town, and he starts yapping to him. It's found out that Mario (Jorge Rivero) is a Vietnam vet and the man says he's a hero, etc. The man owns a tractor supply business and gives Mario (Jorge Rivero) his business card.
Mario (Jorge Rivero) bums around town and goes to tractor supply business and that's where the man who's limo was stuck, has his business. He offers him a job.
One night, Mario (Jorge Rivero) is at the Tastee-Freez (Tastee-Freez is a fast-food restaurant. I didn't know they were Mexico.) He asks for some matches from the cashier, Maria de la Luz Flores (actress "Julissa") and gives her a large bill. Later, she runs out to give him his change. He starts taking her out and even starts a fight at a bowling alley, which was a really contrived scene. Some guys just sit by Maria de la Luz Flores (actress "Julissa") and he goes nuts, tossing one down the lane into the pines (implausible, hahahaha.) She has sex and gets pregnant and Mario (Jorge Rivero) starts to avoid her, instead, concentrating on the boss's daughter, who he later wants to marry. He's really a jerk and his behavior changes.
Maria de la Luz Flores (actress "Julissa") takes care of her mother in her home, where incidentally she is watching TV (I noticed a Libertad Lamarque (an Argentine actress and singer) film is playing.
The film turns violent when Maria de la Luz Flores (actress "Julissa") is taken to an odd doctor for a forced abortion. Mario (Jorge Rivero) tells her to go through with it. She refuses and runs away. Later, in a forest, Maria de la Luz Flores (actress "Julissa") is karate-chopped by Mario (Jorge Rivero) in a violent, yet odd scene. He then throws her body down a ravine, where a shepherd kid finds her and tells the police. The police suspect Mario (Jorge Rivero), as there is ample evidence such as tire tracks, his "dog tag", etc. They bring up his history, he's killed 128 Viet Cong and received a Silver Star medal.
At the church, Mario (Jorge Rivero) is about to marry the boss's daughter, when the cops surround him. Another hilarious scene ensues, whereby a few cops get shot by Mario (Jorge Rivero). It was funny in many ways. They nail him at the end, and that's it.
Some of the film is contrived and stilted, especially when Mario (Jorge Rivero) says things in Americanism English, like "Hey baby, that's the way it is." Overall, it's not bad to watch though, for it showcases early Mexican 1970's cinema.
Jorge Rivero was a Mexican actor who appeared in a few American movies (The Last Hard Men (1976), Rio Lobo (1970), Soldier Blue (1970)). He was a weightlifter and starred in a few "El Santo" movies and plenty of low budget films like Manaos (1979), Pistoleros de la frontera (1967), Manaos (1979) and Evil Eye (1975). El Santo was a masked Mexican wrestler.
