Mexican Hayride (1948)

Director:

Charles Barton

Writers:

Herbert Fields (play) and
Dorothy Fields (play) ...
(more)

Release Date:

December 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

Two con men selling phony stock flee to Mexico ahead of the law, where they run into a woman friend from their earlier days, who is now a bullfighter. |

Plot Keywords:

Stock | Mexico | Tamale | Mariachi Band | Fugitive

Cast

Bud Abbott	...	Harry Lambert
Lou Costello	...	Joe Bascom / Humphrey Fish
Virginia Grey	...	Montana the Bullfighter / Mary
Luba Malina	...	Dagmar
John Hubbard	...	David Winthrop, American Embassy
Pedro de Cordoba	...	Señor Martinez
Fritz Feld	...	Professor Ganzmeyer
Tom Powers	...	Plainclothesman Ed Mason
Pat Costello	...	Plainclothesman Tim Williams
Frank Fenton	...	Gus Adamson
Chris-Pin Martin	...	Mariachi Leader (as Chris Pin Martin)
Sid Fields	...	AP reporter (as Sidney Fields)
Flores Brothers Trio	...	Musicians Playing 'Is It Yes, or Is It No?'
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Patricia Alphin	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Salvador Baguez	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Bobby Barber	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Mary Brewer	...	Girl (uncredited)
Harry Brown	...	Businessman (uncredited)
Argentina Brunetti	...	Indian Woman (uncredited)
Marjorie L. Carver	...	Girl (uncredited)
Lucille Casey	...	Girl (uncredited)
Mary Castle	...	Girl (uncredited)
Toni Castle	...	Girl (uncredited)
Ben Chavez	...	Magician (uncredited)
Lorraine Crawford	...	Girl (uncredited)
Amapola Del Vando	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Joe Dominguez	...	Taxco Artist (uncredited)
William Elias	...	Mexican Boy (uncredited)
Robert Ellis	...	Mexican Boy (uncredited)
Lalo Encinas	...	Mexican Man (uncredited)
Rudy Germaine	...	Man (uncredited)
Yolanda González	...	Girl (uncredited)
Fred Hoose	...	Businessman (uncredited)
Reed Howes	...	Man (uncredited)
Eddie Kane	...	Mr. Clarke, Mine Buyer (uncredited)
Joe Kirk	...	Second Businessman (uncredited)
Caroline Lopez	...	Mexican Girl (uncredited)
Rose Mary Lopez	...	Mexican Child (uncredited)
Bob Lugo	...	Man (uncredited)
Donna Martell	...	Girl (uncredited)
George Mendoza	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Charles Miller	...	Mr. Lewis (uncredited)
Hans Moebus	...	Man (uncredited)
Alex Montoya	...	Man (uncredited)
Julia Montoya	...	Woman (uncredited)
Sol Murgi	...	Man (uncredited)
Alfonso Pedroza	...	Mexican Man (uncredited)
Karen Randle	...	Girl (uncredited)
Pedro Regas	...	Proprietor (uncredited)
Martin Richards	...	Boy (uncredited)
Suzanne Ridgeway	...	Artist's Model (uncredited)
Charles Rivero	...	Ticket Taker at Bullfight (uncredited)
Julian Rivero	...	Policeman at Ticket Seller's Booth (uncredited)
Tony Roux	...	Blanket Weaver (uncredited)
Cosmo Sardo	...	Headwaiter (uncredited)
Earl Spainard	...	Bellboy (uncredited)
John Sylvester	...	Man (uncredited)
Felipe Turich	...	Taxco Silver Dealer (uncredited)
Kippee Valez	...	Girl (uncredited)
Roque Ybarra	...	Taxco Blanket Weaver (uncredited)

Directed by
Charles Barton		(as Charles T. Barton)

Writing credits
Herbert Fields		(play) and
Dorothy Fields		(play)
Oscar Brodney		(screenplay) and
John Grant		(screenplay)
Monte Brice		uncredited
Sid Fields		uncredited

Produced by
Robert Arthur	....	producer

Original Music by
Walter Scharf		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Charles Van Enger

Film Editing by
Frank Gross

Art Direction by
John DeCuir		(as John F. DeCuir)
Bernard Herzbrun

Set Decoration by
John P. Austin		(as John Austin)
Russell A. Gausman

Costume Design by
Yvonne Wood

Makeup Department
Carmen Dirigo	....	hair stylist
Bud Westmore	....	makeup artist
Layne Britton	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Russell Drake	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Merle Reeves	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Henry Spitz	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles M. Bennett	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Ralph Ceder	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Joseph E. Kenney	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Leslie I. Carey	....	sound
Robert Pritchard	....	sound

Special Effects by
David S. Horsley	....	special photography (as David Horsley)

Camera and Electrical Department
Fred Buckley	....	grip (uncredited)
James V. King	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Bill Wallace	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Lloyd Ward	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eugene Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department
Walter Scharf	....	conductor
Walter Scharf	....	music arranger
Daniele Amfitheatrof	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Johnny Green	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Milton Rosen	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Hans J. Salter	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Walter Schumann	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Frank Skinner	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Leith Stevens	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Eugene Loring	....	dance director
Michael Todd	....	stage producer
Betty A. Griffin	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal International Pictures (UI)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1948) (USA) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (as Universal Pictures Company Inc.)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

77 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #13428) | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

The play opened in New York City, New York, USA on 28 January 1944 and ran for 481 performances, closing 17 May 1945. The stars were June Havoc and Bobby Clark, and included Luba Malina, who is also in this movie. Because Bud Abbott and Lou Costello fans expressed annoyance about so many musical numbers in their films, none of Cole Porter's music was used in this picture.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: After the bull sends the barrel (with Lou inside) flying into the center of the bullring and it crashes, you can momentarily see the wires attached to the barrel.

Quotes:

Joe Bascom:Couldn't Jones make it?
Harry Lambert:Oh, sure, but he'd still be a smith.
Joe Bascom:How can a Jones be a Smith?

Movie Connections:

Featured in The World of Abbott and Costello (1965)

Soundtrack:

Kiss Me Kate

Mexican Hayride (1948) **1/2

**1/2 out of ****

An Abbott and Costello movie that comes off as something of a misfire, especially following right after the great ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN, often considered one of their very best. Based on a play, this story is sort of awkward in the realm of Bud and Lou misadventures. We have Costello as a fugitive who's just won a contest where he danced a samba for 68 hours, and is now pursued by the police to Mexico. Of course, it's not poor Lou's fault; he was swindled by the character played by Abbott, and Costello needs to catch up with Bud and get his money back, and clear himself.

Naturally we get some gags here and there, but they're not among the comedy duo's finest. One running joke that really gets boring after the first couple of tries is Lou uncontrollably conditioned to dance the samba from force of habit, whenever hearing the music played. Another routine has Lou confronting a wild bull in an arena (what else would you expect in a Mexican comedy?). There are a couple of humorous scenes with assistance from guest stars like Fritz Feld (who attempts to teach Costello how to speak properly), and my personal favorite involving Sidney Fields as a fast-talking interviewer who won't let Lou get a word in edge-wise (Fields would later go on to play A&C's landlord on their TV show).

Lou's brother Pat Costello has a steady role here as one of the cops constantly trailing Lou. He'd made brief appearances in other movies and often as Lou's stunt double, but Pat is pretty much a wooden Indian throughout.