The Arizona Kid (1971)

User Rating:

8.7/10   

Director:

Luciano Carlos

Writers:

Lino Brocka (writer)
Luciano Carlos (writer)

Genre:

Comedy | Western

Plot:

A Filipino immigrant travels the American west searching for his relatives. Although he doesn't speak much English...

Plot Keywords:

Immigrant | Filipino Immigrant | Cowboy | Beautiful Woman | American Southwest

Cast

Chiquito	...	Ambo, the Arizona Kid
Gordon Mitchell	...	Coyote
Mamie Van Doren	...	Girlfriend
Mariela Branger
Bernard Bonnin
Pilar Velázquez
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ángel Aranda
Tony Brandt
Modesto Dajaradop
Víctor Israel
John Mark
Cass Martin
Zalba Moreno
Vigente Poja
M. Restilla
Gene Reyes
Ramón Serrano
Felipe Silano
Dan van Husen

Also Known As:

I fratelli di Arizona (Italy)

Country:

Italy | Philippines

Language:

Filipino | English | Tagalog

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Arizona, USA

Company:

Premiere Productions

Trivia:

First Filipino western film to be actually shot in the West -- Arizona, U.S.A.

an unexpected pleasure

Contrary to what is said here, the film is available under the title, "The Arizona Kid," on NTSC-VHS. But it won't be easy to find since the videotape is marketed by Filipino stores and comes from a Filipino source.

Having said that, I must say that this film was an unexpected pleasure. Chiquito, a notable comedian in the Philippines, plays an immigrant who begins a search for his relatives (yes, shades of "Kung Fu"). And in the process, he goes through a number of comedic sequences involving language problems between himself (speaking Tagalog, the Philippine national language) and Chinese immigrants ... not to mention everyday garden variety cowboys. Through a number of misunderstandings, flattery, and outright deception by people in a small town, he finds himself their sheriff - not knowing that, before his arrival, the town was besieged by a band of cutthroat outlaws who vow to return. This is a problem for Chiquito since, by nature, his character is a coward.

But, on the search to find a family, he ends up finding something more ... love and courage. The acting by Mamie van Doren and others is a bit cheesy ... but it only adds to the comedic flavor.

P.S. Bagoong is a salted-fish dish that many Filipinos love, similar in consistency to sardines. However, bagoong has (to non-Filipinos) an intense, overpowering, and terrible smell (think soiled baby diapers). The funniest scene in this film is the stagecoach scene where Chiquito is trying to enjoy his bagoong without spilling it or getting it on any of the other passengers. If you can find this film, this one scene will make it worth the rental.