Born in East L.A. (1987)

When an L.A. born American citizen is mistaken for a Mexican illegal alien and deported to Mexico, he has to do everything he can to get across the border.

Director:

Cheech Marin

Writer:

Cheech Marin

Stars:

Cheech Marin, Daniel Stern, Paul Rodriguez

4 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Cheech Marin	...	Rudy
Paul Rodriguez	...	Javier
Daniel Stern	...	Jimmy
Kamala Lopez	...	Dolores
Jan-Michael Vincent	...	McCalister (as Jan Michael Vincent)
Lupe Ontiveros	...	Rudy's Mother
Urbanie Lucero	...	Rudy's Sister
Chastity Ayala	...	Rudy's Niece
David Perez	...	Rudy's Nephew
Neith Hunter	...	Marcie
Larry Blackmon	...	Slick Dude
Tito Larriva	...	Oscar
Geoffrey Rivas	...	Immigration Aide (as Geoff Rivas)
Eddie Barth	...	Lester
Miguel Delgado	...	Jose

Storyline

Rudy is an American of Mexican descent who is caught up in an immigration raid on a factory. Deported to Mexico as an undocumented immigrant, he has no way of proving that he is in fact an American citizen, and is forced to rely on his cunning to sneak his way back home.

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Plot Keywords:

never give up | woman wears a short dress | payphone | pay phone | criadilla | 

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Taglines:

A Comedy Bordering On Insanity

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Rudy's car is a 1965 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible that is lowered and has Porsche Fuchs wheels. This style is commonly known as the "California Look".

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Goofs

When Rudy is working as a tattoo artist, four "bullet hole" tattoos suddenly appear on his client's forehead near the end of the scene.

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Quotes

Feo: Fuck me? No. Fuck you!

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Alternate Versions

The television broadcast version adds at least 15 to 20 minutes of footage. In this footage, Rudy does make it across the border only to be captured by kidnappers with his friends. He is held for ransom in the house across the street from his home and is rescued by the border patrol. When he hears that Dolores will have to be sent back across the border, he marries her and makes her a citizen. That's why the priest is behind them in the last shot of the TV versions.

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Connections

Referenced in Jack's Back (1988)

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Soundtracks

Summertime Blues
(uncredited)
Written by Jerry Capehart and Eddie Cochran
Performed by Cheech Marin

User Reviews

I think this movie was great the second time around.

Rudy, a Mexican-American, born in the United States is deported to Mexico by mistake. He tries to get back, but is repeatedly caught and sent back into Mexico. Cheech Marin showed some excellent acting in this movie. He's a kind-hearted person who helps out some folks in bad situations, like the mother of three who he gives the oranges to, and the wife of a man who can't afford to pay a coyote to bring her into the United States. He is ready to leave and gives up his spot on the transport to but this lady on, even after he had worked to get money to return. It was a love story...a painful thing to watch at times and funny at the same time. Just picture yourself being sent to a country that you don't know, even if your parents came from there. He was lost I'm his parent's birth place. I had seen it before, but the second time around made the picture better. Very human movie.

Details

Country:

USA Mexico

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

21 August 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Born in East L.A.

Filming Locations:

Tijuana, Baja California Norte, Mexico

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,359,040, 23 August 1987

Gross USA:

$17,355,263

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$17,355,263

Company Credits

Production Co:

Clear Type

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min 93 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1