MovieChat Forums > The Big Steal (1949) Discussion > Mexican characters - positive image

Mexican characters - positive image

posted 17 years ago by lubin-freddy
7 replies | jump to latest

I'm repeating here a thread I began on Classic Film Board:

I watched "The Big Steal" for the first time, a fast-paced, well directed noirish Don Siegel film from 1949.

There's not much to say about the film, a fast paced, well directed by Don Siegel, good acting, etc. But I do want to mention the one thing that rather surprised me: the positive presentation of the Mexican characters, especially the police chief, played by Ramon Novarro.

No cheap jokes, or fully sounding English. In fact, a point was made in how well he spoke English, and even though he did make a few mistakes, he quickly corrected himself. Even the day-laborers on the road were presented seriously.

Any study of Mexican, and Mexican-American stereotypes in films (usually a rather sad story) should take into account this rather positive presentation.

[–] Mr_McLaurel 16 years ago

Good point. This movie is downright progressive compared to something like (one of my favorites) The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

What's the Spanish for drunken bum?

[–] Enrique-8 14 years ago

ABSOLUTELY concur with your observations! Even the road workers were presented in a positive light! It was just so refreshing to see this. I am really glad to see this and I can't wait to buy a subtitled version for my father who also speaks broken English and has a hard time hearing and understanding it at 84.

He will be so pleased to see this.

I wish all movies available on Amazon were subtitled in Spanish, aren't there versions from Spanish speaking countries that we could buy as imports perhaps>?

Enrique Sanchez

[–] Captain_Augustus_McCrae 14 years ago

YES, YES, YES!!! It's almost as if the script was written by someone who actually knew and liked Latin people. The police chief was a great character, and I really liked the foreman of the road construction crew, too. Ugly stereotypes were almost completely absent. That alone made this film stand out. I'll watch it again, no question. Thanks for the observation, OP.

"She was a long, tall, authentic blonde. I loved her as much as I loved my .45..."

[–] RobbieCalifornia 14 years ago

I agree completely. They did a great job - what an entertaining film!

[–] swojtak 11 years ago

Ramon Novarro could not have imagined what would happen to him in the future!

[–] mecormany 8 years ago

Who can?

[–] p25735-261-505738 8 years ago

They also didn't portray the Mexican officials as being corrupt. Ramon Novarro was great in this movie.