Big Stakes / directed by Clifford S. Elfelt.

Format:

Video

Contributor:

Elfelt, Clifford S., director.

Alexander Street Press.

Milestone Film & Video, production company.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Man-woman relationships.

Mexican Americans--California.

Mexican Americans.

Cowboys--California.

Cowboys.

West (U.S.).

California.

Genre:

Silent films.

Feature films.

Western films.

Video recordings.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (67 minutes)

Place of Publication:

[Harrington Park, New Jersey] : Milestone Films, [2009]

Language Note:

Silent; intertitles in English.

System Details:

data file

Summary:

BIG STAKES is an entertaining, exciting, hilarious -- and yes, strange -- addition to cinema history and Latino studies. What else can you call a film that involves a lovely seorita, a hell-bent buckaroo, a dangerous Mexican captain, a poisonous Gila monster, the KKK -- and everybody's fate, the big stakes, decided on by two "brincadores?" That would be Mexican jumping beans. Which, as you may know, neither jump nor are actually beans ... Mercedes Aloyez, the daughter of a wealthy Mexican rancher, is betrothed to Captain Montaya. The rootin' tootin' buckaroo Jim Gregory (complete with comic sidekick) is in love with the ladies, but with a special eye towards barkeep Mary Moore. While out riding, Gregory saves Mercedes from a fate worse then death. (Well, actually, it is death.) The cowboy falls for the seǫrita, which earns the Mexican Captain's displeasure. When Mercedes and Gregory meet for a nighttime rendezvous, they are captured by the Mexican soldiers. The Captain threatens them with the infamous and deadly Gila monster, but the resourceful cowboy bets his life against the captain -- with, of course, a race between Mexican jumping beans. A victorious (well, his bean, anyway) Gregory spares the honorable Captain and asks Mercedes to choose whom she loves. This uncomfortable situation is interrupted by the KKK (okay, actually the white-robed and a matching white hood-ensembled "Night Riders") who have captured Mary. Gregory rides out to the rescue and upon return, discovers that Mercedes loves the Captain -- and that he has a renewed fondness for Mary. BIG STAKES is a fun and rip-roarin' ride across the plains of western -- and Western -- cinema. And for 1922, a fascinating and complex look at Mexican and American stereotypes.

Participant:

With: J.B. Warner and Elinor Fair.

Notes:

Title from resource description page (viewed December 08, 2016).

OCLC:

971307859

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.