Bloggers Celebrate Hollywood’s Hispanic Heritage

Murder, breathtaking vistas, heartbreaking stories, humor, and celebrations of life. These are a few of the themes covered in these year’s Hollywood’s Hispanic Heritage Blogathon to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month, roots of which go back to 1968. It’s an honor to host these passionate discussions of the kinds of stories and cultures that have enriched motion pictures since their inception.

If you’re curious about the list of entries, visit the announcement post here. Otherwise, I’ll get right to it.

• The first submission received for this event is a great one from Kellee at Outspoken & Freckled. Here Kellee takes a look at a 70-year-old still relevant movie that casts “blame and credit…on both sides of the border.” Here is her look at Anthony Mann’s Border Incident (1949).

 

• Friend Ana Eire contributes a terrific write-up on a low-budget B-movie that packs a punch, Kurt Neumann’s The Ring (1952). She certainly make me want to see this one!

 

• This year’s enthusiasm award goes to Terry at A Shroud of Thoughts who submits four awesome entries to this event: a 30th Anniversary tribute to Stand and Deliver (1988), a celebration of West Side Story (1961), a write-up on Border Incident (1949), and a tribute to Robert Cabal.

 

• Real Weegie Midget Reviews discusses the story of rock ‘n’ roll star Richie Valens as told in Luis Valdez’s La Bamba (1987).

 

• Movie Rob brings us Tyrone Power as Don Diego Vega in Rouben Manoulian’s The Mark of Zorro (1940), the story of “an aristocratic Spaniard who dons a mask in order to fight for justice in Los Angeles.”

 

• Paddy, better known to many  as Caftan Woman for her fabulous classic film writing, brings us a fantastic, long overdue sampler from the career Pedro de Cordoba. 

 

• Poppity Talks Classic Film focuses on Cesar Romero in Captain From Castile (1947), a role for which he was hand-picked by Darryl Zanuck.

 

• From Dubsism, an interesting discussion of Sports Analogies Hidden in classic movies with a focus on Sweet Charity (1969) and its Ricardo Montalban connection. Also, the legendary Chita Rivera is featured. In addition, Dubsism discusses Erik Estrada in Jack Smight’s Midway (1976).

 

• Gorgeous scenery, compelling stories, and a deep and interesting past are featured in Sean Munger‘s Landscape of the epic past: a history of Spain in the movies

 

• There are Troubles in Tijuana as The Midnite Drive-In focuses on the hit comedy, Born in East L.A. (1987)…

 

• Pale Writer spotlights Ricardo Montalban in a rare film noir of the 1940s that focuses on forensic science. Here is Bone Collector: Ricardo Montalban in Mystery Street (1950), a personal favorite.

 

• I’m particularly thrilled with this choice by Debbie at Moon in Gemini of a movie I’ve never seen, the 1984 Argentinian film Camila, “a captivating mixture of romance, lush costume drama, and political commentary.”

 

• From Critica Retro a unique and fascinating entry, Garras de Oro or Claws of Gold (1926) and the claws of U.S. imperialism.

 

• Pure Entertainment Preservation Society discusses the Technicolor glory of Frank Borzage’s The Spanish Main (1945).

 

• The Movie Night’s Group Guide to Classic Film tells the story of when Miguel Visits his Family in the wonderful animated film, Coco (2017).

 

• Hometowns to Hollywood shares her visit to Lupe Velez’s home town in a must contribution to this event.

 

• My own contribution is a partial recounting of the history of Cuba in the Movies.

 

I hope you enjoy these entries as much as I do. There are more to come as the day progresses.

Thank you for visiting this blog and supporting this event!