I recently watched "Viva Villa!" from MGM in 1934 for the first time.
The movie features Wallace Beery as legendary Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa.
As is often the case with his performances, I'm not sure what we're supposed to think of Beery's character.
He portrays the part of Pancho Villa in his usual loveable rogue style, like he's a big kid or something, which is at odds with some of his actions in the movie.
I'm left wondering if the movie has a point of view as to whether Villa was a hero or just a thug.
The movie's kind of a mess on the whole, with too many confusing inter-titles including one at the beginning that basically says everything that follows is made up!
The production was somewhat troubled and Lee Tracy needed to be replaced after an incident in Mexico. Stu Erwin took over the role and is kind of bland. I like Stu Erwin, but the newspaper reporter role needed some of the old Lee Tracy zip.
I'd say the movie is more of a curio than anything and I don't think I'd ever feel the need to watch it again.
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