Photoplay (Jan - Jun 1941)

The Cisco Kid, he galloped in To steal two hearts and right a wrong. The Cisco Kid, he rode away And left a caballero's song THE CAST Cisco Kid Cesar Romero Rosita Patricia Morison Maria . Lynne Roberts Ricardo Ricardo Cortei Gordito Chris-Pin Martin Carlos Hernandez Joseph McDonald Don Fernando Pedro de Cordoba Mama Lopez Inez Palange Carver Raphael Bennett Manuel Trevor Bardette fiction version by Lee Pennington Story version of Twentieth Century-Fox's "Romance of the Rio Grande." Screen play by Harold Buchman and Samuel G. Engel. Based on the novel "Conquistador" by Katherine Fullerton Gerould. Copyright 1940 by Twentieth Centurv-Fox Film Corporation ^'> Enchantment: He meets the gentle Maria (Lynne Roberts) r~ » "So," the tall one teased, "a minute — two minutes — ago we are the Cisco Kid and Gordito, with marshals and sheriffs on our trail. Now you have caught the pink lizard and — pronto — we are grandes sehores with many pesos, good wine to drink and beautiful sehoritas to love us. Better you let the lizard go, Gordito, before we spend the pesos, drink up the wine and the sehoritas find other hombres to love." He was interrupted by the sound of a shot, then another and another, until the air was filled with thunder. Wordless, because words were not needed between them, the two men sprang into their saddles and dashed down the mountain trail. Where the road curved around the foot of Razorback Mountain they came upon the stagecoach now nearly at the end of its daily run between the small settlements which marked the beginning and the end of the great plains. It was swaying dangerously behind the horses which, riderless, were frantically racing to destruction. With their own steeds at a gallop, the Cisco Kid and Gordito caught the frightened creatures and brought the coach to a stop. Two motionless figures were the only occupants. "This one, this driver, he is dead," the Cisco Kid indicated the first figure. "What about the other one, Gordito? Turn him over." Gordito did as he was told, then, at sight of the face he had revealed, he stepped back in fear. "Madre Dios," he muttered, crossing himself. "What's-a matter you?" the Cisco Kid asked. "You afraid of dead man?" "This man — he is no dead, Cisco," Gordito stammered. "This man — he is — you!" "You crazy, Gordito?" Cisco demanded. "That man is not me. I am me!" He bent down to look at the man, then said in awe, "Dios, Gordito, you are right!" Line for line the face of the unconscious man and the face of the Cisco Kid were identical. Cisco studied the replica of his own features for a moment, then he snapped, "What you wait for, Gordito? Get him on your horse." Gordito hung back. "Leave him here, Cisco," he implored. "This man who look so much like you make Gordito afraid." Cisco shook his head. "I can't leave him to die," he explained. "He look so much like me that if he die, I die too, inside. We take him to Mama Lopez. The rest," he indicated the coach with its dead driver and the now subdued horses, "we leave for the sheriff. Since the bandits have got away, sheriff will say the Cisco Kid is the robber — so why should we help him?" MILES away across the plateau, evening found the Rancho Santa Margarita, the hacienda of Don Fernando Davega, in a fever of activity. Soft-eyed, swift-footed servants sped from room to room, making everything ready to do honor to the guests who were expected. In the kitchens a giant feast was in preparation; many bottles of wine lay cooling in the wine cellars and from the patio came the soft pulsating music of guitars. It was to be a gala night, for it would see the arrival of Don Carlos Hernandez to the home of his ancestors and the traveler was awaited eagerly by Don Fernando, the grandfather he had never seen. Don Fernando observed critically the scene about him. Everything was as it should be and he sighed with contentment. He was an old man, Don Fernando, though he carried his years with distinction and it was good to know that he would soon turn the affairs of the rancho over to his FEBRUARY, 1941 39