It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

A Brilliant Conflict

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Arturo and his sister, Maria, are an odd casting choice, as he has a very strong Mexican accent and she has none! Carmelita might just be the stupidest supporting character, as repeatedly she says the wrong thing and has trouble reading her lines. Such are the characters you'll find in this installment of the Cisco Kid franchise from poverty row studio, Monogram Pictures. Like most of Monogram's films, this one features poor writing, acting and a slow and leisurely pace. Don't look for too many exciting moments in this film--you just won't find any.The film is about a gang of thieves who just happen to be the sheriff and his friends. So, while many crimes are quickly solved, those involving the gang are suspiciously unsolved. So, it's up to the Cisco Kid to come to save the day and expose Arturo and the rest for the scum that they are. In other words, it takes a bandit to catch a bandit.If you liked the older Cisco Kid films with Warner Baxter and Cesar Romero, the Monogram films just can't compare. My advice is just stop watching them when the franchise switched to Monogram--they just didn't seem to care if the films were well made or not.

"South of Monteray" is another of Monogram's Cisco Kid series starring Gilbert Roland as Cisco. The production values were a cut above those many of Momogram's other series. This one moves at a quicker space thanks in most part to the casting of veteran bad guy Harry Woods as the chief villain.The story has Bennet (Woods), the town tax collector taking over local ranches for non-payment of the high taxes and re-selling the ranches to his friends at a profit. He has the support of the local Commandante of Police Auturo (Martin Garralaga).Auturo's sister Carmelita (Iris Flores) is engaged to local activist (Carlos Mandreno). However, Auturo is scheming to have his sister marry Bennet. Aurturo arrests and jails Carlos when he slugs Bennet over a land deal. It also gets Carlos out of the way so that Aurturo can get his sister married of to Bennet.Into town comes Cisco and Baby (Frank Yaconelli) to look into the plight of the ranchers. Cisco learns that several robberies have taken place with "The Silver Bandit" being to blame. Cisco is mistaken for the bandit and is wounded in the chase. He unknowingly goes to Auturo's ranch where Carmelita tends to his wound. Cisco learns of Carlos" plight and offers to help. After a remarkably fast convalescence, Cisco goes to town where he meets an old "acquaitance", Maria Morales who is working at the local cantina.Anyway, Cisco gets himself arrested and thrown into jail with Carlos. They manage to escape and.......................................Roland played Cisco as a girl in every town, tequila drinking, cigarette smoking bold caballero, a far cry from the way Duncan Renaldo played heem. Harry Woods, with his evil sneer and wicked ways, brings this outing up a notch or two. Woods had long been menacing the "B" cowboy heroes and added an extra dimension to this film. Cisco even gets into a rare fight with Woods. Martin Garralaga who had played "Pancho" in an earlier series with Duncan Renaldo, again plays a villain. Yaconelli's "Baby" was "Pancho like" and even strummed a guitar.An enjoyable film.