Mexicali Shmoes (1959)

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

For many reasons this is the best Speedy cartoon, some of them are not that great but this was hugely enjoyable. The animation was a considerable improvement over that in a short like Quacker Tracker, not the best there is but there are some nice backgrounds. The music is nice, the dialogue is fun and the sight gags are sharp with a hilarious ending that serves as the cartoon's highlight. Mel Blanc is superb with the characterisations, and while I am not a huge Speedy fan(though I don't mind him either) he is fine here, as are the supporting characters. Overall, even if you're not a Speedy fan, this one is actually worth watching! 9/10 Bethany Cox

I'm most definitely not a fan of Speedy, but this entry proves to be very amusing, thanks mostly to the antics of the two schmoes of the title, namely a catty duo in the comic tradition of Abbott and Costello.This time, however, the "Looney Tunes" boys work in an amusing variation. The thin cat is the dumb stooge here, while the paunchy feline plays his more aggressive but almost equally dumb partner.Nicely paced with some sharp gags, this one deserved its Academy Award nomination. And I loved the off-key song!Other Speedy cartoons that are worth a look include "Tabasco Road" and "Cat-Tails for Two".

Once again, some less-than-intelligent cats go after Speedy Gonzales, only to have him foil every one of their schemes. OK, so not only do pretty much all of Speedy's cartoons have basically the same plot, but they totally stereotype Mexico. Well, as I understand it, many Hispanics like that these cartoons portray our southern neighbor positively. So, Speedy does his usual stuff in "Mexicali Shmoes", always showing himself to be one cool dude; no wonder all the female mice love him. As for his cousin Slowpoke Rodriguez (the slowest mouse in Mexico)...well, clearly he has a reason for existence. Anyway, this one's worth seeing.

This cartoon, nominated for an Oscar, is the best of the Spedy Gonzales cartoon shorts that were made in the Golden Age of Warner Brothers. I saw this cartoon again recently and found it was much better than I originally thought it was years ago. The highlight of the cartoon for me has to be the appearance of "Slowpoke" Rodriguez, one of Speedy's cousins. Hilarious! Cartoon Network may or may not air this one. A bit difficult to find but well worth the effort. Recommended.