In Old Arizona (1929)

50% of critics liked it
(8 reviews)
47% of users liked it
(304 ratings)

Warner Baxter, sporting a black mustache and a musical-comedy Mexican accent, stars as the Cisco Kid, the "Robin Hood of the Old West" created by O. Henry. Edmund Lowe co-stars as Cisco's "friendly enemy" Sgt. Mickey Dunne, the role that was originally to have gone to Raoul Walsh. Both men are madly… More Warner Baxter, sporting a black mustache and a musical-comedy Mexican accent, stars as the Cisco Kid, the "Robin Hood of the Old West" created by O. Henry. Edmund Lowe co-stars as Cisco's "friendly enemy" Sgt. Mickey Dunne, the role that was originally to have gone to Raoul Walsh. Both men are madly in love with dusky beauty Tonia Maria (Dorothy Burgess), and in fact Cisco is so "far gone" that he composes a song in the girl's honor (actually, "My Tonia", first heard during the opening credits, was written by Fox studio tunesmiths Lew Brown, B.G. DeSylva and Ray Henderson). Alas, Tonia ends up betraying Cisco to Sgt. Burke. But the crafty, cold-blooded Cisco arranges for Tonia to be killed in the trap set for him (this plot resolution is faithful to O. Henry's original conception of the Cisco Kid, who wasn't really meant to be a "good guy"). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 35 min.
Directed By: Irving Cummings, Raoul Walsh
Genres: Western, Action & Adventure, Romance, Classics

In Theaters: Dec 25, 1928 Wide
On DVD: May 24, 2005

Critic Reviews

Mordaunt Hall, New York Times
[A] distinctly enjoyable offering.
Variety Staff, Variety
It's the first outdoor talker and a western, with a climax twist to make the story stand out from the usual hill and dale thesis.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Famous for being the first major sound western, this picture made progressive use of exterior sound and photography.
Michael E. Grost, Classic Film and Television
Uneven film with brilliant comedy relief by Edmund Lowe, and lots to interest fans of Raoul Walsh.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Warner Baxter, better known as the dying producer in 42nd Street, won Best Actor Oscar as the Cisco Kid in this primitivee Western, most of which takes place indoorse.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Lifeless.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
Walsh presents the action in his usual clear, well-paced and exciting manner.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies
If it appears that I'm being too hard on this film, one doesn't have to look very far to see far superior films, both sound and silent, released around the same time.

Read all 8 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Byron B

Charming performance by Baxter as the suave bandit The Cisco Kid. Lowe and Burgess overact in the way common to stage or silent movie actors making the transition to talkies (though this is Burgess's screen debut). The use of songs is natural as the characters whistle to… More
Charming performance by Baxter as the suave bandit The Cisco Kid. Lowe and Burgess overact in the way common to stage or silent movie actors making the transition to talkies (though this is Burgess's screen debut). The use of songs is natural as the characters whistle to themselves or sing to pass the time with a few friends. The western scenery and interior decorations make for great period detail. Some amusing moments and surprising seductiveness from Burgess make this an entertaining little picture.