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Mexicali Shmoes is a 1959 Looney Tunes short directed by Friz Freleng.

Plot[]

Two cats named Jose and Manuel are singing in an arch. Speedy Gonzales appears and greets them asking if they want a big fat juicy mouse for dinner; Manuel responds by landing on top of him, but he escapes. Jose explains to Manuel that he's Speedy Gonzales the fastest mouse in all Mexico. Manuel asked how he get him. Jose climbs down the arch telling that they are going to eat him. They travel down the road singing.

They finally arrive at Speedy's town and find Speedy's house. Jose tells him that he and Manuel are having a celebration and begin dancing. Speedy steps out of his mousehole and joins them they proceed to hit him with a mallet, but he disappears and appears on Manuel's head and Manuel calls Jose to get him. Jose tells him not to move. He tries to hit Speedy with his mallet, but he misses and hits Manuel, knocking him out. Jose chases him, and Speedy returns to his mousehole, and Jose walks away.

Later, they lower a cheese at Speedy's mousehole. Jose tells Manuel about the plan like to Bugs Bunny. Speedy grabs the cheese dragging Jose with him all the way to Los Angeles and Jose tries to hold him back but only pull his tail fur off. Manuel is pacing back and forth wondering where Jose is who been away after being dragged away by the fast rodent, then notices Jose arrives with a bundle stick carrying on his shoulder and is happy to see him back. Jose and Manuel lit a dynamite on Speedy's mousehole and hide on a corner waiting for the explosion. Speedy appears behind them unnoticed with a balloon in his hand and pops it causing the cats to check the mousehole. Jose blocks it from Manuel asking what he is doing and he replies that he want the mouse but he shouts it's mine not yours. Manuel tries to grab the mouse and Jose grabs his tails causing them both to fight each other over to Speedy. Jose pushes Manuel away and looks inside the mousehole seeing the dynamite hasn't exploded and goes to Manuel that he was right and rightfully yours and Manuel thanks him and Jose welcomes him. Manuel goes to Speedy's mousehole and looks inside and Jose covers his ears. The dynamite explodes on Manuel's face causing him to lament "Caramba!"

Jose and Manuel plant minefields on the road. Jose tells Manuel that Speedy will blow by the mines when he steps on them. Speedy appears behind them and gives them a scare causing them to fly through their hats. He lures them on the mines. Jose climbs on Manuel fearing he will get blow too and Manuel carries him to where no mines are and he thanks him, but as Manuel puts him down a mine explodes sending him into the air. Outraged he picks him and drops him one of the mines and falls on the ground dazed. Jose glares at Manuel and walks away angrily, "Stupid!"

Later at the corner, Manuel tells Jose that Speedy has a cousin named Slowpoke Rodriguez the slowest mouse in all Mexico. Jose goes to Slowpoke's mousehole and hides on a column. Manuel chases him trying to tell something about Slowpoke. Slowpoke walks out of his mousehole and Jose grabs him. Slowpoke lifts his gun and shoots him as Manuel arrives too late telling that Slowpoke has a gun given by his cousin. Slowpoke returns to his mousehole and blows the smoke out from his gun, leaving Jose to lament, "Now he tell me."

Availability[]

Streaming[]

Censorship[]

  • On Cartoon Network and Boomerang, the end gag where Jose captures Slowpoke Rodriguez was edited to remove the part where Slowpoke shoots Jose in the face with a gun just as Manuel tries to warn him that Slowpoke Rodriguez keeps a gun on him.

Notes[]

  • This cartoon introduces Speedy Gonzales' cousin Slowpoke Rodriguez, although he only made a cameo appearance at the end. Slowpoke would later have a major starring role in "Mexican Boarders" (1962).
  • This cartoon was nominated for Best Short Subject: Cartoons in the 1960 Academy Awards, but lost to "Moonbird".[2]
  • This is one of only two Friz Freleng cartoons in The Golden Age of Animation where Speedy does not co-star with Sylvester, the other one being "Pancho's Hideaway".

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. (3 October 2022) Cartoon Voices of the Golden Age, Vol. 2 (in en). BearManor Media, page 193. 
  2. http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1960


Speedy Gonzales Cartoons
1953 Cat-Tails for Two
1955 Speedy Gonzales
1957 Tabasco RoadGonzales' Tamales
1958 Tortilla Flaps
1959 Mexicali ShmoesHere Today, Gone Tamale
1960 West of the Pesos
1961 Cannery WoeThe Pied Piper of Guadalupe
1962 Mexican Boarders
1963 Mexican Cat DanceChili Weather
1964 A Message to GraciasNuts and VoltsPancho's HideawayRoad to Andalay
1965 It's Nice to Have a Mouse Around the HouseCats and BruisesThe Wild ChaseMoby DuckAssault and PepperedWell Worn DaffyChili Corn CornyGo Go Amigo
1966 The AstroduckMucho LocosMexican MousepieceDaffy RentsA-Haunting We Will GoSnow ExcuseA Squeak in the DeepFeather FingerSwing Ding AmigoA Taste of Catnip
1967 Daffy's DinerQuacker TrackerThe Music Mice-TroThe Spy SwatterSpeedy Ghost to TownRodent to StardomGo Away StowawayFiesta Fiasco
1968 Skyscraper CaperSee Ya Later Gladiator
1979 Fright Before Christmas
1980 The Chocolate Chase
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