El caballo blanco – Spanish title
O Cavalinho Branco – Brazilian title
Poika ja valkoinen hevonen – Finnish title
Son fidèle compagnon – French title
Il ritorno di Joselito – Italian title
El caballo blanco – Mexican title
O Cavalo Branco – Portuguese title
Pevac lutalica – Yugoslavian title
The White Horse – English title
A 1961 Mexican, Spanish production [Cinematográfica
Filmex S.A., Producciones Gonzalo Elvira S.A. (Mexico City), Cesáreo González
Producciones Cinematográficas (Madrid)
Producers: Gonzalo
Elvira (Gonzalo Rumayer), Cesáreo González
Director: Rafael Baledón (Rafael Cardenas)
Story: Adolfo Torres Portillo
Screenplay: Adolfo Torres Portillo
Dialogue: Javier Mateos [Spanish]
Cinematography: Rosalío Solano (Rosalío Qintanar)
[Eastmancolor, Mexiscope]
Music: Manuel Esperón (Manuel González)
Songs: “El emigrante”, “Princesita”, “Lucerito”, “El
pastor” sung by Joselito (José Jiménez
Fernández)
Song: “Malagueña Salerosa” sung by Antonio Aguilar and Joselito
(José Jiménez Fernández)
Running time: 98 minutes
Cast:
Joselito – Joselito (José Jiménez Fernández)
Antonio Cueto - Antonio Aguilar (José Barraza)
Grandmother Sara García (Sara Hidalgo)
Juliet - Luz María Aguilar
Old men - 'Chelelo' (Eleazar Saenz), José Pardavé
David Reynoso, Florencio Castelló (Florencio Sánchez),
Eleazar García, Emilio Garibay, Rafael Banquells, Jr., Carlos Suárez, Armando
Acosta, Rubén Márquez
In the late 1800s, Joselito’s parents have died in Spain
and he’s sent for by his grandmother who lives in a Mexican village. Joselito
begins the journey from Spain. Once in Mexico, while traveling in a stagecoach,
he is assaulted by bandits. Joselito manages to escape and, walking aimlessly,
he meets a rancher named Antoine, a rider and they become close friends.
Joselito is a given a white horse to ride and Antonio takes him to Ocotlan and his
grandmother. The grandmother has a lot of gold and the bandits kidnap Joselito
and ask for a huge ransom. The gang leader tries to kill Joselito because he is
recognized as the leader of the stagecoach bandits. Joselito is saved by
Antonio, but the boy’s white horse is mortally wounded. After Antonio marries
Juliet, Joselito’s teacher, they both will live with him and his grandmother.
[Comment:
Child singer/actor Joselito throughout his career was under exclusive contract
to Spanish producer Cesáreo González, who had turned him into a star in their
homeland. In the late 1950's González set out to conquer America and to boost his young protégé's presence in
Mexico. For his fourth film, and first in Mexico he was cast alongside fellow
child-actor Cesáreo Quezadas, who was better known as 'Pulgarcito' aka 'Tom
Thumb' in Rene Cardona's "Las Aventuras de Joselito y Pulgarcito" aka
'Aventuras de Joselito en América' (Mexica/Spanish, 1959). The film must have
performed well enough in both countries that two years later 'Joselito' and his
two producers agreed to do two more features. The first Antonio del Amo's
"Bello recuerdo" (1961) was lensed entirely in Spain, while the
second THE WHITE HORSE, sent him back to Mexico in a period piece. This was the
first time Joselito had teamed up with another singer (Antonio Aguilar). Story
wise it followed along familiar territory and both performers have fun with
their paring. Fortunately the film at least looks like a Spanish
"western" and includes the customary stagecoach attack, a
good-hearted hero, a lovely schoolmarm' and a funny but dysfunctional grandma.]
In 1966 'Joselito and his 'Grandmother' Garcia were
reteamed in "Joselito vagabundo" (Antonio del Amo, Mexican/Spanish).
Note: Mexican actors Garcia & Suarez were both born
in Spain, thus qualified for government tax-breaks on both sides of the
Atlantic.
By Mike Ferguson
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