Tweekums
This short sees Speedy Gonzales living in a fancy hacienda, a house he shares with Sylvester the cat who is constantly trying and failing to catch him. Sylvester thinks his mouse catching luck is about to change when Speedy's cousin Slowpoke Rodriguez comes to visit. Slowpoke seems to be constantly hungry and want to raid the fridge but Speedy realising the danger goes instead. When he returns with a pile of cheese Slowpoke is upset at the lack of Tabasco sauce so he makes another trip and is caught in Sylvester's glue trap on his return journey. Sylvester's joy at finally capturing Speedy is short lived however as just as he is about to eat him Speedy empties the Tabasco bottle into his mouth with painful results.Unfortunately this wasn't as funny as Slowpoke's introduction in "Mexicali Schmoes", there he was only in for a few seconds but ended the episode with a bang, literally, but here he is just slow and his final victory over Sylvester isn't as funny, also Sylvester isn't as funny as Manuel and Jose were. It isn't a bad cartoon, I just don't think it was a classic.
slymusic
"Mexican Boarders" is an excellent Warner Bros. cartoon directed by Friz Freleng. In addition to the star characters Speedy Gonzales and Sylvester, this film allows the development of a secondary character, Speedy's cousin Slowpoke Rodriguez. When Slowpoke pays Speedy a visit, Sylvester figures he can finally have an easier time catching a mouse to eat. He's wrong.Highlights: Slowpoke is hilarious as he lazily sings "La Cucaracha" throughout this short, accompanied by a lazy guitar. When Speedy pours some Tabasco sauce down Sylvester's gullet, Sylvester's body sure as hell reacts! Sylvester also chases Speedy through a screen door and reduces himself into miniature cubes.Slowpoke Rodriguez was first introduced in an earlier Speedy cartoon called "Mexicali Shmoes" (1959), but he doesn't do very much in that film, yet he's still funny! As I mentioned earlier, in "Mexican Boarders" his character was developing, even though director Friz Freleng eventually decided to eliminate Slowpoke altogether because it took so long to animate him. In any case, I highly admire one of Slowpoke's surprising remarks at the end of this film: "Maybe Slowpoke is pretty slow downstairs in the feet, but he's pretty fast upstairs in the 'cabeza'."
Lee Eisenberg
Usually, I don't think about whether or not extreme velocity runs in Speedy Gonzales's family. If so, it must not affect everyone, as his cousin Slowpoke Rodriguez is the most unhurried mouse in Mexico. But that gives "Mexican Boarders" an interesting aspect. In this cartoon, Speedy lives in the same house as Sylvester. As the most accelerated rodent in the United Mexican States, Speedy naturally never has to worry about Sylvester catching him (especially since Sylvester apparently suffers from listlessness).Anyway, one day there arrives Slowpoke, who has even less energy than Sylvester. But Slowpoke is desperately hungry, and only Speedy can get the food. I shouldn't have to tell you what Speedy does to Sylvester, but I will say that one trick involves Tabasco sauce! The lackadaisical Slowpoke is certainly an eye-opening counterbalance to the expeditious Speedy, and he eventually plays a bigger role than we assumed. He even sings "La cucaracha" and includes the line "marijuana que fumar"! So I like this cartoon.And yes, Sylvester is kind of stupid. Unfortunately, dictators get stupid people to carry out their evil deeds (of course, I'm not comparing Speedy and relatives to despots).
fayremead
After making a series of blister-fast duels between Speedy Gonzales ("the fastest mouse in Mexico") and 'El Gato' (Sylvester), director Friz Freleng provided a larger role for Slowpoke Rodriguez (Speedy's slothful but hungry cousin), who he introduced at the end of "Mexicali Schmoes" (1959). Sylvester, who's had enough of getting himself sliced and diced (literally!) while chasing Speedy, is more than happy to make a meal of Speedy's antithesis. Slowpoke, for his part, wants to raid the pantry without protection. This makes for quite a few suspenseful moments, more than you'll find in most other Speedy cartoons.Too bad Sylvester wasn't in Mexicali -- he would have seen that Slowpoke isn't as helpless as he looks. Slowpoke saves himself by performing as fast an act of hypnotism as has ever been shown in cartoons. Sylvester may have nine lives, but only one mind. This atypical Speedy cartoon is further boosted by Milt Franklyn's fine music and Tom O'Loughlin's attractive backgrounds.-Tony
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