by Hal Erickson
synopsis
Bandidos de Rio Frio translates literally as The Bandits of Cold River. The film is based on a 19th-century novel by Manuel Payno, though what emerges on screen is rather far removed from the original. Singing star Luis Aguilar heads the cast in this story of a band of lighthearted bandits whose exploits are more amusing than despicable. Though technically primitive (at least by Hollywood standards), the film scored a hit in Mexico, thanks to the popularity of Aguilar and his leading lady Rita Macedo. Bandidos de Rio Frio represented the final screen appearance of revered Latin American actor Jose Maria Linares Rivas.
