Its title literally translating as Highway of Cats, this historical drama covers the 19th-century conflict between Mexican patriot Benito Juarez and France's emperor Louis Napoleon. Hoping to gain a stronger foothold in the Western Hemisphere, the French leader sends an invading army to the shores of Mexico. Juarez mounts an impressive counteroffensive, but he can't do much about the handful of traitors in his midst. One of these is a landowner who opens the strategically important "Highway of the Cats" to the Gallic invaders. Carlos (Emilio Tuero), the landowner's patriotic son, tries to make amends for his father's treasonous behavior by assuming command of the Mexican army and vanquishing the incoming French soldiers. Thanks to an abundance of largely unnecessary subplots, this impressively mounted film runs an attenuated 128 minutes.
by Hal Erickson
synopsis
