AllMovie

This tale of California's Spanish days is gorgeous fiction, from the sumptuous settings to the stars -- the leads are lovely, doe-eyed Mary Astor and the impossibly handsome Gilbert Roland. Juan (Roland) is about to elope with the convent-bred Elena (Astor), when he is chosen to assassinate the governor (Montagu Love), who is about to hand California over to the Russians. Since the governor also happens to be Elena's father, this puts him in quite a fix. Elena discovers the scheme, and, in order to save her father, blows the whistle on Juan. Then, to save Juan, she calls on the United States Marines, who come to everybody's rescue. The plot of the Russian prince (Andre Cheron) is foiled, Juan is saved, and California goes to the United States. In spite of his association with the Russians, the governor proves not to be a bad sort after all, and Elena winds up with Juan.