Gauchos of Eldorado
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Les Orlebeck
Bob Steele
Tom Tyler
Rufe Davis
Lois Collier
Duncan Renaldo
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
After Bart Braden's gang robs a bank run by Samuel Tyndal, José Ojara, a gang member known as "The Gaucho," finds among the confiscated papers a mortgage for the Ojara ranch in Texas. José reminises about his mother Isabella, the "madrecita" whom he has not seen for many years, and vows to pay the $5,000 due on her ranch. Meanwhile, Braden confers with cohort Monk Stevens about a geologist's report on the Ojara ranch, which has valuable bauxite deposits. After José steals $5,000 from Braden and escapes from the gang, he meets "Stony" Brooke, "Tucson" Smith and "Lullaby" Joslin, friends who are known as The Three Mesquiteers. The Mesquiteers share their dinner with José, who tells them that he is going to Black Rock to see his "sweetheart." As the gang approaches in the distance, José rides off, and when the Mesquiteers follow to help him, he draws the gang's fire as they are about to ambush the Mesquiteers. The gang is routed, but José is fatally injured. Before he dies, José asks them to take a medal to his sweetheart, and after finding the money and the mortgage papers, the Mesquiteers decide to carry on with José's mission. Upon arriving at the Ojara ranch, the Mesquiteers are dismayed to find that Isabella believes that Tucson is José, for he is carrying the medal given to Jose by his mother. Touched by Isabella's joy at finding her long-lost son, the Mesquiteers cannot bring themselves to tell her the truth, and so go to pay off the mortgage. Tyndal is upset, for he wanted to foreclose on the ranch and obtain rights to the bauxite, but when a clerk tells him that the Mesquiteers are using money stolen in the robbery, Tyndal has the Mesquiteers arrested. After explaining that they found the money, the Mesquiteers are released, and promise to pay off the mortgage and get enough money so that Isabella can reopen the bauxite mine. Meanwhile, Braden and Stevens make a deal with Tyndal to get the Mesquiteers out of the way in exchange for a half-interest in the mine once Tyndal forecloses on Isabella's land. When the Mesquiteers arrive in town, however, they capture Braden and turn him in for a $10,000 reward. Returning to the ranch, Tucson is amazed by the appearance of little José, whom José's sister-in-law has brought to live with him. Further complications ensue when the sheriff arrives to arrest the Mesquiteers for José's murder. Tucson explains to the sheriff and Isabella that he is not José, but that the Mesquiteers did not kill him. Escaping from the sheriff, who is working with Tyndal, the Mesquiteers cash the reward check and are about to pay off the mortgage when they learn that the gang has kidnapped little José and are demanding a $10,000 ransom. Despite a trap the gang has set up, the Mesquiteers rescue little José and apprehend Tyndal, Braden and Stevens. With the mortgage paid and the mine reopened, all is well at the Ojara ranch as the Mesquiteers reassure Isabella of José's honesty and love for her, then set off in search of another adventure.
Director
Les Orlebeck
Cast
Bob Steele
Tom Tyler
Rufe Davis
Lois Collier
Duncan Renaldo
Rosina Galli
Norman Willis
William Ruhl
Tony Roux
Raphael Bennett
Yakima Canutt
J. Merrill Holmes
Edmund Cobb
Casey Johnson
Bud Geary
Terry Frost
Eddie Dean
Earle S. Dewey
John Merton
Roy Steele
Margaret Fealy
Eddie Cherkose
Virginia Farmer
Si Jenks
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The opening title card to the film reads "Republic Pictures presents The Three Mesquiteers in Gauchos of Eldorado," followed by pictures of Bob Steele, Tom Tyler and Rufe Davis with their names and character names superimposed. Although Hollywood Reporter news items stated that Anthony Coldewey and Ivan Goff were working on the screenplay of this film, their contribution to the completed picture has not been confirmed. Modern sources include Ted Mapes, Bob Woodward, Horace Carpenter and Ray Jones in the cast. Between 1939 and 1940, Duncan Renaldo played one of The Three Mesquiteers in seven films, in which he was called "Renaldo" or "Rico." For more information about the series, consult the Series Index and the entry for The Three Mesquiteers in AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1931-40; F3.4617.
