A Message To Garcia (1936)

During the Spanish American War, an American officer (John Boles) attempts to deliver a message of cooperation from President McKinley (Dell Henderson) to the Cuban revolutionary General Garcia (Enrique Acosta). To accomplish this, he is aided by an untrustworthy con man (Wallace Beery) and a Cuban girl (Barbara Stanwyck). Loosely based on an essay by Elbert Hubbard and directed by George Marshall (THE BLUE DAHLIA). Although very loosely based on fact, the film comes across as a routine programmer without much of interest. Beery is okay as the shifty grifter but Stanwyck doesn't have much to do as the "girl". In addition, she's miscast as a Cuban native, she speaks Spanish like a gringo! Most of the action takes place in the Cuban tropical forests which are obviously shot on a soundstage. With Alan Hale, Mona Barrie, Herbert Mundin and Juan Torena.