Tortilla Flat (1942)

Plot: A poor Mexican-American, inherits two houses from his grandfather and is quickly taken advantage of by his vagabond friends.
Stars:  Spenser Tracy, Heddy Lamarr, John Garfield.

Based on the popular, but now almost forgotten, John Steinbeck novel, Tortilla Flat is one of those old-time 30s/40s  movies about racial minorities. The idea was to show them to be not the brightest bulbs in the world, but so gosh-darn-lovable that you're proud they're Americans.  The novel - and film - are set in post WWI California and reflected Steinbeck's experiences with the local Mexican-Americans. To a large extent Steinbeck's 1930s career was based on stories about the lower edges of society - and from a very romantic angle -and Tortilla Flat is  no exception. To quote Wikipeda: "Tortilla Flat stands as the clearest example in American literature of the Mexican as jolly savage"

Unfortunately, in addition to the patronizing attitude toward Mexican-Americans, this movie has the worst casting ever.  Somebody in Hollywood seemed to think Jewish Actors Sheldon Leonard & John Garfield, and  European actors  Lamarr and Akim Tamiroff  were believable as Mexican-Americans.  And then there's Spenser Tracy who's about as Mexican as a Tortilla filled with  Irish Potatoes.  However, Frank Morgan as a tramp is excellent.  But otherwise, there's nothing in the story that makes up for the awful casting.  Not recommended.