1934 Oscar Winning Film Short Featuring “Mexicans” and More…

From the textmex obsessed imagination of William A. Nericcio

La Cucaracha

In the film, memorable more for its contribution to the evolution of Technicolor technology than the script or the acting, Steffi Duna plays lead “Mexican”–the Hungarian actress made a name for herself in the first part of the 20th century playing “fiery Latina femme fatales.”

Most compelling of all? The words of the song itself, a paean to lost legs, marijuana, and much mas more–in addition, they provide a short course in cultural studies and the Mexican Revolution.

For more of the backstory on La Cucaracha, go here: http://screened.blogspot.com/2005/12/la-cucaracha.html

This article was first published in textmex galleryblog.

William Anthony Nericcio, aka “Memo,” is the Director of San Diego State University’s ever-evolving MALAS program (The Master of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences)–a dynamic, interdisciplinary, cultural studies graduate program located near the U.S./Mexico border. Nericcio also serves on the faculties of the Chicana/o Studies Department, the Center for Latin American Studies and the Department of English and Comparative Literature at SDSU.