Wa
-COUPON-— —
2 For 1 Omelettes
Buy One Omelette and
get the Second One of
equal or lesser value
FREE
Only at our Downtown Location
txpires Nov. 14, 198.1
| i OPEN 7-5 Mon-Sat
8-3 Sun
| 46 E. 11th Next to Collins Bike Shop 345-6265
i-COUPON
Dayspring
Cafe
Sundae Special
99*
Friday and Saturday only .
Nov. 4 fir 5
Your Campus
BASKIN-ROBBINS
ICS CREAM STORE
. In the center ol the University
4 A, A m O X O/) (Located in the EMU Breezeway)
^ *“* 13th «r University
ORIGINRl
VINCE
All
Audiophile
Recordings
Now
at
Off Our Regular Price
is Digital Half Speed Masters
** Direct to Disc ^ Laser Discs
** DBX ** High Quality Analog
** Hundreds to Choose From
** and More Coming!
— SINCE 1936 -
THOMPSON’S
People Who Know . . . Stereo!
98 E. 11th • 343*9273
47 years of sound and service excellence
OHmtnf*rw ll/U)/tU
'Ballad' isn't a
typical western
A misunderstanding, a tragic killing, and a
450-mile chase on horseback across Texas: it sounds
like a typical western, but "The Ballad of Gregorio
Cortez" is anything but typical. It's a story which
reflects upon the American-Mexican tensions in
Texas at the turn of the century, based on a true story
and a story of racism.
Edward James Olmos stars as Gregorio Cortez, a
Spanish-speaking Mexican who runs a poor farm in
Texas. The film opens during a manhunt as Coriez
skillfully eludes a small posse; the background soon
unfolds in flashbacks, however, as a newspaperman
by the name of Blakely (Bruce McGill) rides with the
Texas Rangers and delves for the whole story.
The story goes that Cortez shot and killed a
sheriff while resisting arrest, and then murdered two
other men in a posse formed to hunt him down. But
then ambiguities emerge: people don't agree on the
facts, certain facts are omitted, others are
exaggerated.
Obviously, Cortez's crime isn't as cut and dried
as originally portrayed. In the meantime, Cortez
manages to elude a 600-man posse for 11 days and
trek 450 miles before finally being caught in a man
ner that seems to suggest resignation.
Unfortunately, none of the inconsistencies Blake
uncovers reach the general public. He appears to be
as caught up in racism as the posse, the Texas
Rangers leading the manhunt, and the two men —
Sheriff Glover and Boone Choate — who started the
trouble.
This is where the film starts to explore racism,
though it does so subtly. Rather than approach it in a
literal manner, director and co-writer Robert M.
Young exposes prejudice through the distortion of
events as seen by the Anglos — through the pitched
emotions of the avenging posse, the abrupt, brutal
treatment of any Mexicans they meet along the way.
Edward James Olmos plays the role of a proud and
wronged man in the movie "The Ballad of Gregorio
Cortez", based on a true story.
and the senseless jailing of Cortez's wife and young
children.
Young directs in a manner that accentuates
character and theme, and plays down plot. His inten
tions become clear as the true story of the killing is
revealed in successive flashbacks by different
characters, each with his own interpretation. His
style is to suggest more than to tell. For example,
when two more men are killed after the posse storms
a hideout of Cortez's, Boone Choate asks "What are
we going to do about all these senseless killings?"
Young immediately cuts hard, riding posse storming
off into the desert, and the answer is clear.
At the center of all this is Cortez, played with
compassion and strength by Edward Olmos. His per
formance is all the more impressive because he
speaks no English in the film. What he conveys is
skillfully brought about by tone of voice, facial ex
pressions, and gestures. He makes Cortez a simple,
proud man caught up in a situation he doesn’t
understand but refuses to give in to.
There's a heroic quality about Cortez, and that
quality has made him legend in song as well as in
history.
The movie is now playing at the Mayflower, with
shows at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Sean Axmaker
SPFLD MALL 726-9071
STARTS TODAY
AT 2 THEATRES
lt
SPRINGFIELD
CINEMAS J
On October 14,1964,
Billy Mills stunned the world by running the
most sensational race in Olympic history
But it wasnt how he finished, it was
where he started that made him a champion
EUGlAKOtR PRODUCTIMS In Association With TH£ ERMINESKIN BAND Presents ROBBY BENSON RUNNING BRAVE"
PAT HINGIE CLAUDIA CRON JEFF McCRACKEN Music by MIKE POST Written by HENRY BEAN and SHIRl HENDRYX
Produced by IRA ENGLANDER Associate Producer MAURICE WOLFE Directed byDS. EVERETT nns«uwbbst
Cot* if HWalluk-.f.l* Ia60ial6i.es. IxwlD leases and hoaltei * UntiajjPsnajiSien® ■
BeiMS*d by BBiM WStA DOTfWUtlOl CO, WC * 1983 MGlAKOtB noouchoas INC.
WaMTm cubmcc suestsriD
i* *kt m Mtntma *o* o
s