I watched this movie in the Christmas of 1983 when I was in Jos, the Northern part of Nigeria. I was just 12. Then the military had just taken over and the political climate of the country was uncertain. As Christian kids enjoying a Christmas vacation in a predominantly Muslim area, we were understandably scared of whether the Muslims will use the coup as an excuse to massacre Christians.
Then out of the blue, this wonderful whimsical movie was aired on TV.
The film centered on an ex convict and his relationship with a poor Mexican family, especially the little boy that inadvertently brought out the heart the ex con never knew he had. The ex con now finds himself trying to help the family overcome their poverty and finds himself pitted against a reluctant white community who felt they had given the Mexican family all the help they deserved.
Despite all the problems facing the Mexicans, the little boy still has time to pray for the ex con. The prayer is answered in the form of a cowboy angel. The angel had died years ago but the con knew him when the angel was alive. It is up to the angel and the boy to show the con that he was a better man than he believed himself to be.
In today's Hollywood with the pervading sense of cynicism and materialism and atheism, the movie will be scoffed as being corny and clichéd. Definitely its a low budget movie with a simple storyline. But still a beautiful movie with even a more beautiful message of hope and love. The final scene when the ex con was leaving the Mexican family and the kid was chasing him for a final goodbye was a tear jerker. I can still remember how my younger sister and myself cried silently.
The film is a gem and I thank both the movie producers and the channel that aired it on TV. At least, because of it, some frightened kids that were hiding in unwarranted terror of being killed by Muslims, were able to lose some of their fear and realize that hope really sets us free.
Then out of the blue, this wonderful whimsical movie was aired on TV.
The film centered on an ex convict and his relationship with a poor Mexican family, especially the little boy that inadvertently brought out the heart the ex con never knew he had. The ex con now finds himself trying to help the family overcome their poverty and finds himself pitted against a reluctant white community who felt they had given the Mexican family all the help they deserved.
Despite all the problems facing the Mexicans, the little boy still has time to pray for the ex con. The prayer is answered in the form of a cowboy angel. The angel had died years ago but the con knew him when the angel was alive. It is up to the angel and the boy to show the con that he was a better man than he believed himself to be.
In today's Hollywood with the pervading sense of cynicism and materialism and atheism, the movie will be scoffed as being corny and clichéd. Definitely its a low budget movie with a simple storyline. But still a beautiful movie with even a more beautiful message of hope and love. The final scene when the ex con was leaving the Mexican family and the kid was chasing him for a final goodbye was a tear jerker. I can still remember how my younger sister and myself cried silently.
The film is a gem and I thank both the movie producers and the channel that aired it on TV. At least, because of it, some frightened kids that were hiding in unwarranted terror of being killed by Muslims, were able to lose some of their fear and realize that hope really sets us free.