Under the Pampas Moon

Cesare Campo is a rugged Argentine gaucho who lives for riding and the open plains. When a small airliner carrying a celebrated Parisian singer is forced down on the Pampas, Campo and his riders bring the stranded passengers to a nearby estancia and a makeshift hotel. The singer, Yvonne LaMarr, and Campo strike up an immediate attraction, but obligations pull her toward a Buenos Aires engagement. Campo follows her to the city after word arrives that his prize horse, favored for the Big Race, has gone missing. The story mixes horseback action, city nightlife, and a romance that crosses social and cultural lines, without giving away how conflicts are resolved.

Released in 1935, Under the Pampas Moon was directed by James Tinling from a screenplay credited to Gordon Morris, Ernest Pascal, and Bradley King. The film starred Warner Baxter and Ketti Gallian, with J. Carrol Naish, John Miljan, and a young Rita Hayworth in a supporting role.

Box office records for many mid 1930s releases are spotty, and this title is no exception. Widely published gross figures aren't available, and it did not leave a clear mark as a major commercial triumph compared with bigger studio pictures of the era.

Culturally the picture is mostly remembered today for its South American setting and for featuring Rita Hayworth early in her career before she became a household name. The gaucho imagery and tango-inflected cabaret scenes fit Hollywood's romanticized view of Argentina and turned the film into a minor curiosity for classic film buffs and Hayworth completists.

Critical reception has tended to be mixed. Contemporary reviews noted the film's melodramatic romance and brisk action sequences, while modern viewers often point to uneven pacing and dated stereotypes. The central themes center on loyalty, honor, and the clash between rural life and urban entertainment, carried largely by Warner Baxter's performance and the exotic atmosphere.