Chico, the young son of a Mexican quail trapper, lives in the desert with his father. With no human companions other than his father, Chico amuses himself observing and playing with the animals near their hut. Chico is especially fond of a family of chapparal cocks and is saddened when a coyote kills the mother bird. After burying the mother, Chico gathers food for the baby birds and cares for them for many weeks. One day, Chico finds the nest empty and realizes that the now grown birds have flown away. He feels abandoned until one of the birds goes to him. The two become inseparable companions. When Chico sits beside his hut to take an afternoon siesta, the bird sees a rattlesnake sliding towards the boy. After an exhausting fight, the bird kills the snake just before it is about to strike at Chico. Awakening, Chico fears for the bird, but when he realizes that the bird has not been hurt, he happily calls it his true “paesano” for saving his life. More on Letterboxd or Mubi
Festival Film
National Board of Review, 1938- Winner: Best Acting
Doclisboa International Film Festival, 2023
Watch The Adventures of Chico (1938) American & Mexican Short Film (Documentary)
