Abstract
The intrigue of the film ?The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez' may seem casual and unexceptional to the modern viewer, even though it is based on a breathtaking true story. The film was shown in theaters in 1982 and didn't meet with great success, despite a paradigmatic plot of the spirit and history that forged the Texan identity. Gregorio Cortez lived in Texas with his family at the turn of the century (1901) and was among the vast number of Mexicans that didn't speak a word of English. Sheriff Morris, who was investigating a horse theft, visited the Cortez house in order to question him. Assisted by a deputy who translated into Spanish the conversation turned into a massive misunderstanding due to a translation error of the deputy concerning the trading of a horse. Cortez's brother was eventually shot dead by the sheriff and Cortez replicated by killing Morris.
