"Juan Colorado" is a 1966 Mexican film set in the state of Zacatecas in the period around 1910 at the start of the Mexican Revolution which began as a revolt of workers against rich landowners. The film starts as a romantic comedy but becomes more serious later on. Juan Lorenzo is the son of a ranch owner and is known as "John Colorado" as he likes to wear red clothing. He gets romantically involved with Silvia Guerrero, the daughter of another ranch owner. Later he rides off to join the Revolution as a commander of a rebel unit. Early in the film Juan enters a card game and plays against Rafael Ortigoza who is officially engaged to marry Silvia. The two men play for gold coins which appear on the table. The coins are well-made imitation or prop coins.

Juan Colorado has been fighting with the Revolution "up north". He returns to his home town in Zacatecas accompanied by a young girl.

He drops her off at a house and tells her goodbye. She exclaims that he promised to marry her.

Silvia Guerrero, the daughter of ranch owner Sebastian Guerrero, appears with a rifle and orders Juan to marry the girl. Juan gets the young lady to admit that she asked Juan only for a ride. Silvia is engaged to marry Rafael Ortigoza, the son of another rancher. Juan heads to town and joins a card game playing against Rafael. Silvia follows them but doesn't join the game. Rafael asks Juan to "show his money".

Juan pulls out a long tube and drops a load of gold coins onto the table.

Juan has fired a pistol shot into a deck of cards to show that he will not tolerate any "cheating". The two men begin playing cards with the money on the table.

The coins are well-made imitation or prop coins and they are shown after each hand is played.

Some paper money also appears.

The coins appear to have a head facing left on one side and the Mexican eagle and snake national emblem on the other side.

Rafael loses money and then brags that he will have more when he marries Silvia. Silvia becomes angry and visits Rafael.

Juan's father Don Artemio and Silvia's father have disliked each other for a long time. Don Artemio wants Juan to marry Silvia but doesn't know that they have been lovers for some time.

Rafael and Sebastian decide to kill Juan and his father and follow the two to a river. The two manage to shoot and kill the father but leave Juan alive and injured. Some revolutionaries find Juan and take him to a house to recover. The two men report that both men are dead and stage a memorial service.

Silvia and Rafael's sister grieve for Juan and his father.

The death year of 1910 for the two grave markers give the year that the film is set. Sebastian has pretended to be dying and asks Silvia to marry Rafael which she does. Two month pass and Juan recovers and returns alive. He sees Silvia and she cries over what has happened. Juan then leaves to return to the Revolution. He explains to his group that he wears red clothes as they won't show blood.

The revolutionaries have been attacking large ranches. Juan's group heads for Sebastian's Malpaso ranch and attack it.

The ranch employees join the revolutionaries.

Sebastian has lost his ranch and his money and decides to do something about it.

The two men plan to follow Juan to kill him. Silvia finds a horse and rides to the meeting spot. Sebastian is there and he sees a red-clothed figure.

Sebastian shoots "Juan".

Sebastian has killed his own daughter. Juan and his men arrive.

Antonio Aguilar as Juan Colorado
Maria Duval as Silvia Guerrero
Carlos Agosti as Rafael Ortigoza
Jose Baviera as Don Artemio (Juan's father)
Antonio Raxel as Sebastian Guerrero (Silvia's father)
Elsa Cardenas as Isabel Ortigoza (Rafael's sister)
Norma Navarro as Juan's girl at beginning of film
Director: Miguel Zacarias
Writers: Alfredo Zacarias, Miguel Zacarias