She Came to the Valley

She Came to the Valley is a western-genre film made in the late 1970s. Directed by Albert Band, it stars Ronee Blakley, Scott Glenn, Freddy Fender, and . It is based on a novel by Cleo Dawson.

The film is a western set in 1915. It is based on one of Cleo Dawson's novels that was written in 1943. The title of the novel was, She Came to the Valley: A Novel of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Mission Texas. It is said to be based on her mothers experiences. The film was shot in South Texas's Rio Grande Valley, but a small portion was shot in Oklahoma. In its first run it broke weekend attendance records at Rio Grande theatres.

About three decades later in July 2008, there was a reunion with some of the cast having a party at the Mission Historical Museum.

A poor family that leaves Oklahoma for Texas are persuaded by a drifter to move to the valley. It is discovered that the drifter is a supporter of the revolutionary leader Pancho Villa. The family become involved in a dispute between Pancho Villa's men and the government soldiers. Her husband later dies and she finds herself the subject of attention by a man called Bill who she learns is a gun runner for Villa. Pancho Villa was played by Freddy Fender.

In January 1979, Maria Luz Corral de Villa came to McAllen, Texas, a south border town to see Kika de la Garza, to present him with a pardon request for her late husband to be exonerated for his actions against the United States. Ms de Villa who at the age of 84 was in frail health arrived by air ambulance. She was assisted by aide Sol Marroquin. Marroquin, the author of Part of the Team (Story of an American Hero) also played the part of Colonel Vaccaro in the film.