A documentary showing the struggle of the Spanish Republican government against a rebellion by ultra-right-wing forces led by Gen. Francisco Franco and backed by Nazi Germany and Fascist Ita... Read allA documentary showing the struggle of the Spanish Republican government against a rebellion by ultra-right-wing forces led by Gen. Francisco Franco and backed by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.A documentary showing the struggle of the Spanish Republican government against a rebellion by ultra-right-wing forces led by Gen. Francisco Franco and backed by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.
- Awards
- 1 win
- Self - Republican Leader
- (as La Pasionaria)
- Narrator (English version)
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
- Narrator (French version)
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
- …
- Director
- Writers
- John Dos Passos(part one)
- Lillian Hellman(uncredited)
- Ernest Hemingway(part two)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaOrson Welles recorded the commentary written by Ernest Hemingway and receives on-screen credit, but Hemingway decided to use his own voice instead. It is not clear which version of the film uses Hemingway's voice; the most common print does use the more cultured voice of Welles, which seemed jarring to members of the Contemporary Historians production company--formed by Herman Shumlin, Lillian Hellman and Dorothy Parker, which produced the movie. Both versions are available.
- Quotes
Orson Welles, Narrator: Why do they stay? They stay because this is their city. These are their homes. Here is their work. This is their fight. The fight to be allowed to live as human beings.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Schweizer im spanischen Bürgerkrieg (1974)
The movie itself has some compelling images; however, I doubt that most go beyond generic war imagery of that time. One does, nonetheless, get a sense of the impact on the civilian population in the areas surrounding Madrid. In no sense is the film a survey of that bloody civil war as a whole. Instead, it's a narrow slice from the loyalist republican pov. But neither is the movie simply Stalinist agitprop, (the Soviets supported the elected government; Hitler and Mussolini the Falangist rebels; while the US and England remained neutral). Rather, a strong subtextual theme appears to liken support for the republic to bringing water to the dry Spanish earth, a not unreasonable pov.
It's also worth noting the anti-fascist side quickly became a cause-célèbre among artists and intellectuals disgusted by the US and England's refusal to aid a fellow democratic government. Thus the movie has a number of illustrious names attached to it. It's likely because of these names that I expected more than the overall result delivers. Nonetheless, the brief documentary remains a snapshot worth watching, even for those unfamiliar with the historical period.
- dougdoepke
- Jul 25, 2011
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Tierra de España
- Filming locations
- Fuentidueña de Tajo, Madrid, Spain(Main location for the irrigation project.)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime52 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1