Director
Ken Loach
Leading Actors/Actresses
Ian Hart, Rosana Pastor
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Tom Gilroy, Frederic Pierrot
Genre
Drama
Language
English
Awards
Nominated for Palm d'Or, European Film Award (Best Director), Ecumenical Jury Prize, Cannes Film Festival
Date of Release
October 6, 1995
Producer
Rebecca O'Brien
Setting and Context
Spain, during the Spanish Civil War. Aragon n the north east of Spain, and also Barcelona.
Narrator and Point of View
The point of view is that of the protagonist, David Carr.
Tone and Mood
Combative, fraught, militant. The mood is also nostalgic and wistful from the older David's perspective.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The fascists and communists are each other's protagonist and antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict that underpins the entire film is the Spanish Civil War
Climax
At the end of the film, Rosana is killed in a clash with government troops .
Foreshadowing
The refusal of the POUM members to surrender foreshadows the clash between their troops and the governments.
Understatement
N/A
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
N/A
Allusions
The entire movie alludes to the real-life Spanish Civil War and also alludes to the working class environment of Liverpool at the time and the political issues that were bubbling over there as well.
Paradox
On the face of it, the International Brigade and the POUM were on the same side, against fascism, but in reality Rosana feels that David is betraying POUM when he decides to stay in Barcelona and fight in the Brigade.
Parallelism
There is a parallel between the people from all over Europe who have come to join the fighting in that they are all unemployed and looking to leave their own countries, and are all very left wing and hoping to bring in Marxism throughout the continent.
