Viva Zapata CD cover art limited edition print

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Video Clip and info on the film

Viva Zapata! (1952) Trailer

Viva Zapata! is a 1952 fictional-biographical film directed by Elia Kazan. The screenplay was written by John Steinbeck, using as a guide Edgcomb Pinchon’s book, ‘Zapata the Unconquerable’, a fact that is not credited in the titles of the film. It is a fictionalized account of the life of Mexican Revolutionary Emiliano Zapata from his peasant upbringing, through his rise to power in the early 1900s, to his death. To give the film as authentic a feel as possible, Kazan and producer Darryl F. Zanuck studied the numerous photographs that were taken during the revolutionary years, the period between 1909 and 1919 when Zapata led the fight to restore land taken from the people during the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz. Kazan was especially impressed with the Agustin Casasola collection of photographs and he attempted to duplicate their visual style in the film. Kazan also acknowledged the influence of Roberto Rosselini’s Paisan.

Zapata (Marlon Brando) is part of a delegation sent to complain about injustices to corrupt longtime President Porfirio Díaz (Fay Roope), but Díaz condescendingly dismisses their concerns. As a result, Zapata is driven to open rebellion, along with his brother Eufemio (Anthony Quinn). He in the south and Pancho Villa (Alan Reed) in the north unite under the leadership of naive reformer Francisco Madero (Harold Gordon).

Díaz is finally toppled and Madero takes his place, but Zapata is dismayed to find that nothing is changed. The new regime is no less corrupt and self-serving than the one it replaced. His own brother sets himself up as a petty dictator, taking what he wants without regard for the law. The ineffectual but well-meaning Madero puts his trust in treacherous General Victoriano Huerta (Frank Silvera). Huerta first takes Madero captive and then has him murdered. Zapata himself is lured into an ambush and killed.

Zapata is depicted in the film as an incorruptible rebel leader. He is guided by his desire to return the land to the peasants, who have been robbed, while forsaking his personal interest. Steinbeck meditates in the film on power, military and political, which corrupts men.

CAST:
* Marlon Brando as Emiliano Zapata
* Jean Peters as Josefa Zapata, his wife
* Anthony Quinn as Eufemio Zapata
* Joseph Wiseman as Fernando Aguirre
* Arnold Moss as Don Nacio
* Alan Reed as Pancho Villa
* Margo as Soldadera
* Harold Gordon as Francisco Indalecio Madero
* Lou Gilbert as Pablo
* Frank Silvera as Victoriano Huerta
* Florenz Ames as Señor Espejo
* Richard Garrick as Old General
* Fay Roope as Porfirio Díaz
* Mildred Dunnock as Señora Espejo

AWARDS:
Anthony Quinn won the 1952 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

The film was also nominated for:

* Best Actor in a Leading Role – Marlon Brando
* Best Writing, Story and Screenplay – John Steinbeck
* Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White – Lyle R. Wheeler, Leland Fuller, Thomas Little, Claude E. Carpenter
* Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture – Alex North

At the 1952 Cannes Film Festival, Brando won for Best Actor, while Elia Kazan was nominated for the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film.

*cited from wikipedia.org