Ay, Carmela!

At the height of the Spanish Civil War, two traveling variety artists, Carmela (Carmen Maura) and Paulino (Andres Pajares), are performing their show on the front line for the appreciative Republican army troops. To keep the soldiers' spirits up, Carmela dances and sings patriotic songs while Paulino does comic turns as well as serious readings. With them is Gustavete (Gabino Diego), the third member of their variety show and a jack of all trades. Gustavete is mute and can only communicate by writing on a slate, but he is an indispensable member of their group. Food is scarce, and the performers work under strain and hardship, but they are dedicated to the cause of defeating fascism.

Traveling in an ancient truck, the trio inadvertently wake up one morning in the Red Zone--territory controlled by Franco's troops. Playing it cool in order to survive, they are arrested by fascist soldiers, then taken to the enemy camp and, after being questioned about their loyalties, placed under guard. In a schoolyard, fearful for their lives, they huddle with the other prisoners, including a group of soldiers from the International Brigade. Carmen, communicating by sign language, establishes a rapport with one of them, a Polish officer (Edward Zentara).

The three very frightened actors watch several of the townspeople, including the local mayor, being taken out and shot because of their communist affiliation. Then they themselves are picked up and delivered to a local theater where, after being questioned by Ripamonte (Maurizzo di Razza), an Italian lieutenant, they are recruited to help put on a variety show for the troops in town. But first they must give their word that their hands are unbloodied. Ripamonte will then do all he can to get them freed to work with him. An erstwhile theatrical director, he is pleased to have professional support for his production. Carmela, Paulino and Gustavete are delighted to be back in show business again. Treated well, and with enough to eat, their spirits are soon lifted. The fly in the ointment is that they must put their true feelings for Republican Spain aside, and do a show for the other side, the fascists. One slip and they will be shipped straight back to the makeshift prison camp.

The trio get their act together, changing the words of their pieces to suit the nationalistic point of view. Carmela's loyalties are torn. She is a trouper and knows the show is of upmost importance, no matter the content; she has heard that the Polish prisoners will be at the theater, and will face a firing squad after the show. Faced with this dilemma, Carmela makes her choice. Instead of the dialogue that supports Franco in her finale, she switches to the words and music of the anti-fascist cause. She puts her life on the line for her true beliefs and becomes a martyr for the Spanish Civil War.

Carlos Saura, whose strong political views resulted in his dismissal from the HEC film school in the early 1960s and who subsequently attained international acclaim with his award-winning films, was one of the first Spanish filmmakers to deal with the Spanish Civil War and its aftermath. Making overt political statements during the time of Franco was exceedingly difficult, but he solved this problem by developing a unique cinematic style, resorting to allusion and allegory. Every film Saura makes is a consequence of the particular political and social climate prevailing in Spain.

AY, CARMELA! fits this pattern closely. It is a stirring tribute to the lost cause of the Civil War. The incomparable Carmen Maura has caught the spirit of the Republican cause in her portrayal of an artist who remains true to her principles, and she is ably supported by the rest of the excellent cast. Jose Luis Alcaine's cinematography and Alejandro Masso's music effectively recreate the feel of this turbulent era. (Violence, profanity, sexual situations, adult situations.) leave a comment