BY LEE PFEIFFER
It is curious that so few major films have depicted the Spanish Civil War, given the fact that it was one of the most significant conflicts of the 20th century. The war began in 1936 and ended in 1939, the same year WWII would erupt. The consequences of the Spanish Civil War were enormous. A coup had been launched against the government and was headed by influential generals, one of whom was Francisco Franco. Tens of thousands of foreigners traveled to Spain to fight with whatever side represented their values. Adolf Hitler backed the revolutionaries and supplied critical weaponry and air power to ensure their victory. (By doing so, he gained valuable combat experience for his forces, knowing they would be used later in the year to invade Poland.) The outcome of the war was significant to the world. Franco emerged as the strongman leader of Spain and would retain power until his death in 1975. By having an ally in Spain, Hitler could count on not having to deal with a military threat when he sought domination over much of Europe. The end of the Civil War saw countless thousands from the losing side frantically immigrate to neighboring France, 'lest they suffer the fate of so many others who died in genocidal executions.
In 1964, acclaimed director Fred Zinnemann ("High Noon", "From Here to Eternity") adapted fellow filmmaker Emeric Pressburger's novel "Killing a Mouse on Sunday" to the screen as "Behold a Pale Horse" (the title has biblical implications.) The movie opens with some documentary footage of the Spanish Civil War, though the brief narration does little to provide facts or context to those who were not familiar with the history of the conflict. Manuel Artiguez (Gregory Peck) is a fighter who finds himself on the losing side. He grudgingly crosses the border into France. The story then advances to the late 1950s. Artiguez is living in miserable exile in a dank apartment in a tiny border town. We are introduced to Vinolas (Anthony Quinn), a powerful and corrupt police commissioner across the border in Spain who has established his own fiefdom where he rules with an iron fist. Vinolas has only one blot on his record: his failure over the last twenty years to capture or kill Artiguez, who periodically sneaks into Spain to commit acts of sabotage and violence. Thus, he has established himself as a legend among friend and foe alike. When Vinolas discovers that Artguez's beloved elderly mother (Mildred Dunnock) is terminally ill, he has her placed in a hospital under guard, presuming that Artiguez will have to make a daring attempt to see her on her death bed. However, his mother gives a young priest, Francisco (Omar Sharif), a letter to deliver to him in France warning him that it is a trap and to stay away. Much of the middle section of the film traces Francisco's determined mission to discover Artiguez's whereabouts and deliver him the letter. He leaves it in the care of a child who idolizes Artiguez and the boy destroys the letter so that Artiguez will not be tempted to make the journey. Tension builds when the ill-tempered Artiguez tries to discern whether the letter really existed and he eventually tracks the priest to Lourdes, where he is making a pilgrimage. However, no one can dissuade Artiguez from taking up the challenge of somehow seeing his dying mother, even if the quest costs him his life.
"Behold a Pale Horse" was a commercial and critical failure for
Zimmermann. The reasons for this are plentiful. It is a dark film both
technically (it was shot in B&W and much of the action takes place
in claustrophobic settings) and in terms of the content. The script by
J.P. Miller (who was brought in to replace Emeric Pressburger as
screenwriter) is completely devoid of humor, save for an amusing bit in
which we learn that the much-feared Vinolas is actually hen-pecked.
There are other problems attributable to the script. By the time,
Artiguez makes his daring foray into the trap, the viewer expects to see
a prolonged sequence packed with suspense. However, it is over far too
soon. Additionally, the anticipated re-teaming of Peck and Quinn, who
had scored a massive hit a few years before playing antagonists in "The
Guns of Navarone", fizzles because the story never allows them to appear
on screen together, although they both acquit themselves very well
indeed. Sharif does, too, but there is the nagging realization that his
character is largely superfluous to the central story line. Yet, the
film is never dull and remains engrossing throughout. There is a fine
score by Maurice Jarre and production designer Alexandre Trauner
impressively creates the look and feel of a small Spanish town in
central France, where the movie was shot. (The Franco regime banned the
movie from even being shown there.)
The Twilight Time transfer looks fine but the cinematography of Jean
Badal favors dark interiors which provides atmosphere but can also be
akin to peering into an inkwell at times. The release is limited to
3,000 units and is region-free. The original trailer is included along
with an informative booklet by film historian Julie Kirgo.
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