I am no great fan of youthful idealism, but I must confess to a secret fascination of the Spanish Civil War. If you share this interest, and/or my other, more reluctant admiration of the early Chinese Communists, the this film is for you, too.
Nothing kills a movie about idealism faster than a Utopian, absolutist tribute to a perfect ideal. This film, fortunately, manages to steer clear of the usual temptation of idolizing the youth, and their dreams of liberty and equality. We are shown the mundane stuff these lovely men and women are made of: not too smart, not so pure, not always steadfast, but nevertheless take us in with that honest urgency, that earnestness of doing good, which looks and feels both alien and touching to us pettite bourgeoisie, with our petty ambition and white-washed materialism.
The cinematography is stunning, although I feel the blue tint must be a deliberate choice, in order to obscure the muddiness and squalor of the trench life. The story line is lively, too, although the girl's death in the end seems rather contrived. Ken Loach does have his limitations.
I strongly recommend a companion volume to this film: the incomparable book, "Homage to Catalonia", by George Orwell. This is the single best book about one's participation in a revolution, intelligent, moving and clear-headed, and beautifully written.
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