Friday, July 11, 2014

July 11 - El Cid

Today’s movie is a biographical drama with a scene that happens on July 11. I hope you will watch this movie tonight and enjoy it.

EL CID                      

Ben Yosef tells the Moorish Emirs of Spain his plans to bring an army to attack the Christian kingdoms of Castille and Aragon. Don Rodrigo defeats a Moorish army and captures Al-Mu'tamin, Emir of Zaragosa and Al-Kadir, Emir of Valencia. After Rodrigo releases them on condition they never attack Castille again. The two emirs proclaim Rodrigo, “El Cid” and swear loyalty to him. For releasing them García Ordóñez and  later Count Gormaz, father of El Cid’s inamorata Jimena and the King’s champion call El Cid a traitor. Don Diego, El Cid’s father supports him and is insulted by Count Gormaz. When he refuses to retract the insult, El Cid kills him in a duel. Jimena swears vengeance on El Cid and plots with García Ordóñez. El Cid is cleared of the treason charge by beating the champion of Aragon in single combat over the ownership of a disputed city. Sancho, the king’s son, El Cid and García Ordóñez are sent on a mission to collect tribute. García Ordóñez plots to have El Cid killed, but he is saved by Al-Mu'tamin. Upon his return the King orders his marriage to Jimena, but the marriage is unconsummated and she goes to live in a convent. King Ferdinand dies and when the younger son, Alfonso wants the kingdom divided, the elder Sancho sends him to the dungeons. He is rescued by El Cid and goes to the one city given to their sister, Urraca. Ben Yosef plots to cause civil war and sends Dolfos to Urraca. He promises her to kill Sancho and to Sancho he promises to lead him into the city by a secret way. Dolfos kills Sancho, but is killed by El Cid. El Cid forces Alfonso to swear he had nothing to do with Sancho’s death, but for his impudence, El Cid is banished. Jimena’s heart has changed and she goes into exile with El Cid. After some years El Cid is summoned by Alfonso to defend the realm, but refuses when Alfonso refuses to accept the Moorish Emirs El Cid has produced as allies. Al-Mu'tamin and El Cid lay siege to Valencia. Alfonso loses a battle to Ben Yosef and blames El Cid. Alfonso imprisons Jimena and their children, but  García Ordóñez frees them and takes them to El Cid. Valencia is captured, but when offered the crown El Cid sends it to Alfonso. Ben Yosef attacks Valencia and is defeated, but El Cid is wounded. Alfonso comes to ask for El Cid’s forgiveness before El Cid dies. The next day, On July 11, 1099 [2:59:28 to 3:05:33] the dead body of El Cid is strapped to a horse and escorted by King Alfonso and Al-Mu'tamin, Emir of Zaragosa leads an attack that breaks Ben Yosef’s siege of the city.

A truly spectacular historical epic. The scenery and costumes are magnificent. However, the acting seems kind of stiff. You really don’t feel any on screen chemistry between Heston and Loren. Having said that the film does have a script that keeps the plot moving so you really don’t notice that this film is three hours long.

The Quest for El Cid by Richard Fletcher (Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1990) at page 185 gives his death date

Producer - Samuel Bronston

Director - Anthony Mann

Screenplay - Philip Yordan

Awards – The film was nominated for the Best Art Direction, Best Original Score and
                 Best Song Oscars at the 34th Academy Awards.

Runtime – 3 hours 8 minutes

Released - October 24, 1961

Starring –

Charlton Heston as El Cid, Spain’s greatest hero
Sophia Loren as Doña Jimena Diaz, his wife
Herbert Lom as Ben Yusuf, leader of trhe Almoravides
Raf Vallone as García Ordóñez, a Castillian nobleman
Geneviève Page as Urraca of Zamora, sister of Alfonso VI
John Fraser as Alfonso VI of León and Castile
Douglas Wilmer as Al-Mu'tamin, Emir of Zaragosa
Frank Thring as Al-Kadir, Emir of Valencia
Michael Hordern as Don Diego, Rodrigo’s father
Andrew Cruickshank as Count Gormaz, Jimena’s father
Gary Raymond as Sancho II of León and Castile, the 1st born of King Ferdinand
Ralph Truman as Ferdinand I of León and Castile
Massimo Serato as Fañez, Rodrigo’s nephew
Fausto Tozzi as Dolfos, a hired killer
Hurd Hatfield, as Arias
Tullio Carminati as Al-Jarifi

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.





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