CAPTAIN FROM CASTILE

US, 1947, 140 minutes, Colour.
Tyrone Power, Jean Peters, Lee J. Cobb, Caesar Romero, John Sutton, Antonio Moreno.
Directed by Henry King.

Captain from Castile is a long big budget colour adventure of 1947 from 20th Century Fox at a time when it was making such films as Forever Amber. However, Fox was more famous for its black and white realistic documentaries, comedies and Westerns. Tyrone Power had been a popular hero of many films from the 30s. At this time he made similar colourful adventures as The Prince of Players and The Black Rose. Caesar Romero is a jovial and brash Cortes.

The film is interesting in its presentation of 16th century Spain as well as the New World and the confrontations of the ambitious and greedy Spaniards with Montezuma and the Mexicans. There is also some interesting background and harsh comment on the role of the Inquisition and its influence on Spanish life. The director is Henry King, a veteran of many films from the 30s with quite a range of topics from Lloyds of London, also with Tyrone Power through The Song of Bernadette to adventures like David and Bathsheba and Untamed (also with Power) and the version of Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises. This is interesting and enjoyable rousing adventure.

1. An enjoyable historical romance? The appeal of historical films, adventure?

2. The big budget of the film and its impact, length, use of colour, locations. the atmosphere of Mexico, the rousing score? The stars of the 40s? A re-creation of 16th century old world and new? The appeal to the general audience?

3. The film as pageant: the presentation of society life and ordinary life in Spain's 16th century, the contrast with Mexico and the New World, Montezuma and the Aztecs? The pageant of Cortes and his exploration battles? Colourful presentation of historical tableaux?

4. The film as adventure: the initial fights, duels, imprisonments and torture, killings. the expedition. battles?

5. The film's presentation of 16th century Spain and its judgment on it: the hunting of the slave the tormenting of the girl with her laundry? Da Silva and his arrogance, his place with the Inquisition and his discussions, his arrogance about the Church and the role of the Church and heresy? Arrests, torture and killing in the name of religion? Themes of elegant courtshipf themes of vengeance? The motivation of Spain going to the New World, exploration, gold and greed? The arrogance of the Spaniards taking over the New World? Their presuppositions about the Mexicans? The place of the Church? Audience response to this world, similarities with contemporary world,, differences?

6. The presentation of the New World: so little time after the discoveries of Columbus, Cuba and its importance, Mexico and the Spanish hopes? The isolation of the Spaniards in the New World, the ships and their destruction, the men who went to this world as warriors, adventurers? The camp followers and the place of the women? The hardships of life, the clashes? The hopes of empire? The rights of the Spaniards over the rights of the Mexican Indians? How well was this vocalised by the runaway slave appearing as a prince in his own right? Pedro and his inability to answer the challenges of the Indian? Pedro as hero? Tyrone Power's presence and style? Audience identification with him as hero? His participation in the hunt, his saying of the slave. his intelligence, his place in his family. the clash with Da Silva? His encounter with the girl and his saving her from the ruffians, taking her to the inn? His hospitality and friendship at the inn? The encounter with Juan and the friendship? His fiancee and his courtship of her? His dining at home. the bonds with his family and the challenge of Da Silva? The stance on the Inquisition and freedom? His response to his parents' arrest and torture, his own arrest, his sister's death? His imprisonment, the escape with the help of Juan and the girl? The importance of his thinking he killed Da Silva? The friar and his confession, his penance? The exhilaration of the New World and the hopes for it, his going there? Participation in the adventures, the encounter with the girl., the potion, the dancing and his declaration of love and his marrying her? His happiness with her and the prospect of their child? His friendship with Cortes, promotion, his guarding of the jewels and his failure, the mission to rescue these, the encounter with the rebels. his use of his wits? His heroism in the battles? The arrival of Da Silva and his oath, the challenge at the meal, the imputation of his guilt and his being prepared to face death? His being wounded by his wife, his survival and participation in the Spanish Empire? A satisfying portrait of a Spanish hero of the 16th century. strengths and weaknesses?

8. The portrait of the Vargas family - the nobility of the father, the wisdom of the mother, the young girls their declaration of their beliefs, the arrest and torture, escape?

9. Da Silva as villain yet his cruel self-righteousnessf his treatment of Juan's mother. his arrogance with the Vargas family, the cover-up with the girl's death? His taunting Pedro in prison and his almost dying? The irony of his arrival in the New World.. his cowardice and protection behind Cortes hospitality. his insulting the family? The irony of his death at the hand of the Indian?

10. The heroine as an ordinary girl working at a tavern, the ruffians, her being rescued by Don Pedro and her devotion to him, help in his escape? Her love for him in the New World, the use of the spell, marriage, the child? Her stabbing him to save him from execution? The encounter with the friar and his discussion about repentance and God's compassion? An appropriate heroine?

11. The portrait of Cortes and his being known from history? His extrovert personality and ambitions, rule? Attitude towards Mexico? Greed, the jewels, attitudes towards his men? His quick judgement on Pedro and commissioning him to find the jewels? His attitude towards the mutineers? The encounter with the Mexicans and his patronizing of them, the use of guns? War and conquering? The burning of the boats? His attitude towards Da Silva and the execution of Pedro? The achievement of Cortes, as viewed by the film, comments now?

12. The supporting characters and their contribution? Juan and the initial encounter with Pedro, imprisonment.. the killing of his mother.. his going to the New World and his ambitions friendship with Pedro and his wife. the scene of his drunkenness and his almost being killed,, his hatred of Da Silva? An example of the types who went to the New World? The charlatan with his spells and the reading of the stars - humour. realism? The friar and his attitude towards religion, his tearing up of the charge against Pedro, getting him to do penance, accompanying the expedition. his sermon against greed? A favourable impression of the chaplains to the expeditions? The various soldiers, the mutineers etc.?

13. The film's presentation of the Inquisition, its power and cruelty, self-righteousness? As embodied in the dialogue of Da Silva? The noble to whom Pedro turned but refused to help him? The introduction of the Inquisition into the New World and the anticipation of torture and the rooting out of heresy etc.?

14. How well presented were the Mexicans, their dignity and civilization, the confrontation with the Spaniards, their asking them to go home, their destruction?

15. The pageantry of the battle sequences and the bringing home of the conquest of Mexico and its rights and wrongs?

16. How enjoyable an adventure? What do audiences learn from such historical romances about the past? The implications for history, human nature, good and evil, right and wrong?