LA TRINCHERA INFINITA/ THE ENDLESS TRENCH

Spain, 2019, 147 minutes, Colour.

Antonio de la Torre, Belen Cuesta, Vicente Vergara, José Manuel Poga, Emilio Palacios.

Directed by Aitor Arregi, Jon Garano, José Mari Goenaga.

This is a very well-reviewed and acclaimed Spanish drama. It is a 21^st-century perspective on Spain the time of the Civil War, the aftermath, the political opponents and clashes, those opposed to Franco and his regime going into hiding, sometimes for decades, the background of World War II, changes in Spain in the 1950s and into the 1960s.

This long film focuses on Higenio (Antonio de la Torre) against the regime, marrying Rose (Belen Cuesta), going into hiding with the advancement of Franco’s forces during the Civil War. At first he hides in their house but then moves to his father’s house, digging a trench behind cupboards, setting up the trench with light, bedding, books to read… And, all the time, cared for by Rosa, meals, washing, sanitary. In the meantime, there is a neighbour, loyal to the regime, Gonzalo, who is always suspicious and spends a great deal of effort over the decades in trying to trap Higenio.

To focus audience attention, there are quite a number of captions to initiate each phase of Higenio’s life and internment in the trench, thematic names as well as dictionary explanations.

While Higenio’s internment is claustrophobic, the film often opens out, especially with Rosa having to lead her ordinary life, arrested, interrogated but released, able to maintain the deception.

When Rosa wants a child, Higenio, already a kind of victim of Stockholm syndrome with his trench, is too wary. There is an alarming episode where a sympathetic local guard who brings clothes for Rosa to mend (and Higenio to help with this sewing), makes an advance on Rosa and rapes her. When she finds she is pregnant, Higenio is more wary, suspicious, Rosa going away for a time and returning with the young child.

There is an interlude where two gay men think the house is empty and come there for rendezvous, Higenio observing, surprising them, their wanting secrecy in the town, but Higenio persuading the local postman to bring him a cooked meal each week.

The film moves fairly quickly through the late 1940s, into the 1950s, glimpses of the young son growing up, being passed off as a nephew, and having to be very careful in what he can say and do. Then the 1960s, when he is an adult, in makes demands on his parents.

Finally, there is an amnesty in 1969, Rosa who has been patient and impatient with her husband over the years, urges him to go out. He is very hesitant – but finds that in the street, people give the time of day, don’t notice who he is, that he can resume normal life. A postscript indicates that at this time many “moles” were able to emerge years, decades of hiding.

1. The title, the tone, the reality of Higenio hiding for 30 years?
2. The time settings, from the mid 1930s to 1969, the town, the streets, buildings, homes, changes over the decades?
3. The captions and titles for each section of the film, highlighting the themes, the drama?
4. The credibility of the plot, the fact that many opponents of the Franco regime went into hiding and stayed hidden for decades? The end with the amnesty, and the information of so many emerging from hiding?
5. Higenio and Rosa, their political attitudes, anti-Franco? Then marrying, their home, the political situation, Higenio and his attempt to escape, other militants escaping to the hills, his going back home, going into hiding? His character, personality, relationship with his wife, with his father, the fact that he would remain hidden for 30 years, his changing attitudes, fear, and fearful of going out as well is being discovered? Rosa, her love for her husband, devotion to him, the difficulties of the years?
6. Higenio going into hiding, Gonzalo and his animosity, checking on Higenio, betrayal? Gonzalo and his continued suspicions over the decades, trying to get information, nosing around, later with his wife’s death, in the bar, suspicions, coming to the house with clothes to be mended? His finally getting to the house, the local police, their not believing him about Higenio, his damage to the door, his being charged, expenses? A futile animosity in search for 30 years?
7. The hiding place, digging the trench, getting rid of the soil, setting up the trench, bedding, lighting, popular novels, the peephole? Audiences becoming more and more familiar with the trench? The death of Roderigo, the burial of his body? The irony of Higenio living above Roderigo’s body?
8. The details of life in the trench over the 30 years, meals, sanitation, washing, clothes, avoiding any indication that he was there? Later the people knowing, hearing him snore, hearing conversations?
9. Higenio and his relationship with his father, the visits, the decision to move house, his disguise as a woman, the religious procession, eventually getting to the house, it becoming his house? The site for the trench?
10. Rosa, having to lead her life, arrested, interrogated, returned, not giving her husband away? The effect on her over the years? Happiness, quarrels? Her wanting a child? Higenio and his reasons against it? Roderigo, his marriage and his wife, coming with his clothes, the attack on Rosa, the attempted rape, Higenio attacking, Rosa with the knife, Roderigo’s death, the decision to bury him? Later Rosa and the bond with his widow?
11. The changing political scene, Franco and his victory, the political climate in the town? World War II, Higenio and his wanting the allies to win, the length of the war, the effect on him?
12. Rosa, going away, pregnancy, Higenio and his queries about the paternity? Her return with the baby? His hesitation, holding the baby, bonding with the baby?
13. The homosexual couple, thinking they are in the empty house, the relationship, secrecy, Higenio observing, coming out of the trench, his hold over them, the postman wanting secrecy, Higenio persuading him to bring meals, sitting and enjoying them?
14. The years passing, the late 1950s, Jaime growing up, being passed off as interview, his relationship with his father, the tensions? The pressure on the boy, the rebel and his coming to the house, Jaime telling him the truth, the rebel and his bonding with Higenio?
15. The changes during the 1960s, Jaime growing up, wanting some independence? Rosa and her becoming more exasperated? Urging Higenio to come out? That he was not being sought? His attempts, to the door, at the window, the telescope and the demolition of the buildings, his seeing Gonzalo at the bar? not coming out? Rosa and her perseverance?
16. The amnesty, Rosa and her happiness, urging Higenio, his still being tentative, eventually coming out, walking the streets, people not noticing, wishing him the time of day, ordinary life?