Original subtitles

THE GUERNICA TREE

Are you going to the Carnival?

Everybody is at the fair.

Everybody is at the Carnival.

Everything goes. There are no rules.

You might meet somebody so you won't have to sleep alone.

We are free now.

- Still single at her age. - All alone in the mountains.

She doesn't see anybody except for her donkey.

Our castle was a well-respected, sacred place before the Republic.

Look at it now, surrounded,

threatened by that filth.

To think that for all these years,

all these centuries,

our family ruled Villa Ramiro

and its surroundings.

And now our authority

has been abused and defeated,

so defeated that we have to live

like exiled people.

I have to release the dogs

into the courtyard of our property

to deter the excesses of the most vindictive and excited

of all that riff-raff.

The residents of Villa Ramiro used to be so disciplined.

Look at them now, marching down the streets

to bury a sardine in the middle of an orgy in some degrading carnival.

They're trying to prove

that contrary to the orders of our blessed mother, the church,

they would actually eat meat

instead of fish during Lent.

The Republic is to blame for all of that and so is democracy.

This nation that up until yesterday was subjected

to the righteous authority of the aristocrats

is now dreaming of launching a revolution.

It is corrupted by demagogy and liberty.

When freedom came,

it also restored Villa Ramiro's faith in the future.

She blossomed, free at last.

I think that pretty soon there won't be any discrimination

against races, politics or religions.

When that day arrives, dwarves will be men like all the others.

Never lose your serenity, that's the source of all your strength.

Never lose your zest for life.

We are just passing, but life isn't.

Nowadays, evil has no sense of humor.

When I think about the future, I feel light and I can fly.

There is hope in my heart.

I could only believe in a God who knew how to dance.

One must be perfect, like animals are

and that requires innocence.

In fact, we only love our childhood and its masterpiece.

Violence against fascists isn't an answer, but an end in itself.

They love war for the sake of it.

They're unhappy. They only dream about death.

Unlike them, I only live for a better world.

Adriano, what I like about you are all my hopes.

How long are you going to keep on living devoid of common sense,

this Bohemian lifestyle that will destroy you?

Furthermore,

your three cousins just showed their evil streak

by attempting to rape an eccentric woman.

You must come back to manage everything.

You are my only son.

Starting today, you must take over the succession.

We are approaching times of crisis,

times of chaos,

an era that the bad shepherds call Revolution.

The scum of Villa Ramiro,

just like the scum of the rest of the country

is ready to destroy everything.

There are lots of talks about giving the land to those who cultivate it

and to take it away from us, the owners.

You must come back to save the land

and manage everything over here,

before I die.

You cannot refuse.

At your age, how can one imagine that a 40 year old man,

a mature man, a bright man like you

could keep on living

such a stupid, mediocre life?

Rumors of your exploits with your surrealist friends

reached us all the way here.

I know that you soiled the coat of arms of the country,

that you traumatized poor little girls at their first communion...

Dear brothers, your attention, please.

We just received a message from the Red Cross.

All these communion wafers are poisoned.

...that you provoked the members of the Spanish Royal Academy...

Don Marcelino Menendez Y Pelayo, father of the Spanish Critic,

- Notable forerunner of... - Academicians to the mental hospital!

...that you made a revolting and sacrilegeous painting.

You and your friends are a bunch of hoodlums.

People I consider to be the scum of society.

Here is what you gave me yesterday and what I'm giving back to you today.

Now we are even.

What do you mean? What's in this glass?

A few drops of my sperm.

The Insurrection against the Republic has been meticulously planned.

The conspirators are ready for action and will do so when the time is right.

Our men were recruited all over the Spanish territory.

The richest personalities of the country such as March,

have decided just like Hitler and Mussolini

to provide us with all the assistance we might need.

In Barcelona, General Goded will rise

and take over Catalonia and Las Ramblas

A Seuta, le Colonel Yague with a motorized division

and several African troops will spring into action.

At Las Palmas, General Franco, in connection with the aerial base

will take over the operations.

In Pamplona, General Mola and the Carlists will occupy Navarre.

In Melia, le colonel Segue will rise with Third Regiment of Infantry.

And here, at the Villa Ramiro, we will take over with the Falange.

It won't be easy. The town is infested with Republicans

who seduced the masses with their demagogy.

Revolutionaries should be exterminated right away

and the strategic areas of the city taken over.

These two actions should be carried out simultaneously.

The Army will be on time on the 18th at 5:00 A. M...

Either we'll triumph in an hour,

or, if our plans fail, we will have to face a long civil war.

Villa Ramiro will be a reflection

of what could happen in all of Spain.

Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!

How long will the people

accept to live under the powerful ones?

Yes, long live freedom!

Long live the Republic! Long live the Republic!

What's going on? What do you want?

Cousin, you must join us.

Go on, Rafael.

On the 18th we will all rise.

Then I will go to bed.

Don't you see what I'm trying to tell you?

On the 18th, we will all rise against the Republic.

We are going to have a coup d'�tat.

Everything has been planned.

The Army is on our side.

I'm pleased to see you still have balls.

Vipers bites won't stop you from brandishing your gun

to defend your ideal.

I forbid you to laugh when you talk about our ideal.

There are many heroes

among the conspirators.

What do I care about your schemes?

I don't give a damn about your political stories.

It makes me laugh.

The only heroes left when we'll organize ourselves in Spain,

will be the deserters. Good luck.

They are getting ready to wipe us out.

They are conspiring against us, we already know that.

But people will be opposed to it.

Don't repeat this to anyone...

"Our Father who art in heaven, give us this day our daily bread..."

Because the collectivist society of tomorrow

after having eliminated the ruling classes will give us all our daily bread

as well as truffled foie gras every day.

I dread what's going to happen.

I'm afraid it's gonna be another barbaric period.

Freedom is essential but ever so hard.

And many only feel a need to consume.

Unfortunately,

that often means the elimination of others.

Our current civilization is going to perish.

And either we are at the dawn of a new barbaric era,

or something really horrible.

Neither the sun, nor death, can face each other.

We are all walking on a tightrope,

on the tiniest tightrope.

All it would take would be to lean over a bit too far

to plummet into illusions or despair.

Fascism means death.

The man of the party must become a liar.

Martyrs always bury the truth.

Pacifism cannot be a capitulation,

but rather a type of resistance.

You are such an idealist, come with us to the demonstration, come on.

No, I have to go to school with my pupils.

# Tis the final conflict #

# Let each stand in his place #

# The International Union #

# Shall be the human race #

# 'Tis the final conflict #

# Let each stand in his place... #

I've been elected by all of you,

to represent Republican order and equality.

I'm asking you, residents of Villa Ramiro,

to obey the law

even though you know they're conspiring against us.

You are asking me for weapons, but only the army can carry them.

Give us weapons!

Calm down, I'm begging you, calm down.

We will all rise tomorrow at dawn in 10 hours.

With General Goded in Madrid,

General Queipo de Llano in Seville,

and Las Recades in the North.

The Republic will be destroyed

before it even knew what hit it

and the whole country will be in our hands

from the Portuguese to the French border.

Everything has been planned around here.

We all know the time and date and the role we have to play.

This is a list of all the arrests to be made.

And this is a list of hasty executions

that are necessary to terrorize the population.

If necessary we will exterminate half of the village.

Long live Christ our King!

Long live Christ our King!

Radio Paris here.

It's hard to come across as impartial and fair

when it comes to the devastating tragedy

our southern neighbors are currently going through

The Spanish Civil War has just begun.

Following the first confrontations and the confusion that followed,

Spain is divided in two.

Geographically it is divided by a line that goes through Madrid.

To the east is the Republican popular front

who is confident that this budding war

will only be an unexpected shortcut

that will lead them to a world of justice, equality and tolerance.

To the west, the military, the clergy and the main landowners

are adamant about restoring an order

similar to the one established by the inquisition in its days.

After having uncovered a fascist plot,

Villa Ramiro is in the hands if its inhabitants

who have decided to take over the Count's Castle,

symbol of the tyranny that enslaved them for centuries.

Mr. The Count... I mean, Comrade Count.

Whoever isn't on our side is against us.

Open the gate of your castle

and come stand in front of us all.

Come outside with your servants and your family.

Come outside with your hands up, come outside.

Vamos.

Vamos.

Fascist

Exploiter Capitalist Fascist."

It's a rather symbolic demonstration...

What a surprise! Good morning.

it's the first time Count Cerralbo visits the public school.

Have a seat, please.

Sir, I came to bring you this gift.

- What's the occasion? - Because of all those rascals.

You mean, the residents of Villa Ramiro?

For centuries,

you and your family have treated those people

like in the days of slavery,

by denying them their daily bread,

asking them to cut short their life,

gagged so they wouldn't eat the grape,

dressing them in used burlap,

forcing them to sell their most beautiful daughters to prostitution,

Count of Cerralbo, I'm against all forms of bribing.

Trust me, an outburst like the one that occurred this morning

was molded by your own hands for centuries.

I didn't come here to talk politics.

I came here to ask you to hide me.

My life is threatened.

A fanatic could shoot me at anytime.

I beg of you, hide me, in the name of Christian charity.

I could only do that as a humane gesture.

Anyway, our side,

I mean, the Falangist side...

Right, your accomplice.

When they'll get here,

they will take in consideration the fact that you protected me.

Think about it.

Of course and I won't be killed in the arena

like my predecessor, Mr. Nora.

without a fair trial.

I can assure you nobody will harm you,

you have my word on it.

I'm going to hide you because it's the humane thing to do, as I said.

But you're wrong to try to convince me with such low tactics.

Keep your money.

As far as this jewel is concerned,

I'm not used to wearing gold bracelets.

The Republican government

who is nothing more than the bastard offspring

born of the liberals' mingling with the socialists

is about to collapse

thanks to the upheaval of the Spanish Army

that has the support of the clergy and the ruling class.

Spain, the real Spain,

is about to slaughter the Marxist dragon,

who's hit the dust and is now crawling.

Spain is safe!

Villa Ramiro is already between our hands.

From the Spanish Republic Radio

out of the Madrid Studio.

People of Spain, stay tuned,

don't turn off your radio.

Traitors against the nation are spreading rumors

regarding some obscure criminal plot

organized by a reactionary and fascist minority.

People are showing up everywhere to help the Republic

that a small group of fascists is trying to overturn by force.

Our legitimate republic will know how to resist

this minority of military renegades

kept afloat by fascism and nazism

to avoid a civil war.

We are adamant about denouncing an erroneous information...

Villa Ramiro is still Republican.

How come Villa Ramiro is still standing?

The Spanish Civil War is still going on with its pro-Franco procession.

At Suda de Rodrigo, a peasant accused

of having disrespected an object of worship

was cruelly tortured in public then put to death.

Attention! Get ready.

Squadron ready to execute the lawyer Delbosque, traitor against the country.

Get set...

fire!

FRANCE

# 'Tis the final conflict #

# Let each stand in his place #

# The International Union #

# Shall be the human race #

# 'Tis the final conflict #

# Let each stand in his place #

# The International Union #

# Shall be the human race... #

In Guernica, under this tree,

the Spanish monarch and its deputies

swore as was the custom

to respect the specific rights of its inhabitants.

This is the Freedom Tree.

The Guernica Tree.

...Culture

According to tradition,

the town's children are going to participate

in the "most beautiful tree in Guernica" contest.

But don't forget, blood calls for more blood,

torture calls for more torture.

The chain reaction unlatched by some fascist minority

is covering our land with so much mourning.

The lowest instincts of man

spring up and blind his lucidity.

We will fight for justice and freedom.

We'll keep on fighting

because we gave our all for the Republic to succeed.

Aristocrats' houses have been converted into schools.

Charitable organizations gave back pawned objects for free.

Chalices and convents' fences

have been melted to cast ammunitions to defend people.

And today, although fights and war are setting the whole country ablaze,

we are going to ask the orchestra to play for us all,

"Let's rejoice, victory is near."

What is your name?

Tell me yours first.

"Fascism assassinates culture"

In spite of the atrocities,

life is returning to normal

in the small town of Villa Ramiro.

Although we are besieged

since the bombing of the city of Guernica.

But we are still holding our own against the fascist army.

Right in the middle of battles

classes are being offered to the combatants

so there won't be ignorant among them.

In the hope that the best medicine

against terror and intolerance

will be culture.

Contrary to the saying,

one shouldn't "love thy neighbor as thyself,"

but love thyself as thy neighbor.

Because if we don't love thyself,

we don't love thy neighbor.

The worst enemy you can encounter

will always be yourself.

And now we're going to re-enact

the savage bombing of Guernica.

The town of Guernica was razed by the Nazi air force

and the Guernica Tree, "the Freedom Tree"

miraculously survived the slaughtering.

It remained untouched like hope.

Villa Ramiro outnumbered by troops surrounding it,

doesn't seem to accept defeat.

According to experts, it doesn't look like the city can resist any longer

with hunting riffles and stones against a modern army.

"Free people of the world are with Villa Ramiro."

"Long live democracy!"

Where can I sign up for battle?

These are the Third Battalion barracks, comrade.

- Halt. - I am Vandale.

- Where are you headed? - Home, to Villa Ramiro.

- Are you a Commie? - Let her be.

She's a poor woman who's got nothing to do with this.

- Are you sure? - Absolutely. Bring her to me.

We'll meet again, with no vipers and no soldiers around,

just the two of us.

- Then... - Halt!

I'm not one to hold a grudge. Don't go to Villa Ramiro.

We've surrounded the city

and in two days, cannons will be brought in

in order to eradicate

the last of the rebels.

If you don't take this seriously, you'll surely die.

Villa Ramiro will fall any time soon.

It would be ridiculous to redirect our troops

and try to protect a city that's been almost completely surrounded

and whose only means of protection are its walls!

Villa Ramiro is a symbol for us

and we have to defend it with all we have...

our teeth, our nails, our guts and blood...

and if that's not enough,

we'll bury those killers in our own shit!

Goya, you're talking like a poet, not like a rebel.

I'm just a common soldier fighting for freedom.

Fighting? How?

By sending the Fifth Company, the Third Regiment, the Third Column?

They have to know that we are with them every step of the way,

that they've not been forgotten.

They have to know that Spain is fighting for them.

Telephone communication with them has been cut off!

I'll fly there.

You very well know we have no planes available.

Don't you worry about that.

I've commandeered one.

The Marquis of Quijo had a personal plane.

But the sky is permanently infested with German planes!

Listen, children.

The thought for the day is:

"Ideas that arrive

on the wings of a dove

lead the world."

You can go to the demonstration now.

Yeah!

Comrade Vandale who has just arrived from Guernica,

the city razed to the ground, wants to speak to you!

Listen, all of you living in Villa Ramiro!

It's better to die standing tall than to live on our knees.

The fascists...

the fascists who have destroyed Guernica

will never destroy the Tree of Liberty!

They want to take over Villa Ramiro

but Villa Ramiro will bury the fascism

and despotism of the privileged!

Men, women...

comrades, let us bear arms!

If you don't have a weapon, steal it from a dead enemy.

If you have nothing, fight with your bare hands,

throw boiling oil on the enemies of the people!

And let the children help build barricades!

Those who do not have faith in our victory are nothing but cowards!

Those men...

those men who savagely crushed Guernica and its inhabitants

in a deluge of iron and fire

will not be allowed to rule Villa Ramiro or Spain!

Let every place, every house be a fortress!

Let every neighborhood be an iron barrier against our attackers!

Citizens of Villa Ramiro, rise up in arms!

The world is looking at you! �No pasar�n!

They shall not pass!

Comrades, here's a message for you!

"Spain is with Villa Ramiro!"

"Villa Ramiro is the symbol of democracy!"

"Heroic people of Villa Ramiro, resist!"

"Villa Ramiro is the banner of the Republic!"

# My friends who are in jail #

# I want to make it clear #

# My friends who are in jail #

# I want to make it clear #

# I'm not in this world #

# To steal from the poor #

# I'm not in this world #

# To steal from the poor #

# I'm a clandestine #

# The Civil Guard knows it #

# I'm a clandestine #

# The Civil Guard knows it #

# And if they don't kill me #

# We'll destroy your prisons #

# And if they don't kill me #

# We'll destroy your prisons #

# The injustice ruling this country #

# Will soon be overturned #

# The injustice ruling this country #

# Will soon be overturned #

# And the people will stand #

# Like the Tree of Guernica #

# And the people will stand #

# Like the tree of Guernica. #

Get back there.

- Long live the Republic! - Long live the Republic.

They shall not pass.

People of Villa Ramiro, you all know me.

I am Rafael Cerralbo!

Rafael Cerralbo, I am Vandale!

There is no point in putting up a fight.

You have been besieged by forces incalculably superior to yours.

We are waiting for you!

And this time, we have more than vipers to defend ourselves.

There they are! Shoot towards the cannons!

General, we have been overwhelmed.

- That can't be! - It is.

Our weapons have been destroyed.

Villa Ramiro must fall! It is the heart of the Republic!

Our troops can't raid the city.

The locals are fighting like wild animals.

But our force is superior!

It's easier to stay behind city walls than attack them.

So we'll send the German Condor Legion.

- All right. - And two of Mussolini's divisions.

- All right. - We have to wipe out Villa Ramiro!

Yes, sir!

Fascist troops have decided to put an end to Villa Ramiro's resistance.

The largest concentration of troops since the beginning of the war

has begun its siege of Villa Ramiro.

Franco's army has been strengthened

by massive numbers of German and Italian volunteers.

Battle is taking place on such unequal footing

that the city will fall in no time.

Let me go!

Let's kill him now!

Here's Vandale, our speech fanatic!

Whore!

Be careful, she bit a priest and almost ripped his arm off!

Rafael Cerralbo will be very pleased.

Turn west!

Turn east!

We, soldiers who have fought for our country,

cannot waste our time on so-called democratic justice measures,

mere criminal methods used to sabotage

what is just punishment.

However, you have been given the chance

to stand trial in accordance with military code.

Which means that there will be no witnesses,

the defendants will not be at liberty to address the court

and sentences will be carried out without possible appeal

tomorrow morning.

The first defendant is Antonio Garcia, school teacher,

charged with the murder of Count Cerralbo.

The evidence I've been handed is damning.

Moreover, a jacket belonging to the count was found at the school.

This is a tragic misunderstanding.

Quiet! You have no right to speak!

Your lawyer, Captain Ares, can speak in your name.

- I've never met him. - I said be quiet

or I'll blow your head off

with this very gun that defended our motherland!

Captain Ares, as the defendant's attorney,

what do you have to say in his name?

The unforgivable crime committed by the defendant

calls for the full rigor of the law,

but I will ask the court to show clemency.

Upon hearing the defense and reviewing the evidence,

we hereby sentence Antonio Garcia to death.

Let's move on to the next defendant,

Angel Castillo, blacksmith, charged with several crimes

committed during the Communist upheaval in Villa Ramiro.

I am Count Cerralbo.

- Sir, you have... - How do you dare

interrupt the judicial process?

Villa Ramiro's school teacher has just been sentenced to death

for killing Count Cerralbo,

which is outrageous

- Considering I am Count Cerralbo. - How is that possible?

I haven't killed anybody.

Indeed, I am Count Cerralbo.

Not only is this man not guilty of murder,

he hid and protected me.

Since he was well-respected in Villa Ramiro during the upheaval,

I was safe from the Communists.

Very well. You are dismissed.

We will change the sentence.

Guard, please escort Count Cerralbo out of the courtroom.

We revoke the death sentence

pronounced upon Antonio Garcia for murder,

but considering Count Cerralbo's allegation

that the defendant

had such a good reputation among the Communists,

to the point of being able to hide one of our men,

we sentence him to death, not by gunshot but by garrote.

The list of prisoners to be executed.

- Everything ready? - Everything.

- You have the muzzles? - Here.

I don't want to hear anything subversive

like "long live the Republic" or "freedom will prevail,"

or see any kind of unruly behavior.

They won't say a word with that on.

Sir, this one was used yesterday.

It is still dripping with the Commie's slobber.

Rafael...

we have arrested Vandale.

Wonderful.

Make sure those brutes go to confession before they die.

They are quite stubborn.

Yesterday, a priest had to kill one with his crucifix.

He was uttering horrific blasphemy.

Go get the condemned and prepare for the execution.

As for me...

I intend to celebrate Vandale's arrival...

with her, of course.

Go on.

Here are the names of those to be executed in the morning:

Juan P�rez Gonzales;

Antonio G�mez;

Moises P�rez P�rez;

Melquisedes Arivas G�mez;

Ojelio Verzoza Campillio;

Anacleto Torrez Pereira;

Angel Castillo Fuente;

Miguel Angel Lopez Ter�n;

Vicente Posuedo Escudero;

Vicente Gonzalez Ruis;

Jes�s Raul Camunior;

Luis Pescador de Arroyo.

Pacifism must not be a mere form of resignation,

but an active act of resistance,

a call to life.

"Ideas that arrive on the wings of a dove lead the world."

This is a public announcement!

By decree of local military authorities,

all commandeered land will be given back to its owner;

the local school is closed and will be used as a prison;

Sunday Mass attendance is compulsory;

military courts will replace civil courts;

religious authorities

have informed us that His Holiness the Pope

has declared our fight against the Republic

a Crusade.

Executions will take place publicly every day at the cemetery.

A celebration will take place tomorrow in the arena

to celebrate our victory in Villa Ramiro.

Par ici.

Let's go, toro. Come.

Par ici.

Para usted, mi general.

I have plenty of time.

Eventually, you'll tell me everything you know

about the Republican headquarters.

I am ready

to tell you everything I know.

I'm listening.

Come closer.

Closer.

Can you hear that?

There's a round every night.

Soon, you'll beg me to get you executed,

but I won't.

Not until you have endured all the forms of torture I know.

Did you hear that?

You deserve the same fate.

This prison is not very comfortable.

You are mine now. I can do with you whatever I want.

Come here. Let me free you from your shackles.

Attention, please!

We are interrupting our program to read the latest statement

coming straight from General Franco's headquarters.

"Citizens, our army has defeated the enemy

and we have reached our goals.

The war is over."

My name is...

Goya.

I am Vandale.

Vandale.

We can't give up.

Our people must be free again.

The Tree of Guernica, covered in ashes,

still stands, like our hope.