Simón Bolívar (1969) User Reviews

SIMON BOLIVAR (Alessandro Blasetti, 1969) **1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 6/10 · 17 April 2009]

To begin with, I had never heard of this one before its late-night screening on Italian TV not too long ago; the sole appraisal I read about it back then gave the film – revolving around the struggle under the titular general to unite the South American countries into repelling the Spanish oppressors – the thumbs down but I have to say that I liked it well enough. Incidentally, it proved distinguished director Blasetti's swansong – a return to the epic scale of his most famous productions i.e. THE IRON CROWN (1941) and FABIOLA (1948), though certainly not up to them despite effort all round. Maximilian Schell makes a fine, thoughtful lead; he is supported by the likes of Rosanna Schiaffino (as the unfulfilled wife of an enemy officer who becomes romantically involved with Bolivar) and Francisco Rabal (as a peasant leader who, at first, is unwilling to serve under the Venezuelan general but subsequently emerges the most loyal among his allies). As a matter of fact, Schell brings together about 5 different factions – all of whose individual endeavor had proved futile, while as one army they manage to make a considerable dent in the Spanish lines; that said, Bolivar's zeal (driving the exhausted soldiers on to further conquests) is misconstrued even by his own followers and ends up accused of dictatorial presumptions! Needless to say, the film's tone is heavily redolent of the revolutionary fervor which marked the latter half of the 1960s: in that respect, one can also detect links with the Spaghetti Western subgenre – particularly in view of a jauntily rousing score by the reliable Carlo Savina. The emphasis here is on impassioned speeches and period detail (the widescreen location photography is a big plus, too) rather than sweeping battle scenes yet, when it has to rely upon them, they are still reasonably well-staged.

Simon Bolivar as a Liberator

[arsiete-2 · 9/10 · 3 November 2015]

Blassetti was great director. Known from his "white telephone" films in Italy. He dressed as one expects a neo-fascict director to dress, sort of golf pants and boots.

Maximilian Schell a fantastic actor. This is a film, which has been largely forgotten.If you can find where to see it's a must.

One of the best Simon Bolivar films.

The musical score is by the Venezuelan musician Aldemaro Romero. There are a few musical themes which have become icons of music on films.

The photography is by Manuel Berenguer, a noted Spanish director of photography and the use of graded filters makes the tropical skies look as they should.

I worked as an assistant director for the crowd scenes and learned lots from the other assistants and from the movie. I will always remember the director's orders, in IItalian, which I did'nt understand.

I recommend this as a truly, historically correct film, and the master acting Schell, Schiaffino, Rabal, and the Venezuelan Tomás Henriquez, al "Negro Primero".