"Favorite SCW Movie?" Topic

Which film about the Spanish Civil War would you recommend to your fellow miniature wargamers?

I've seen For Whom the Bell Tolls and Last Train from Madrid. I also saw Pan's Labyrinth, a dark fantasy set in Spain after the war, when they are still trying to destroy bands of Spanish Republican guerillas.

Grelber

I like "Land and Freedom" but even then it would not be in my top movie collection.

martin

The Heifer (la Vaquilla) is my favorite film. There are anyway many good and 'serious' films about SCW.

Enric.

Land and Freedom is OK. I thought Parallel Mothers was excellent, although that is about the long term effects of the war on Spain rather than lots of battle scenes.

Hi Bill,

Although there's a lot of SCW themed movies, not a lot are inspiring material for wargamer or movies enthusiasts either.

But sometimes you can find some interesting stuff:

The already mentionned "Land and Freedom" by Martin

"The Hope, Sierra of Teruel" André Malraux's movie,adaptation of it's own book. Shot in 1938 in Barcelona and the Sierra in tough conditions. It's more focused in the air combats than the ground battles narrated in the book.
YouTube link

- You've got spanish movies shot during Franco regime after the war, no english subtitles sorry

Worth mentionning from a wargame point of view:

Posición Avanzada
The movie credits have Apocalypse Now vibe, the story of an Nationalist "avant poste" near a river and their cohabitation with the opposite Republican trench until the Republican are relieved by German brigadists.
YouTube link
YouTube link

La fiel infanteria A clip from the movie, where Nationalist infantry uses skirmish tactics to check a village…
YouTube link

There is a new one on Netflix. It has the Germans unleashing zombies. Actually a good film. Nationalist and Republican soldiers have to work together to survive. Can't think of the name.

For whom the Bell Tolls,
Land and Freedom,
There be Dragons,
La Libertad

Y'all have to check out "The Good Fight: The Abraham Lincoln Brigade in the Spanish Civil War"

Documentary available on YouTube Here link

It includes a ton of interviews with veterans that served with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. Originally came out about 40 years ago. I love it.

I like "There Be Dragons" and "Land and Freedom" isn't bad – covers the clash between Communists and Anarchists very well. "For Whom The Bell Tolls" looks very dated, doesn't do justice to Hemmingway, IMHO.

Great thread! For completeness, on my list is the Hemingway and Gellhorn thing on HBO.

‘Dragon Rapide' tells the story of the outbreak of the SCW. Particularly France's flight from the Canary Island to Spanish Morocco.

PS. There was NO Abraham Lincoln BRIGADE. There was a mainly-American Abraham Lincoln BATTALION as well as the short-lived George Washington Battslion.

Just found Blockade with Henry Fonda on Prime. Typical 1938 film so far.

Behold A Pale Horse with Gregory Peck and Anthony Quinn like Pans Labyrinth set in the aftermath.

Bob is correct about there being no Abraham Lincoln Brigade. There was an Abraham Lincoln Battalion in the XV International BDE. Most of the American, Canadian, Irish, and British volunteers served in the XV Brigade. The Abraham Lincoln Brigade became an umbrella term for all US volunteers.

I am also a fan of The Good Fight, but one not mentioned that I really like is Dreams and Nightmares by Abe Osheroff an American veteran. YouTube link