Martín Fierro

This film is for the most part an accurate screen representation of life as it was in the Provincia Cisplatina during the Spanish rule.

Nothing to be proud of.

But it is NOT a sensationalist war epic or a soap opera with a fictitious plot designed to entertain viewers. It really is a sad movie.

People from other cultures will not understand it, only those of us who have had the honor and privilege of riding a Pampa horse among the Teros will.

It was intended to be a movie about OUR history and that's EXACTLY what it is.

MARTIN FIERRO is the "Homer", "El Cid" or "Chanson de Roland" of Argentina. It's the national epic which every school child must read. A mythical account of the gauchos (Argentine cowboys) and their struggle to survive in the pampas of Argentina, MARTIN FIERRO is a showcase of national folklore and of the gaucho's push to conquer all of Argentina, against the Indians and other enemies. Their push south, west and north is somewhat comparable to the U.S. One of the main differences, as shown in MARTIN FIERRO, is the smaller role played by women and families in the Argentine conquest. The poetic rhythm of the original novel/epic poem is maintained in the narration used throughout the film. If you are not interested in Argentine history, and have not read MARTIN FIERRO, I think it's highly unlikely you'll enjoy this film.>

The gaucho was the product of miscegenation of European conquerors and the indigenous peoples of the Americas. He was an outcast of both societies, but found his niche in the estancias and hacendados of the open pampas, where, though not a slave, he belonged to the land upon which he lived. The sense of alienation is unmistakable, and unrelenting. The folklore music is true to the character and times of the gaucho, and ties in flawlessly with the story. The death of Martin Fierro belonged in the annals of a society trying to forget its past, and his resurrection as an icon of Argentine independence makes this a must see for those who seek to understand the Argentine character. I have seen the reenactments of the duelo criollo knife fights, and far from seeming unrealistic, they are incredibly dangerous and exciting. I recommend heartily this film. It is not the fast-paced action films of the late 20th Century. It is, more realistically, a bumpy, disjointed, often catastrophic show of the cultural disarticulation of the society that was Argentina in the 19th Century.