Il pleut sur Santiago

Il pleut sur Santiago recreates the events of Septembre 11,1973 when the Chilean Army under the command of general Pinochet overthrows the elected president Salvador Allende and his socialist government with the support of the CIA.This film was made two years later in France and Bulgarian and Helvio Soto said that it was a tribute to UP,Allende and Augusto Olivares. Helvio Soto (1930-2001) is born in Sanntiago, studied law then took classes of staging at the Catholic University.From 1971 he was in charge ofthe programs of the state television.He also made two films before that film. Except Helvio Soto, the director and Patricia Guzman, an Chilean actress , all the technicians and actors were French and Bulgarian. Finally Il pleut sur Santiago is a political film made with the purpose of telling to all world that an elected president has been overthrowed in Chile in 1973 !! But the politicals films have a temporary life, in the Chilean case Pinochet had to leave in 1988 , so the theme of a new political film could be the resistance against the dictature and the return to democratic conditions.

"Il Pleut Sur Santiago" ("It's Raining on Santiago") recreates the events of the rainy September 11, 1973 when a military coup led by General Pinochet took over Chile ending with the Socialist administration of Salvador Allende, unfavorable to the bourgeoisie and industrials of the country and also to the American politicians who feared the man and his approval among people.

Comes as a surprise how fast this was made two years after the fact, everything was fresh, and even so the picture argues with many controversies that even today are object of debate. It practically gives as certain that Allende was killed by the military even though the official story says it was a suicide; and there's a certain speculation about Pablo Neruda's death as well - his body is to be exhumed this year to clarify on the possibility of him being a victim of the regime that would torture and kill thousands of people until its end in 1988.

Although great in its research and serving as a denounce vehicle against the brutalities of the then current regime, "Il Pleut sur Santiago" doesn't fulfill much as a film, often not causing effect in its humanistic levels, and too concentrated in its political aspects. It looks like a rushed manifest to be sold abroad than it looks like a movie, it lacks of emotional dimensions. It goes as a good history lesson but it's just something too far from the public, loses itself sometimes (I blame the excessive flashbacks in between 1970 when of Allende's victory to back to 1973). Having been made with the potency, quality and impact of a Costa Gavras film - he made a similar piece "Etat de Siege" - I wonder if something would've happened of positive in Chile, if the world would give a wider attention to what was going on in there. Very unlikely but who knows. Waiting for the day when a movie be this powerful, to change political minds.

Overall, I liked it, it was informative, well played and featured a good cast (Maurice Garrel, Bernard Fresson, Annie Girardot, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Andre Dussolier, Bibi Andersson and others) who were all effective in their roles. 7/10

-Why didn't you say so before?

-What have you got to fight against the tanks?

"Il pleut sur Santiago' is an interesting work because it remains eminently watchable,very accessible .Let's put it straight:Helvio Soto's biggest mistake is to have cast stars : Bibi Andersson,Annie Girardot,Bernard Fresson,Jean-Louis Trintignant,Nicole Calfan do nothing more than walk-on parts.Laurent Terzieff and Riccardo Cucciola have more substantial parts,but the best scenes are those which include the masses .

Helvio Soto's screenplay passes nothing over in silence: butchered democracy and so-called suicide of Allende , American intervention,copper mines and economic interests , travesties of trial,tortures and murders.He even shows some military men who refuse to obey and a deserter is executed with the "Marxist" .

The political movies were very trendy in France of the seventies:but because those events were recent when the movie was made,"il pleut...." has worn well enough.

I saw this movie after the Portuguese Revolution (April 25, 1974, the "Red Carnations Revolution").

In theaters, often people raised and applauded the film, with 5 minutes ovations.

It showed Pinochet's bloody coup against Chile's democratic elected President Salvador Allende, and the people's struggle against it. It showed some assertions about US aid to Pinochet, which became public only in recent times.

When I read about the reception Americans gave to "Fahrenheit 9/11", Michael Moore's documentary about the Iraq war and the connections between the Bush and Bin Laden families, I felt the need to recall this movie.

These are harsh times, but truth, in the end, will surface, as oil on water.