Mourir à Madrid

All the comments reflect my own experience and feelings. Frédéric Rossif is a cineast who touches both heart and mind by his documentary work, as well as Ken Loach does in his social-political statements. More than the latter's "Land of Freedom" in color, the black-and-white of Mourir à Madrid reveals as much Spain's tragic sufferings of civil war as it pictures an archaic rural world now almost vanished.

The film score by Jarre, which I taped from the movie once shown on TV, is magnificent: it's Spanish guitar themes are still as beautiful and haunting as the ones of "Jeux Interdits". And yes, it's deplorable indeed that it hasn't already been re-edited and remastered on DVD; it can't be that difficult to bring it out and distribute it, seen the rubbish that does nowadays... An idea for Criterion?

I saw this film 40 years ago--it was the first I saw that did more than merely entertain. It's a movie for those who ponder larger issues. I recall the contagion to the viewer of the spirit of those fighting for liberty, and the hope for the future, unfortunately only to finish in futility.

As I recall, the opening scene was of a peasant walking a burro along a road--the ending scene was exactly the same, denoting that despite the fervor of many, sometimes nothing much changes in this world. I thought it was genius to depict the futility in this way.

Saw it as a young girl, and it changed my life. It was shown in an art-house as part of a double bill, with Guns of August - about World War I. I was prompted learn move about the Spanish CIvil War, became more committed than ever to populist movements and cherishing of life.

I have ever since been a passionate fan of political documentary. In recent years docs are intended to 'educate with facts'. Facts are meaningless without heart and a vision of what makes life beautiful. I yearn for the return of this type of documentary instead of the talking heads that dominate now.

WHY ISN'T THIS OUT OF DVD OR VHS? An outrage.

40 years later I still remember seeing a movie showing real people fighting for real freedom - in particular a scene where bullets hit a empty hilltop, then rebels run through the same space, then bullets again - the sense that two seconds earlier or later in their actions would have meant real death (not movie death). I feel that we all should see understand what was shared in this film. ALSO - the music of Maurice Jarre was simple and beautiful.

i saw this movie over 30 years ago at the carnegie theatre in new york city. i have never forgotten it and in subsequent years have tried to obtain a dvd or vhs for my collection. unfortunately it doesn't seem to be available and the film is rarely shown any more. whether you agree or disagree with the plot of the film, it is a cinematic experience.