The Siege of the Alcazar
Encyclopedia
The Siege of the Alcazar or L'Assedio dell'Alcazar is a 1940 Italian
war
film
directed by Augusto Genina
about the famous episode Siege of the Alcázar
during the Spanish Civil War
set in Toledo, Spain
. The film won the Mussolini Cup in Venice Film Festival
for being the Best Italian Film. The film runs more in the Spanish dubbed version, it was restored by Filmoteca Española
and released in DVD in Spain by Divisa Home Video. The film was shot in Cinecittà
with Italian, French and Spanish actors. In the Italian version all three non-Italian actors (Mireille Balin, Rafael Calvo and Carlos Muñoz) spoke their lines in Italian. They were dubbed by Italian actors afterwards.
is a historical fortification taken by Franquist troops during the Spanish Civil War. The Republicans invest the Alcazar and besiege it for months against determined Nationalist resistance, before the siege was lifted by Franco with the Army of Africa.
for being the Best Italian Film.
The film was preceded by a prologue in the Italian, Spanish and German versions, all introducing the subject and setting the scenes. While the Italian and Spanish prologues are almost identical and only praised the courage of the besieged, the German prologue is decidedly more sinister in tone and, not surprisingly, openly condemns Bolshevism as the source of all evils
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
directed by Augusto Genina
Augusto Genina
Augusto Genina was an Italian film pioneer. He was a movie producer and director.Born in Rome, Genina was a drama critic and wrote comedies for the Il Mondo Magazine, under advise of Aldo de Benedetti switches to movies for the "Film d'Arte Italiana", that produces his first film "La moglie di sua...
about the famous episode Siege of the Alcázar
Siege of the Alcázar
The Siege of the Alcázar was a highly symbolic Nationalist victory in Toledo in the opening stages of the Spanish Civil War. The Alcázar of Toledo was held by a variety of military forces in favor of the Nationalist uprising. Militias of the parties in the Popular Front began their siege on July 21...
during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
set in Toledo, Spain
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
. The film won the Mussolini Cup in Venice Film Festival
Venice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
for being the Best Italian Film. The film runs more in the Spanish dubbed version, it was restored by Filmoteca Española
Filmoteca Española
The Filmoteca Española is an official institution of the Ministry of Culture of Spain. Its objective is to restore, investigate and conserve the film heritage of Spain and its difusion....
and released in DVD in Spain by Divisa Home Video. The film was shot in Cinecittà
Cinecittà
Cinecittà is a large film studio in Rome that is considered the hub of Italian cinema.-History:The studios were founded in 1937 by Benito Mussolini and his head of cinema Luigi Freddi for propaganda purposes, under the slogan "Il cinema è l'arma più forte"...
with Italian, French and Spanish actors. In the Italian version all three non-Italian actors (Mireille Balin, Rafael Calvo and Carlos Muñoz) spoke their lines in Italian. They were dubbed by Italian actors afterwards.
Plot
The Alcázar of ToledoAlcázar of Toledo
The Alcázar of Toledo is a stone fortification located in the highest part of Toledo, Spain. Once used as a Roman palace in the 3rd century, it was restored under Charles I and Philip II of Spain in the 1540's...
is a historical fortification taken by Franquist troops during the Spanish Civil War. The Republicans invest the Alcazar and besiege it for months against determined Nationalist resistance, before the siege was lifted by Franco with the Army of Africa.
Cast
- Fosco GiachettiFosco GiachettiFosco Giachetti was an Italian actor.He was the brother of the actor Gianfranco Giachetti.Fosco Giachetti was the protagonist of Lo squadrone bianco , directed by Augusto Genina...
: Captain Vela - Mireille Balin : Carmen Herrera
- María Denis : Conchita Alvarez
- Rafael Calvo : Colonel José Moscardó ItuarteJosé Moscardó ItuarteJosé Moscardó e Ituarte, 1st Count of the Alcázar of Toledo, Grandee of Spain was the military Governor of Toledo Province during the Spanish Civil War...
- Carlos Muñoz : Colonel Moscardò's son
Awards
The film won the Mussolini Cup in Venice Film FestivalVenice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
for being the Best Italian Film.
Reception
The Italian version was released in Italy in August 1940. The Spanish version of the film, known as "Sin novedad en El Alcazar!" was released in Spain in October 1940. After the war, the film was re-released in Italy under the new title 'Alcazar' with significant cuts. All references to the involvement of Italy in the Spanish Civil War as well as the cruelty of the Republicans were excised to avoid any political debate.The film was preceded by a prologue in the Italian, Spanish and German versions, all introducing the subject and setting the scenes. While the Italian and Spanish prologues are almost identical and only praised the courage of the besieged, the German prologue is decidedly more sinister in tone and, not surprisingly, openly condemns Bolshevism as the source of all evils