There are some good things about this movie. There's a reflection on what can so easily happen to a revolutionary movement when it takes power, as Madero (Harold Gordon) betrays the people he supposedly fought for by not pursuing land reform after he becomes president of Mexico; there's a very moving and eloquent speech by Zapata (Marlon Brando): "if they take your corn, grow more; if they kill your children, breed more," etc., etc.; there's the reflection contained at the end of the movie when it becomes clear that to kill a man does not kill the ideas the man represented. So, in terms of political commentary, there's a lot of good stuff here. There was also a pretty good performance from Brando, who portrays Zapata as brooding and sombre throughout - a man who finds little time to enjoy the pleasures of life (even his beautiful bride) because he spends so much time fighting for the people. It was a good portrayal.
Unfortunately, that powerful content is submerged in a movie that is often, to be blunt, quite dull and actionless, with a number of scenes throughout in which very little happens. Twice I sat down to watch it; both times I missed part of it because it put me out. Through both watchings, I think I've seen the whole thing, but that says something to me. In all honesty, the movie lost me somewhat right off the top when my initial impression of what I was seeing was that it was a bunch of American actors running around in sombreros pretending to be Mexican. It lacked authenticity to me. (Fay Roope as Porforio Diaz was especially unconvincing.) That made it hard for the movie to maintain my attention, even given the strong parts that I've mentioned. I end up rating this as a 3/10, still noting that the strong content is diluted by what I found to be an overall unengaging story.
Unfortunately, that powerful content is submerged in a movie that is often, to be blunt, quite dull and actionless, with a number of scenes throughout in which very little happens. Twice I sat down to watch it; both times I missed part of it because it put me out. Through both watchings, I think I've seen the whole thing, but that says something to me. In all honesty, the movie lost me somewhat right off the top when my initial impression of what I was seeing was that it was a bunch of American actors running around in sombreros pretending to be Mexican. It lacked authenticity to me. (Fay Roope as Porforio Diaz was especially unconvincing.) That made it hard for the movie to maintain my attention, even given the strong parts that I've mentioned. I end up rating this as a 3/10, still noting that the strong content is diluted by what I found to be an overall unengaging story.