Salvador border in his old car and with chum (Jim Belushi), the atmosphere becomes suddenly more frightening and ominous as they pass a burning body and find themselves being bundled into a troop carrier and thence into the midst of a civil war involving the physical elimination of 'subversives' by the army and semi-official death squads.
The plot is based on the real events of 1980-81, high point of the struggle of the Salvadorean people against the ruling junta, in the wake of the successful struggle in neighbouring Nicaragua. We see the assassination of Archbishop Romero whilst giving communion; the shooting of crowds on the steps of the Metropolitan Cathedral in San Salvador; the 'dumping ground' of El Playon, where the bodies of 'the disappeared' could often be found; the rape and murder of a group of American churchwomen by members of the "security forces' and the chilling and sadistic 'Major Max' (Roberto D'Aubisson), head of the death squads and presidential candidate. Always in the background are the officials and 'advisers' protecting the interests of US imperialism.
On the other side we see the resistance fighters, guerrillas of the FMLN, training in their mountain strongholds; women and men, old and young are seen training and learning to use
weapons.
Some critics have pointed out
that the portrayal of women is
highly questionable. Indeed,
women appear for the most part
fleetingly as prostitutes, shallow journalists or 'simple peasant
women'. The main character
spends much of his time trying to 38 obtain a set of official papers for
his Salvadorean girlfriend
The rape and murder of American churchwomen is shown graphically and horribly. Only in the scenes of guerrillas training are some women portrayed postively, and not as 'extras'.
The film also suffers from its liberalism. The murderous role of imperialism is criticised of course: the hypocrisy of the United States apparent concern for democracy and human rights coupled with an
implacable anti-communism is reflected in the dilemmas of Ambassador White. But the critique is blunted.
The essential charge is that if only America could be true to its own professed values, then it could come out of the situation with its hands clean. Thus we hear Boyle make an impassioned plea for a return to true values — to the military advisors! Later on, in the height of a battle between
the guerrillas and army, he rounds on a guerrilla about to execute a captured soldier, accusing her of being 'just the same as them'.
Despite all this, the film is a timely reminder of the grim role of imperialism in Latin America, a time moreover when the threat to revolutionary Nicaragua from direct invasion is greater than ever. I would recommend this film. B International No 9 March/April 1987
REVOLCON
Who is riding whom? ALAN TRACY Salman Rushdie The Jaguar Smile, Picador, £3.95. There was a young girl of Nic'ragua Who smiled as she rode on a jaguar They returned from the ride With the young girl inside And the smile on the face of the jaguar THE FIRST thing to say about Salman Rushdie's book, The