Terry Conway revlews KEN LOACH's new fllm Carla's Song Land and Freedom is a tough act to follow even for as experienced a director and socialist as Ken Loach. His latest offering, Carla's Song is certainly worth seeing though it lacks some of the political sharpness of Land and Freedom.
The film opens in Glasgow where we meet George, a young. chirpy and impetuous bus driver. When George rants at the authoricarian inspector who tries to have Carla arrested for travelling with. out a ticket, his stance scems as much for his own satisfaction as in defence of this attractive stranger.
When George is suspended from work for swearing at the in. spector, he responds to his bosses query as to whether he wants his job by saying that he needs it. His actions then and later suggest that he has little thought for his own future.
Coincidence is rife in this section of the film. Particularly dim. cult to swallow is the case with which, soon after their first meet. ing, Carla happens to stumble across George mending his bike outside the block of flats where he George's fantasy adventure.
As Carla and George become more wavorca tonowing net sulcide attempt, George persuades her that the only way she can achieve peace of mind is to return to Nicaragua and find the clusive Antonio, act tormiet lovet a0oul whom she has repeated nightmares.
It was in this section of the film that I expected political incisiveness from Loach. Carla's character has already told us of her dedication to the revolution, and certainly as we move to Nicaragua, we see the barbarity of the the Sandinstas had fought for so courageously.
In one of the strongest scenes, ex-CIA man turned human rights George that the devastation he family's village was aided by the CIA. He shows George a satellite picture taken from the pocket of a dead Contra, marking the local schools and health centre - all of which were destroyed in the as. sault.