Linda Winsh-Bolard
"Guerila" starts in1963 with Fidel Castro reading a letter from Che who resigns his post and Cuban citizenship, and leaves the country to keep up the fight elsewhere- revolution in Cuba had been accomplished.
It picks up Che (Benicio del Toro)passing through Argentine, in disguise, visiting his second wife, Aleida (Catalina Sandino Moreno). Che now has five kids, and is on his way to La Paz, Bolivia.
In Bolivia, Che attempts to replicate the success of Cuban revolution. But Bolivia is no Cuba. The peasants might be equally poor, diseased and oppressed but they feel neither trust nor loyalty to a foreigner. They also suspect that Che, and the people he fights with, are atheists and will destroy local Christianity. Catholic Church does not miss many tricks, even if the film does not show the machinations.
Neither does the local, relatively strong Communist Party, which is also not enamored of Che.
Bolivian President Barrientos is substantially more skilled in using American help against Che and his rebels that Batista was, and those Americans seem to know well how to get to the rebels.
Time and again, the Bolivians take Che’s money and betray his people.
It is almost as if Che was stuck in the past while suffering of substantially diminished charm. Among the beautiful jungle and dedicated fighters, he repeats party slogans about revolutionary fights. When his people are trapped, slowly losing their hearts, he offers them the future of remembered heroes-not necessarily alive ones. Che seems incapable of comprehending that he might not be welcomed or trusted by the local peasants. He is aware that their help his essential to his fight, but fails to understand that nothing is like Cuba, and that the reaction he initiates in the locals is also very different.
Steven Sodenberg gave Benicio del Toro little in the way of sensible dialog, he gave him plenty of action, suffering and determination instead. Che ponders his revolutionary ideas, but why he has left his second, and first wives, his kids, what would happen to them, how they feel, or even how does he feel about all this, is never mentioned.
Franka Potente as Tania is the only significant female part, she is a revolutionary spy, betrayed, she remains in the jungle.
While the meetings between Che and the incoming volunteers are detailed, they are also impersonal; we see them, get their names and ages. Che promises them not leave behind any wounded. And that is that for human touch. Even at the end the human contact betrays rather than saves.
It is almost as if another director, much milder, dreamier, sentimental one, directed this part of the story with the help of equally dreamy, beautiful camera. It is much slower, does not intercut back and forth, remains mostly in color and while is does not preach as much as Argentina, it is probably a stronger transporter of Che’s message.
It is obvious that nobody can lead people into fights they don’t want (not even the US); that even if the potential leader could promise and deliver on his promises, he needs willing population on his side, but it is Che’s personal unwillingness to admit that his timing is wrong for this country that defeats him (as does others elsewhere). The two parts of the saga are two contrasting histories. This should be remembered as lesson in history.
Of course, at the end, one has to wonder which country fared worse for the next 30 years, or which is more anti-capitalism currently.
Still, those who died in the jungle are rarely remembered.
Directed and shot by Steven Soderbergh. Screenplay: Peter Buchman. Cast: Benicio del Toro, Demian Bichir, Santiago Cabrera, Elvira Minguez, Jorge Perugorria, Edgar Ramirez, Victor Rasuk, Franka Potente, Christian Esquivel. Producers: Laura Bickford, Benicio del Toro.
Sales: Wild Bunch.
No MPAA rating. Part 1, 137 minutes; Part 2, 131 minutes.
