Carlos Andreas Marin

Paper 4 Alexander Nevsky, Kriemhilds revenge, Krzyżacy and El Cid.

These films filmed a few decades apart , and spanning more than two hundred years of

history have at first glance very little in common. Further analysis will come to reveal that these

previous deductions hold very little truth. These films hold together history in a different manner

each, but with drastic similarities. There are trough them certain underlying themes that link

them together despite their distinct nationalities and origins. The constant presence of revenge

for example is a given in all four films. The roles of powerful females , in imagined histories ,

folkloric tales and actual events , is inescapable. Albeit the roles of these females are not the

same throughout the films they bear a striking similarity to each other even in their difference.

The females are presented in the films as living representations of the nation, breathing

manifestations of the very soil and soul of the land, not to mention the will of its people. The

aforementioned revenge is actually often led by these females, it is the state itself which clamors

for revenge then, these clamors serve to generate the political agenda that these movies attempt

to push trough. It is worthy of note that whereas the females represent the nation as a living
being, the male roles often represent the state (as in the government body) as a living being. This

very occurrence is most easily visible in the films EL Cid and Alexander Nevsky, where the

heroic figures of huge iconic nature, are made to be the leader of the state (Franco and Stalin

respectively). Throughout the paper these varying subtexts and vaguely related plots will be

explored.

The first film El Cid takes place during the time of the Spanish reconquista. The

reconquista was a time during which the different kingdoms of Spain fought back the Arabs in

occupation of Spain since the year 800. Rodrigo Diaz de vivar, also known as el cid campeador

was a man of legend during these times. The title El cid contrary to the vague explanation given

in the movie comes from the Spanish article el meaning the and the Spanish pronunciation of the

Arabic word Sidi meaning Lord. That El Cid was a real man is not in question, but many a

legend has sprouted about the man which may not be entirely true. For example the first portion

of the movie where he kills the father of his wife in a duel to reclaim the honor of his own father

may be entirely fictional. The event where Rodrigo fights as a champion of the king for the city

of Calahorra against the champion of Aragorn may be another fictitious even based on real

circumstances ( whilst lifting a siege EL Cid is rumored to have slain an aragonese knight in

single combat hence earning him the title of “campeador” roughly translating to champion.

Despite these historical inaccuracies the rest of the film remains mostly true to the legend, and

goes ahead and also manages to portray Franco as the savior of spain trough the figure of

Rodrigo. This leads us to perhaps one of the common themes in the films presented in this class

that is the problem of a “body too much” in other words “it is the character who, being filmable
only by proxy, via an interposed actor, has for us the value of an attribute of the actor’s body.”1

This problem is presented when an actor must not only embody himself, but the character

portrayed in the film, in this case the actors body becomes an empty mask which must be

chipped at to reveal the character within. This is because we only see firsthand the actors body,

and it is we whom must believe that the actor is indeed he whom he tries to portray. However

this becomes increasingly difficult when the character is historical for then the audience brings in

a set of bias and expectations for the character, “most of these characters have played or are

supposed to have played, their parts, big or small, on the stage of history before they came to rest

on that of film”2. So then the mask would be inhabited by three characters the actor himself, then

the character the director wants portrayed in this case El cid, then he also represents the historical

El Cid which is in the audience’s mind….however in this particular case the mask contains a

fourth body, that of Franco. This is because Rodrigo is an allegorical representation of Franco.

El Cid is chosen to represent Franco in particular, because el cid is a folk hero, one that even the

lowliest peasant in spain had heard of. H.e was a national hero of legend, a savior of spain , who

drove out the Muslims at every turn, and made those “good muslims” pledge allegiance to the

king in castile. Even though his mother’s side was nobility El Cid was hailed as a hero of the

people. The actions of El Cid in the film actually parallel with some of the actions of Franco’s

rule. The scene of Alfonso’s coronation, where El cid refuses to swear fealthy is a prime

example of this, he thrust the hand of Alfonso upon the bible and makes him swear that he did

1
Comolli, Jean-Louis, Historical Fiction: A body Too Much,screen,1978,vol19(2)
2
Comolli, Jean-Louis, Historical Fiction: A body Too Much,screen,1978,vol19
not have a hand in his brother’s death, Alfonzo obviously views this as a great offense for none

must make a king swear. However that is not the point, the gesture is much akin to how Franco

forcibly makes the residents of Spain abide by Catholicism , this is paralleled in how El Cid

forces Alfonso’s hand back on the bible when he attempts to remove it. In contrast to the heroic

Cid whom always places Spain first and is her savior, we have Spain herself . Or at least her

allegorical representation , this representation is Jimena , she is a strong yet submissive woman,

she is seen throughout the movie doing as the male characters wish , whether this be serving her

father’s last wish of revenge or bolting El Cid’s body to his horse to fulfill his last wish as well.

However her strength is seen when she would even kill her love for El Cid, so that she may

follow her father’s last wish, as is evidenced by plotting to kill el cid, once by having him

ambushed, and the second time by making the aragonese knight her champion in the duel for

Calahorra. In stark contrast to movies like krimhilds revenge and Alexander Nevsky , our

nation’s representation does not take manners into her own hands, she always attempts to exact

her revenge trough the means allotted to her as a woman. But this sterotype of the woman’s way

is only so because of the culture it is filmed in, the submissive motherly woman, as a

representation of the nation is so because of the fascist states’ gender roles for the woman. In this

case Jimena is submissive because El Cid as a representation of Franco also is a symbol of the

state, which knows which way the nation must be led. Overall Jimena takes a much more passive

role in the film than the female leads of the other films.
 To contrast el cid starkly we must refer to a movie which is oddly similar. The movie in

question is Alexander Nevsky , the movie is peculiarly like El cid. Both movies portray a

striking male champion of the people. Both movies use allegorical representations of the heads

of state as folk heroes from the countries past that have become legends. Both films portray men

that would later be known by the world as cruel dictators in a rather positive light. This film is

laced with themes of communism , anti catholic, anti religion and anti german sentiments. As for

the communism , it should be rather obvious as to where it lies, Alexander Nevsky is a hero of

“the people”, it is the peasants of Novgorod that rise up and help Alexander fight against the

Teutonic knights, when the merchant class refuses to do so. This action is clearly meant to be the

uprising of the proletariat against the elite , with the help of an intellectual head , whereas the

complacent middle class will refuse to be of help. The film was made during the inter war period

of the 1930s , during this time tensions between Germany and Russia were rather high . The

evidence of this in the movie is how the helms of various Teutonic Knights were deliberately

shaped like German helms from the first world war, also the more ornate helms of the knights

would bear grasping talons and the eagle (an obvious reference to the imperial eagle which was

the symbol of the German empire ), amongst these would also lie the images of horns, which

was obviously meant to vilify the Germans and portray them as devils. As for the anti catholic

feelings , these are most obvious in the swastikas present in the clothing born by the priests

which accompany the Teutonic Knights. Shortly after the film started airing, the Molotov–

Ribbentrop Pact was signed and the film was consequently pulled from theaters even though it

had a rather successful opening week. However the film was played en masse after the German
invasion of the Soviet Union . On to the more contrasting differences in the movie , whereas El

Cid shows us Jimena a submissive woman abiding by the gender roles of a fascist catholic state ,

Alexander Nevsky shows us Vasilisa. Vasilisa much like Jimena is out for revenge, however

unlike Jimena Vasilisa does not plot, in fact she is a warrior whom takes revenge in her own

hands. Vasilisa is a fierce representation of the nation of the Soviet Union , a nation that will not

hide its fangs if wrong and that will go for the throat. Her fierceness is evidenced by the fact that

Buslai publicly announces that it was neither him nor his rival whom was the most fierce in the

battle against the Teutonic knights , but in fact it was Vasilisa. The image of the warrior woman

is befitting of a secular state of “the people” for before the eyes of the state man and woman are

equal in so long as their capabilities take them . Whilst Vasilisa is not submissive it is implied

that her fury needs channeling for victory to be achieved , she must be pointed toward the right

direction by the hands of the great savior Alexander (whom represents Stalin and henceforth the

state). It is worthy of note that the film portrays Russia as a unified country at the time, which

couldn’t be further from the truth during the thirteenth century when the movie takes place ,

Russia was but a group of principalities , and the majority of it was occupied by the golden

horde. It is also notable to know that whilst in reality Alexander Nevsky was never invited to

join the golden horde , the rather positive showing of Mongols in the movie is a result of the

recent acquisition of Mongolia by the Russians in the time of the film.

Krimhild’s Rache or Krimhild’s revenge is the second of two movies based on the

nibelungen epic poem of the thirteenth century. The theme of revenge is no longer underlying in
this movie , indeed it is the only theme in the movie. Krimhild has her husband ,Siegfried,

murdered by Hagen and she desires revenge. These actions are analogous to the events after

world war I , if we understand Krimhild as a representation of Germany it is obvious that the

now estranged and husbandless Krimhild is meant to be the Germany suffering from the unfair

reparations of the war. The husband Siegfried has been murdered, obvious parallel with the trial

of the Kaiser, since he represented the state whilst krimhild represents the nation itself , now the

nation is without a true guiding power. Then we see Hagen sink the nibelung,Krimhilds wedding

gift, into the Rhine, which is an obvious analogy for France taking over the Rhineland after

world war I, it is linkable to the treasure for the Rhineland possesses extremely arable land and is

home to many vineyards. Krimhild’s revenge is quite possibly a patriotic call to arms for

Germany to unleash vengeance upon those that have wronged her, evident is also disillusionment

with the weimarch republic (represented by Etzel). This is evident when she is first proposed

marriage by the envoy of Etzel , this will signify the creation of a new government , which at

first Krimhild refuses. However Krimhild (in this case Germany) recognizes that she must take

the offer if she is to have her revenge . However trough the movie we see that Etzel is not

instrumental to her revenge, and manages to do much of nothing. This is the aforementioned

portrayal of disillusionment with the weimarch republic , the author of the film feels that

Germany cannot have its revenge trough the hands of such a weak government. Krimhild

eventually takes revenge into her own hands, and slays Hagen personally with Krimhilds sword

after having his liege executed in front of him. However after this Krimhild is stabbed from
behind by Hildebrant, who is disgusted by her acts of murder. This is in essence a warning to

the public that whilst , Germany may have her revenge (the slaying of Hagen would symbolize

the destruction of France) it would cost her dearly, quiet possibly everything. Ironically enough

this prediction goes on to ring true.

Finally to deal with knights of the Teutonic order otherwise known as Krzyżacy. This

film is a polish film published a mere five years after the Warsaw Pact , and in it is evidenced

great resentment towards both the Germans for their occupation during World war II and the

Soviet Union. Our resident hero Zbyszko of Bogdaniec is poor noble man, that spends the first

part of the movie pledging his love to fair Danusia and promising her to bring her three Teutonic

trophies , only to immediately after get captured and sentenced to death for attacking the

Teutonic ambassador. During this ordeal he is actually saved by Danusia , as she in front of the

crowd covers his head with her handkerchief and promises to marry him, due to polish tradition

if the couple is to wed then the execution is pardoned. This instance represents the occupation of

Poland by the Nazis during world war II. After this ordeal Zbyszko heads to his home to rebuild

his mansion , this is a clear analogy to the rebuilding of Poland immediately after world war II.

When he returns to marry Danusia , she is kidnapped by four Teutonic Knights in revenge for

her father who is a German killer. Her father is also captured and seen being tortured in the

Teutonic strong hold. The torture of Danusia’s father is an analogy for the refusal of re

instituting of the Polish government in exile by the Soviet Union. Danusia is eventually driven

mad by her captors treatment , although Zbyszko arrives to save her she dies shortly after. This is
meant to symbolize the suffering of the polish people at the hands of the soviet union and how

traditions are slowly but surely dying at the hands of the soviet authorities.The film ends with the

final defeat of the Teutonic knights at the hands of the polish. This shows the first seeds of unrest

in what will be the rather tumultuous future of Poland for the few decades to come. Worthy of

note is the fact that although they are fighting a catholic knight order, during the time of the

filming Poland is mainly catholic according to population index.

It seems that there is a connection, troughout all the films. That connection is the

message of revenge, sometimes taking hand in the main plot like is the case of Krimhild’s

revenge (it’s in the title ,I mean come on) or being a subplot to the main action like it is the case

in El Cid and Alexander Nevsky. The female characters albeit all strong in their own manner

differ greatly from each other, ranging from the pure ferocious warrior that is Vasilisa to the

more mild mannered Jimena. This women are representations of the nation states the movie takes

place in, but not only that they are restrained it by the gender roles of the political climate of the

time. The submissive Jimena is only so because she is from a Facist catholic state whilst, the

image of Vasilisa as a warrior is because she comes from a communist state where the people are

all meant to be equal. Finally the male counter parts are meant to represent not the nation but the

political body of the state, this most evident as already mentioned in El Cid as franco and

Alexander Nevsky as Stalin.