Viva Zapata! (1952)

Director:

Elia Kazan

Writer:

John Steinbeck
(more)

Release Date:

22 August 1952 (West Germany)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | War | Western

Tagline:

A BANDIT WHO BECAME A LEGEND!...Roaring Story of Mexico's Tiger on a White Horse!

Plot:

The story of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, who led a rebellion against the corrupt, oppressive dictatorship of president Porfirio Diaz in the early 20th century.

Plot Keywords:

Mexican | Mexico | Army | Outlaw | War Hero

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Marlon Brando	...	Emiliano Zapata
Jean Peters	...	Josefa Zapata
Anthony Quinn	...	Eufemio Zapata
Joseph Wiseman	...	Fernando Aguirre
Arnold Moss	...	Don Nacio
Alan Reed	...	Pancho Villa
Margo	...	Soldadera
Harold Gordon	...	Francisco Indalecio Madero
Lou Gilbert	...	Pablo
Frank Silvera	...	Victoriano Huerta
Florenz Ames	...	Señor Espejo
Richard Garrick	...	Old General
Fay Roope	...	President Porfirio Diaz
Mildred Dunnock	...	Señora Espejo
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ross Bagdasarian	...	Officer (uncredited)
Salvador Baguez	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Abner Biberman	...	Captain (uncredited)
John F. Bray	...	(uncredited)
Henry Corden	...	Senior Officer (uncredited)
Frank DeKova	...	Colonel Guajardo (uncredited)
Larry Duran	...	(uncredited)
Fernanda Eliscu	...	Fuentes' Wife (uncredited)
Robert Filmer	...	Captain of Rurales (uncredited)
Leonard George	...	Husband (uncredited)
Bernie Gozier	...	Zapatista (uncredited)
Joseph Granby	...	(uncredited)
Harry Kingston	...	(uncredited)
Will Kuluva	...	Lazaro (uncredited)
George J. Lewis	...	Rurale (uncredited)
Peter Mamakos	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Tiger Joe Marsh	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Julia Montoya	...	Wife (uncredited)
Nestor Paiva	...	New General (uncredited)
Pedro Regas	...	Innocente (uncredited)
Ric Roman	...	Manager (uncredited)
Henry Silva	...	Hernandez - Peasant who challenges 'president' Zapata (uncredited)
Marc Snegoff	...	(uncredited)
Guy Thomajan	...	Eduardo (uncredited)
Philip Van Zandt	...	Commanding Officer (uncredited)
Nina Varela	...	Aunt (uncredited)
Irving Winter	...	Pepe (uncredited)

Directed by
Elia Kazan

Writing credits
John Steinbeck
Edgecumb Pinchon		uncredited

Produced by
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	producer

Original Music by
Alex North

Cinematography by
Joseph MacDonald		(as Joe MacDonald)

Film Editing by
Barbara McLean

Art Direction by
Leland Fuller
Lyle R. Wheeler		(as Lyle Wheeler)

Set Decoration by
Claude E. Carpenter		(as Claude Carpenter)
Thomas Little

Costume Design by
Travilla

Makeup Department
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist
Allan Snyder	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Lillian Ugrin	....	hairdresser (uncredited)

Production Management
Max Golden	....	assistant production manager (uncredited)
F.E. 'Johnny' Johnston	....	unit production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Horace Hough	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Robert R. Snody	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Don B. Greenwood	....	property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
W.D. Flick	....	sound
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound

Special Effects by
Fred Sersen	....	special photographic effects

Stunts
Fred Carson	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Larry Duran	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bernie Gozier	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roque Ybarra	....	stunt rider (uncredited)

Casting Department
Tina Menard	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charles Le Maire	....	wardrobe director
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Morris Harmell	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Ollie Hughes	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Ed Wynigear	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Lyman Hallowell	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Maurice De Packh	....	orchestrator (as Maurice dePackh)
Alfred Newman	....	musical director

Other crew
Tina Menard	....	interpreter (uncredited)
Stanley Scheuer	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Juan José Segura	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Guy Thomajan	....	assistant: Elia Kazan (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1952) (USA) (theatrical)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Key Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Fox Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox (1981) (France) (theatrical)
• Centfox Film (1952) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Centfox (1952) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Emerald (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Germany (2006) (Germany) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

113 min | Argentina:115 min | West Germany:104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | West Germany:12 (f) (f: fr,16)

Filming Locations:

Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad, Durango, Colorado, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Anthony Quinn had played Stanley Kowalski in the road-tour of Tennessee Williams' play "A Streetcar Named Desire", and some critics thought he was better than Marlon Brando, who had originated the part. None of this was lost on Elia Kazan, who liked to foster competition between his actors if it was appropriate. On set, the competitive Quinn and Brando, who both liked and respected each other, bonded like the brothers they played.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Zapata rides away across the plaza after a confrontation, his pistol falls out of his holster without his noticing.

Quotes:

Emiliano Zapata:Madero!
Pablo:Yes, you remember I read to you about him.
Emiliano Zapata:You promised to teach me to read.
Pablo:I will, I will.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "American Masters: None Without Sin (#18.1)" (2003)

Viva La Vida!!! (without lenses)

All great ideas are lonely and in minor,life is pure compromise...unfortunately.This is a tragic of this world full of compromises,where no big vision could fit in.Nowhere.And this is point of this,a truly master-piece movie.I have just read somewhere that Brando accidentally swallowed his brown contact lenses during the production and to admit it I laughed a lot.What a King!!! I bet that working with him was truly an adventure.Quinn is also a really great actor.Although his face is more suitable for roles of Spanish and Arabian characters,he could rush at some other as well.Spectacular moment in this film is certainly that white horse,a symbol of many,not just Zapata.Symbol of all great people fighting for great ideas.At every step we could see that white horse,guiding his way to eternity...VIVA BRANDO!!!..and of course VIVA ZAPATA!!!