Que Viva Mexico (Sergei Eisenstein, 1979)

This half documentary/half fiction film was definitely more engaging that I expected I to be. As a film that Eisenstein was originally unable to finish, Grigory Alexandrov took the task of assembling a version as close to Eisenstein’s vision as possible, many years later. It begins as a look at daily life in Mexico with the celebration and process of marriage for young women wearing gold necklace dowries, in the first part of the film called “Sandunga” (the name of a folk song). Then in the next part, “Fiesta”, we see young conquistadors battling a bull (complete with amusing constructions of shots taken from the point of view of what is clearly, a fake bull), which I have to say made me slightly uncomfortably due to my sympathy for the creature who was being prodded and poked and teased (and I mean, the real animal). Part three is “Maguey” (the cactus), where we see poverty and banal cruelty. It is almost like a mini movie involving a young girl and her lover– when he takes her for approval by the landlord, she ends up being taken advantage of by a drunk then locked away while the boy ends up killed by being buried alive up to his shoulders.

It is a tragedy and definitely not promoting Mexico in its best light but it proved an interesting look at Mexican people and the clothes and environment (those cacti looked fantastic). I can see the similarities of Eisenstein’s skill at portraying class struggle but I got the impression that this wasn’t as political a film as some of his others. Lastly, is an epilogue about the Day of Death festival, which I admire − the way Mexicans first mourn loved ones then mock death and eat sugar skulls and chocolate coffins in a demonstration of their lack of fear of death. The music, which I’m assuming was added by Alexandrov, was also great. I’m curious as to why Mexico was chosen, I mean compared to October and Strike, it just seems like a whole other universe for Eisenstein. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the film and thought it represented Mexican culture in an appealing way most of the time − it makes me wonder how much is really true and as Alexandrov points out at the beginning when he addresses the camera, how much  was acted out.

3.5/5