Actors: Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra, Sophia Loren, Theodore Bikel
Review Summary and Plot Commentary about The Pride and the Passion
In 1810, crushed by the advance of the Napoleonic forces, the Spanish army under General Larena retreats leaving behind a remarkable engine of war, a seven-ton, 42-foot cannon, broken at the bottom of a ravine. The French general Jouvet wants it, and so do the British, who send naval officer Anthony Trumbull to retrieve it. He enlists the manpower of the Spanish guerrillas, the peasant resistance force, to raise and repair the gun, but there is a price. Their leader Miguel plans to use it to retake the city of Avila, the French headquarters in Spain. After that, the Spanish will relinquish the gun to the British. Trumbull must accompany them as only he understands how to operate it.
Avila is over six hundred miles away, across steep hills and rivers, in a countryside swarming with French soldiers. Dozens of men and mules strain to pull the gun. When it falls into deep mud crossing a river, thousands are needed to pull it free. Miguel goes into a crowded bullring in an French-controlled town and asks for the help of the people. They respond instantly; the gun has become a potent symbol of Spanish resistance. Along the way, the Spanish raid a French encampment for powder for the gun, and blow up a recently constructed bridge while the enemy are crossing.
Trumbull and Miguel are rivals for the love of the sultry Juana, and this adds to the tension between them. They argue constantly about how to proceed. Although Juana is grateful to Miguel and admires his patriotism, she falls in love with the stoic Englishman. She alone persuades him to stay in the face of Miguel's hostility, even after he is forced into a deadly knife fight. Meanwhile General Jouvet, frustrated in his efforts to find the gun, arranges a deadly ambush at a pass through which the gun must pass.
--Maureen Evans, Resident Scholar
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Analysis of The Pride and the Passion
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie Actual chase scenes or violence - 30% Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
Time/Era of Movie:
- 19th century
War Thriller
Yes
Armed Forces:
- Civilian Resistance
War story:
- escaping behind enemy lines
Romance
Yes
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- navy soldier
Age:
- 40's-50's
Hair color?
- brunette (Black)
Hair style
- short/standard straight (man)
Body type
- muscular (man)
Events of movie makes character more...
- irritated
Ethnicity/Nationality
- British
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
Hair style
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- average build (man)
How much in movie?
- 80%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Hispanic/Latinic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- infantry soldier
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 20%
Hair color
- brunette (Black)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- fat (man)
Ethnicity/Nationality
- French
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- Spain
Mountains/Cliffs
Yes
Water?
Yes
Water:
- river
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately messy visuals of dead
Movie makes you feel...
- depressed/sad
How many deaths in film?
- thousands
How much use of techno gadgets?
- 1 (None)
Kind of violence:
- guns
Any profanity?
- None
Is this movie based on a
- book
