At some point in "A Few Good Men," Jack Nicholson's character, the crusty career army officer caught being just a bit too brutal with his men, puts up the "I may be a bastard but I'm your bastard" defence. We military, he argues are called upon to do very nasty things so the rest of you can enjoy peace and freedom. The central character in this movie, the cruel, drug addicted Colonel Masagual played by the peerless Jean-Paul Trintignant, puts up much the same defence. Unfortunately, it is Spain 1936, and he is killing for Franco. In the process he initiates the 16 year old Rafael (Gregoire Colin), son of a brother officer, in the delights of military justice.
This is an absorbing French film on a Spanish subject made poignant by the knowledge that fascism in Spain lasted 40 years through the efforts of military "heros" such as this. The title "Fiesta" is ironic, death and killing is celebrated not life and living. The ends never justify the means, military idiots of all affiliations take note. But they won't of course, and the killing continues to this day.
This is an absorbing French film on a Spanish subject made poignant by the knowledge that fascism in Spain lasted 40 years through the efforts of military "heros" such as this. The title "Fiesta" is ironic, death and killing is celebrated not life and living. The ends never justify the means, military idiots of all affiliations take note. But they won't of course, and the killing continues to this day.