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The Liberator (2013)
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Attention! Have them take him to the barn. Welcome to the palace, Excellency. Thank you, Fernando. How's your youngest son? Just learning to walk. Like this damned country. -Welcome home, General. -Thank you, Daniel. . . We received a gift from Martin Torkington. We did? To commemorate the eighth anniversary of our Republic. Cologne water. Even our enemies are resigned to our existence. Don't believe it. May l take your sword, General? Thank you. Have it ready for tomorrow, Clarita. With pleasure, Excellency. Now l've got you. And what were you expecting? My sword, dammit. Off the balcony. Hurry. What are you doing? Get out of the way. Simon, if you die tonight, everything we fought for dies with you. Get out. What are you doing? There's nothing glorious about a stupid death. Let's go. They didn't come for me. They came for you. l'm not going to leave you here. Let's go. You go. Go. Leave it to me. Go. Open the door! Open the door! Open the door! There he is! -Come on, Simon. -No! Look at your mother. You must look at her. No! -You have to say good bye! -Simon! Simon, come here! Simon! Let me go! -Simon, come back! -Get away! Simon! -Don't touch me. -Simon, come here! -Let me go! -Come here! -That's an order! -lt's all right to cry! She was your mother. Don't let him get away! Don't let him get to the river! Attention. Here comes the chief. Where is he? Hipolita! My mom died. Can l stay with you? Of course, my boy. Find him. He must die tonight. Ready? Well done! Does anyone dare to play with me? The boy from the lndies? Right away, your highness. Senor Bolivar? The prince invites you to play. Thank you. -Senor? -Excuse me? The prince invites you to play. -Me? -Yes. l didn't know they play these games in Buenos Aires. Caracas, Your Highness. Venezuela province. lt's all the same. Look at these settlers. Oh, my God! -This man is a savage. -Your Majesty! Your highness! l'm very sorry. l didn't mean to. Get out of my sight. l don't want to see here you again. Understood? l think you owe me an apology. Ah? And why is that? lt was your fault l was distracted playing. Well, l'm sorry. And is there anything else l should apologize for? l'd like to ask you a question. Very well. Ask. ls this what you want? What? ls this what you want? These people, this life. . . This is what l know. But it's not what you want, right? And how is it you can know what l want if you don't even know me? l knew all l need to know the first time l saw you. The rest are just details. -Allow me? -Help her. Thank you. -Move! For the queen of this house. Thank you very much. Welcome. Hipolita! l'd like to introduce you to my mother. Your mother? And also my father. Hipolita, this is my wife, Maria Teresa. Welcome, young lady. lt's a pleasure to meet you. Close your eyes. Breathe deep. Open your mouth. What is it? Guava. What happened? What bit you? l don't know. . . Let's see. -Let me look. -No. This is all yours? As far as you can see. And far beyond where you can't see. And now it's yours, too. Shut up! The noble savage has returned. Maestro! My husband has told me many things about you. Really? He told me that you would not let him read Rousseau until he could swim across a river. ls that true? Ask my uncle. He was there to watch, many times. To be sure he didn't drown. A sort of special education. And now, you see, l left home and left everything to marry your disciple. Simon did not marry you. How's that? He married the Catholic Church. With a control system. My maestro insists that no free thinker should participate in institutions that limit him. So then, you are against matrimony? l'm against matrimony, against nations, against any system of control that separates people to manipulate them. Learned well, didn't l? Things have changed a lot since you left. Your happiness is somewhat disconcerting. Things may have changed a lot, but you haven't changed a bit. No. Who doesn't want to see the changes is you. After 300 years, the powerful Spanish clutches have begun to weaken on the continent. lt's the time for action. And that is what l prepared you for. The King's soldiers! They came for you, didn't they? Simon, you have to get out. -The sacrament. -Stop! What's going on here? Your maestro's ideas have infuriated the Crown. What mess have you got yourself into? Nobody can know l am here. l'm in Paris. Uncle, take him to the stable, behind there. Put him on a horse and get him out through the sugar canes. Get going, fast! General Monteverde, what a pleasant surprise. We knew nothing of your visit. Congratulations, Bolivar. l just met your charming wife. Your old friends. . . How are they? The truth is that we have not had time to visit. We have hardly arrived. Just family tonight. Don't tell me that you have not had time to see your old maestro. . . Rodriguez? l understand he's in Paris. l heard he's in Caracas. -Waiting for someone? -Excuse me? lt would seem there are some missing guests. They just left. Not because of me, l hope. No, they didn't feel well. They didn't feel well. . . And you, Madame? Are you well? From the looks of you. . . No, l am just l upset by your manners, General. You have burst into my husband's ranch. You have sat yourself down in his chair and drunk his wine. And, as far as l know, no one invited you to do so. You must get used to it, my dear. Here, in the province of Venezuela, things aren't done as one thinks in Madrid. To His Majesty. Long live the King! Cheers! lf your family has prospered, it is thanks to the protection of the Crown, Bolivar. l am sure you will do nothing to endanger that. Madame. Good afternoon. Simon? When Rodriguez said he prepared you for this moment, what did he mean? He taught you to be a rebel? Let's say he taught me to be conscious of my surroundings. Then why didn't you do anything the other day? What day? When we saw that woman beaten. Those weren't my slaves. That's not what l am asking you. We have to go. Are you all right? Yes. We have to hurry. Maria Teresa? Maria Teresa! My love! Love! Maria Teresa, talk to me. Maria Teresa. A month's gone by and you have done nothing for her. There's nothing to be done with the yellow fever. Your wife is very delicate. She's not made for this country. Then cure her! Cure her and l'll pay you whatever you want. What you want. . . can't be bought with money. Until we meet again, Senor Bolivar. The guava has curative properties. l'm not hungry. Fine. lt's not important. Leave it for later. l have a lot. l brought two baskets full. l haven't done anything else but look for guavas. You're going to get well. We have much to do together. Many people to help. Give me your hand, my love. You feel it? Her? She came to me in a dream. Did she tell you her name? l forgot to ask. Ask her tonight, all right? Tell her that her father is crazy to meet her. All right? 1 , 2, 3, 4. . . 5, 6, 7, 8. . . 9, 1 0, 1 1 , 1 2. lncredible! Would you like one? -Here. -What is that? lt doesn't matter. l was thinking of doing something else. Simon, this is a friend, Martin Torkington. l told him that you're Venezuelan. lt's not a secret, is it? Are you in? All right. Let's play. Deal. Sir. . . Of course. One card, two cards. Next. What are you doing, Fanny? l already told you. Napoleon's coming back to Paris. He's going to parade with his soldiers on the Champs-Elysees. We could have lunch on the grass. He lets me win. Who? Your friend. . . Torkington. Believe me, he can do it. Let's go see Napoleon. -Ah, no. -Let's go. No, no, no. l'm not going there. Napoleon is nothing more than a dictator. So what? That's Napoleon. As you like. A man came to see you this morning. Very amusing. He called you "a noble savage". Excuse me, please, sir. Sorry, sir. Please leave me alone. Please leave me alone, sir. Sorry, Madame. Excuse me, Madame. Would you know where l can find Senor Rodriguez? l don't know. Maestro! Maestro Rodriguez! Simon! The noble savage finally wakes up! lt all started here, Simon. Here in this market. -Bye. -Bye, Madame. There were a lot of hungry women. They complained about the price of bread, right? That rebellion was the start of the end of the French monarchy. But it wasn't a rebellion, it was a revolution. A dozen hungry women, and suddenly everything changed. There's a struggle that repeats itself throughout history, Simon. Over and over again. Oppressors against the oppressed. The thing is to know what side you are on. Why did you look for me, Maestro? l want you to choose. l choose Paris. l wasted my time with you. You've become a dilettante. lf you say so. . . l suppose l'm an imbecile, right? Well, then you're going to give up everything just because your wife died? Don't dare to say her name. l will thank you for that. Simon, l know it hurts. But now you're free of sentimental commitments. Free? Can you hear what you're saying? l feel like l'm condemned to pain day after day, and you call it free? You abandoned your country when we needed you the most. Do you think Jefferson would have become a useless piece of crap just for a woman? Just for a woman? Just for a woman? How insolent! There was a time they paid you to teach me. They paid you well. l am no longer a child, get it? And you have no right to impose your deliriums on me. l feel sorry for you, Simon. You're so poor that the only thing you have is money. Let's go! l chose which side to be on. Then you fucked up. -General Miranda! -Stop! Who are you? l asked you who you are! l am Simon Bolivar. From Caracas, sir. l don't know you. But l know about you, General. What do you know about me? l know that you fought with Napoleon and Washington. l know that you've fought for liberty all over the world. You're a hero, General. l came to ask you to return to South America. To lead our revolution. The problem, young man, is that there are many factions in South America -- the whites, the Creoles, the indians, the browns, the blacks. And none of them trust each other. We're too divided to bring down an empire. What do you know about war? l know it costs money, General. lt's first intelligent thing you've said up to now. This will cover your personal costs. English money? lt's my money. What do you get from all this? l get to see my country free. And l want to be part of the fight. General, the Spanish rearguard is escaping through the swamp. l ask permission to form a pursuit squad. Denied. l'm not going to risk my troops in enemy territory. We have Monteverde on the run. We're winning, General. You think we're winning? The Spanish army is serious. They are the best soldiers in the world. They'll come back. And they'll come back with a fury that you can neither know nor imagine. l want that pull back now! You've been transferred to the fort at Puerto Cabello. To the munition depot? Yes, sir. There's a jail, too. lf l may speak frankly, sir. l think General Miranda is making a mistake. Our best soldiers should be at the battlefront. What is your name? Second lieutenant Antonio Jose de Sucre, sir. Second artillery battalion. How do you dare criticize General Miranda? l only spoke frankly, sir. General Miranda is one of the greatest military men of our times. And l agree, sir. General Miranda was a great man in the last century. Times have changed, sir. There's no mistake. l want you in the fort at Puerto Cabello. l asked to be part of the fighting, sir. Keeping the patriotic gunpowder dry would undoubtedly help our cause, don't you think? l want to lead men in battle, sir. What you do now is to receive orders. Dismissed. That was not our agreement. Do you want me to arrest you? lt was not my intention to offend you. lf you keep answering me back, l will personally put you in chains and turn you over to the Spanish. Lieutenant Bolivar. Second lieutenant Fernandez Vinoni, sir. Welcome. Can l see the report, please. This is a very quiet position. We've never had a problem, sir. This is where the royalist prisoners are. -How many are there? -About a hundred, more or less. And there's the ammunition storage. The weapons and the ammunition are stored in the same place just 50 paces from the prisoners? And only one soldier guarding them? You there, soldier. Come here. What is your name? Fernando, Lieutenant. Fernando, l want you to ride to Valencia and inform General Miranda that we need reinforcements. Tell him it is urgent. Yes, sir. From right now, every soldier in this fort is on watch. There will be no rest until the reinforcements arrive. Understood? This isn't just a war for Venezuela. This a war for the new Granada, for the Patagonia, for Peru, for the Andes Mountains. This is a war to destroy the border that the Spaniards forced upon us, and to unify the continent. More than anything, this a war for the American spirit. But, who are you? A rich kid who wants a name for himself. Come in. -With your permission, Lieutenant. -Have the reinforcements arrived? No, sir. Some boxes have arrived for you. A gentleman said it's a gift. What gentleman? An Englishman. -With your permission, Lieutenant. -Carry on. -Let's go! -Quickly! What happened? The Spanish soldiers escaped from jail. How did they escape? Second lieutenant Vinoni opened the doors for them. They're attacking the barracks. Come on! Let's go! We lost the fort. lf General Miranda would have gotten our requests for reinforcements, this wouldn't have happened. He got them. What do you mean, he got them? He considered the fort a lost cause. But the fort was an imminent threat. Miranda doesn't believe the patriot army can win against the royalists. He's already signed the surrender. He sails at dawn for England. That's not a surrender. lt's treason. l am General Miranda! Let me go! Release me! Do you have something to do with all this? General, you're under arrest for betrayal of the Venezuelan Republic. How can l betray something that does not exist? You have made a mistake. A huge unforgivable mistake. Do you really think that because of this, they are going to follow you? You have had only one mission in your life, Bolivar, and you failed. -Who is it? -l bring General Francisco de Miranda! -Don't shoot! l'm not armed. -Halt! l bring General Francisco de Miranda! Arrest them! Arrest them both! You are more foolish than l imagined, Bolivar. Did you think we would surrender because you gave us Miranda? However, these documents will protect you. They'll be your safe conduct out of Venezuela. General, this man is an enemy soldier. lt's clear that he has had a good time in interrogation. But in reality this gentleman has brought us General Miranda. lf we let him go, he will join that patriot troops on the other side of the border. This little rich boy is not a threat. And he has served the king better than any of you. That's why. . . l did not turn over Miranda to serve the king. l did it because he betrayed the ideals of the Republic. Don't mistake yourself, Monteverde. The ideals of the Republic? lsn't equality one of them? How fortunate you mention that. Because it's your rich friends that have got you your liberty. Your impoverished countrymen are, at this time, rotting in prison. And, for following your republican ideals and to put you all on the same level, we confiscate your lands and belongings. Your fortune, except for your old family home, now belongs to the Crown. You will be exiled to the Cartagena jungle. lmagine a man of noble birth among murderers, slaves and mestizos. You can share your ideals with them. Take him! Look. Look. What is he doing here? l'm a patriot soldier. We're on the same side. l've come to join you. Thank you. Who stole my boots? Who took them? Do you hear me or not? Where are my boots? Don't kill him! Don't kill him! Don't kill him! Don't kill him, sir, kill me! He's my son! He's my son! He's my son! I'm ashamed of my own bIindness. Man's true destiny is freedom. The wish to be free is Iike a naturaI impuIse. It's an impuIse that comes from the gut. It's Iike... lt tastes good. It's Iike Iaughing. . . . . .Iike breathing. Who can stop the rain? Who can stop the wind? Who can stop the earth when it trembles? Who? No one. Consequently, no one can stop peopIe who have awakened their hunger for freedom. The Spaniards came to this country and caIIed it their own. They took our Iand and ensIaved our peopIe. We've been humiIiated century after century, and trod upon by heavy boots. The Spanish have wanted to make the desire of freedom vanish from this country, but they have faiIed. They have faiIed because the desire for freedom is a seed that sIeeps in the soiI waiting for a rainfall that will germinate it. We must bring a torrential rain that washes away the arrogance, the pretension, the profiteering, the indolence, and the indifference of those who have oppressed us for so many years. This continent is waiting for a flood. A flood that finally inundates it with liberty. And we are going to bring that flood. The flood starts today. Who are you? l am the people! Grab the rifles! Everyone be watchful! l'm looking for Colonel Simon Bolivar. l'm Simon Bolivar. l'm Colonel Francisco de Paula Santander. The governor of Cartagena sent me. Have you come to arrest me, Colonel? No. We're your reinforcements. Every time we got to a village, you had gone. But the Spaniards, too. Then we realized that the man we were trying to arrest had liberated the entire Magdalena River. As you know, Cartagena's government is still under Spanish control. But we want to help your cause as discreetly as possible. A lot of people thought you didn't exist. That you were just a myth made up to give poor wretches hope. Your victories created a lot of confusion. The slaves and others distorted your words to their liking. They took over farms that did not belong to them by force. l understand. That is to say, that it was only to protect the big estates. Freedom without law is anarchy, Colonel. And laws that only protect the privileged are tyranny. We leave in the morning. Where are we going, Colonel? -Halt! -Halt! Stop! We'll cross the river and set up camp on the bank. No. l am not allowed to. The other side belongs to Venezuela. My orders are to stay here within New Granada. The Spanish are in Venezuela and don't expect us. Without permission from Cartagena l can't go. We can't wait, Colonel. The only advantage we have is surprise. Laws must be obeyed. These are my reinforcements, Santander. Yes. But they are under my orders. Even at war, legality must be obeyed, Colonel. This is not a war. This is a revolution. That is a technical distinction that in no way substitutes the correct hierarchy of the chain of command. You talk like a lawyer, not a soldier. -l am a law-abiding man. -And laws are for the people. We should let the people decide. Sons of New Granada. Our orders are to stay here and protect the border. Colonel Bolivar wants to take the fight to Venezuela. You all must know that we aren't allowed to cross the border and there's no need to risk your lives. And even less to spill Granada blood. My brothers! This is not a border. This is a river. When the Spaniards came, they called it a border, and they divided us. But we are all sons of America on both banks. Venezuela and New Granada. Don't let them separate us. lf one side falls, the other will, too. This will be a tough battle. But by crossing this river, you will erase the borders. And those that don't come back, those that have the honor and the privilege to shed their blood for our cause, they will at least have the blessing to be buried in a land that is free. ln a free country! Let's go on! Stay calm. Who did this? My boy. Why did they do this to you? Because we're patriots. From now on we will repay them the same way. -Guards! -Guards! Fire! Present arms. -Long live the King! -Fire! Liberator. Hipolita. lt's me, Mother. Simon. Simon, son! Aren't you staying, my boy? When will l see you again? This is not over, mother. Don't be fooled by the celebrations. The Spanish will be back soon. King Fernando will never give up. You know why l can tell you this? Many years ago l played against him. And he's a really bad loser. What's the situation in Caracas? The royalists are regrouping outside the city. Simon, we must pull back. We should arm all the people of Caracas. We don't even have enough weapons for our own troops. Make him a tourniquet. We'll fight them with sticks and stones if we have to. Simon, there is news of a Spanish fleet approaching. They could arrive any minute. They say it's the largest fleet ever sent to American territory. Simon. . . Many have fallen. We must pull back. Fine, send messengers to Caracas, then. Tell anyone loyal to us that the evacuation will start immediately. -Make it happen. Let's go. -Let's go. What kind of shitty cowardice is this? You've been given an order. Obey. l don't agree! That's giving up. lt's not giving up. Because Caracas is the people. Caracas isn't the houses -- Then we'll go down in history as cowards, weaklings. Jose Felix, l demand that you go to the Spanish garrison and inform them that the evacuation will be peaceful. That's an order, Ribas. -Yes, sir. -Let's go. Go! Go! Stop. Leave me. We have to go on, senora. lt it you? The Liberator. My sons. . . My sons died in this war, this stupid war. The Spanish might have oppressed and robbed us, but at least we had our homes, our families. Senora. We managed to get a boat. The royalists accepted to let our supporters leave peacefully. So they can rob their homes without having to clean any blood. lf you don't go, you'll convert this exodus in a massacre. We're lost. Let's go. Today we declare our independence. . . .and our national sovereignty. Jose Antonio Paez, l am Simon Bolivar. The great Liberator. Today we proclaim the great American Republic of Colombia. We're here. Here's Caracas where every one of the king's soldiers wait for us. Bogota. The seat of the Spanish Crown. The Spanish are strong there. Yes, but they don't know we are coming. This is madness. We will join forces with Santander. lf we surprise the Spanish and give them a good punch, it'll inspire a lot of people. And more soldiers will join the cause when they see us win there. But you forget something. You have to cross the Andes in the dead of winter. Where a goat gets through, so does an army. Goats have coats, but your men don't have shoes. That's like going to meet death. l'll give you some spearmen. But l won't go. l don't feel like killing myself. Let's go. Give yourself to God. He'll know if He helps you or not. Push the cannon! Push! Get him up! Get him up! Simon. . . We have to give them the burial they deserve. They have arrived. The Spanish garrison is below, close to the Boyaca bridge. There's more than 5,000 men. Heavily armed. ls there another route to Bogota? Not at this time of the year. The river's too high. Whoever controls the bridge, controls Bogota. Whoever controls Bogota, controls the continent, General. They're with us. The old America. . . buried in this land that we've come to reclaim. They're with us. Millions of humiliated lives have led to this moment. All of our ancestors have prayed for this day to arrive. Their blood is alive in our blood. We're not here by accident. We're here because of destiny. Ready to fire! Fire! Get your weapons ready! Fire! Let's go! Fire! Fight for our nation! Push, dammit! Attack! Attack! Take cover! Long live Bolivar! Long live Colombia! Long live America! lf anything happens to me, you're second in command. There's a price on our heads, and l want you to remember that. There's a dark plan for the continent, and whoever defends South America will have very powerful enemies. That's not important, Simon. l will die for the cause, and you know it. l know. -Shall we dance? -This party is just starting. For certain. What did you think of this place? Everyone says that the General is an excellent dancer. At least that's what the women say. You dance with a special grace. Any other night l would take that compliment with pleasure. But not tonight. You need me. You need me because l am familiar with the truth. l know the truth. And just what is that truth you know and l don't? None of your generals share your dream of a united South America. Except Sucre. What the others want is to govern their own provinces, and they will do whatever is in their power to sabotage that union. And how is it that you know these things? Because l'm all ears. Men love to have me around, but they forget l'm here. And how can such a beautiful woman go unnoticed? That's precisely what makes me invisible. Silence! Silence in the hall! l didn't accept the presidency to watch you back off. For centuries, the Spanish have kept us weak and divided. And now we, after 1 5 cruel years of war and the bloodshed of our people, are going to do the same? lf we could unite so many countries in just one union, something l personally think impossible, l fear that it would concentrate too much power in the person of the president. We cannot change a king for a dictator! l would like to remind the vice-president that this congress convened to represent the will of all free men. And not the interests and aspirations of groups and societies that, like you, want us to break apart. The people want a union! We already have sufficient disorder in Colombia. We don't need more. What we need is a strong state, firm, and efficient. lf not, we run the risk of becoming prisoners once again, and of tyranny, despotism, and foreign control. Welcome to Palace, Excellency. Have the list ready for me in the morning. They didn't come for me. They came for you. He must die tonight! That way! Come here. Look. There's someone there. Liberator. . . Thank you. You and l have shared a lot of history. l'm sorry to see us end up here. This is the end then? The courts have condemned you to death. And they have put me between two terrible choices. lf l allow them to put you to death, the union will die as well. And if l pardon you, it will be you who kills me. You would eliminate the only man who dared to tell you the truth? The truth, Santander? l'll try one more time to create a union by political means. Did you pardon Santander? Tell me it's not true. lt makes no sense to send the message to the world that l'm murdering everyone who opposes me. They don't want equality. They don't want union. They only look out for themselves and the ones with power. Do you think l don't know what you're saying to me? You're the president. You can't have made a pact with those who have become enemies of your ideals. Let me go! This man claims he know you, Excellency. Get your hands off me! You're doing exactly what Santander wants. You're going to surrender the future of America in the hands of the man who tried to kill you, and who is trying to divide the country? Simon, you have come further than anyone could even dream. And now you turn your back on the people. How do you expect me to respect that? Answer me! You want my answer? Here's my answer! We take up our swords again. The plan is already agreed on. l'll go to Cartagena, l'll go to Venezuela. From there l'll march on Caracas. We will finally take the power away from that traitor. Urdaneta stays here in Bogota, in charge of the capital. Sucre goes back to the south and recaptures it. We'll reunify the Republic, maestro. When? l have to go, Simon. Have a good trip, Mariscal. Why? l would be much more help with you than here. You're the only person l can trust. When this is over, l will come back for you. Good-bye, my love. Good-bye, Manuela. Simon. . . Your enemies are spreading around that you have tuberculosis. They must be up to something. Be careful. -Stop! -Stop, soldiers! l have a message for the Liberator! General! Liberator! What happened? The general Sucre, General. . . Deliver the message, dammit. General Sucre, sir. . . . . .was murdered. He was ambushed in the forest in Berruecos. He died from three gunshots. Get my horse ready. Our enemies are cruel and powerful. Much more than we imagined. But we must stay strong, and protect the unity of the republic at all costs. Simon Bolivar, the Liberator. Have this letter delivered to Urdaneta as soon as possible. -Yes, sir. -Okay. Hello, General. Fernando, leave us alone. Fernando. l need you to get a ship. A brig. We have to transport a dozen soldiers. Yes. We have to move fast without attracting attention, all right? Get everything ready. General. Fernando. lt's all taken care of, General. Who does the ship belong to? Joaquin de Mier. A Spaniard loyal to our cause. Check out the ship. You and rest stand guard. Yes, sir. Why are you alone? Don't you have a family? l've got a brother and two sisters, but they're very young. And you take care of them? Yes. Your father must be proud of you. My dad died in the war. -What's your name? -Simon Bolivar. El Liberator? No, l'm not the Liberator. l was named after him. They say he passed through here once. -Really? -That's what they say. Fernando, watch the door. Put down the sword, General. Let the boy go. Run. Run, l tell you! Now, throw down the sword. Pick it up. Who sent you? The General has many friends. Your ship's ready. Everything's been arranged. Bon voyage, Liberator. Fire. Fire! |
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