When are you going
to get a real knife?
You can keep this.
Who has
your papers?
Right here.
Good morning,
my children.
Well, come closer.
Come closer.
Here are the names,
my president.
Now then, my children,
what's the problem
you've brought me?
Well, someone has to tell.
You must have come
for something.
Yes, my president.
We have come for something.
Well, you. You tell me.
You know that field?
That field with the big
white rock in the middle,
just south of Anenecuilco?
My president, our delegation...
They've taken our land away.
Who took your land away?
My children,
when you make accusations,
be certain you
have the facts.
Who took your land away?
The big estate there.
It's bigger than a kingdom.
They've taken
our green valleys.
Left us only
the rocky hillside.
We can't grow
our corn there.
That's right. There's a
new fence with barbed wire.
We can't feed our cows.
You know those three houses
by that white rock?
They burned those!
They're planting sugarcane in our corn land.
Can you prove that
you own this field?
Our village has owned this
land since before history.
We have a paper
from the Spanish Crown.
We have a paper from
the Mexican Republic.
Well, if this is true,
you have no problem.
My children,
the courts will settle this.
I'll send you to
my personal attorney.
But before you see him,
I urge you to find
your boundary stones.
Check them against
your grants and titles.
Verify your boundaries,
facts.
Facts.
Now, my children,
I have many other matters
to attend to.
I've been your president
for 34 years.
It's not an easy job
being president.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you, my president.
Thank you, my president.
Thank you.
What's next?
We can't verify the boundaries, my president.
The land is fenced
and guarded by armed men.
They're planting sugarcane
in our corn fields right now.
The courts will settle...
With your permission...
Courts?
Do you know of any land suit that
was ever won by country people?
Has your land been taken?
My father's land was taken
long ago, my president.
My children, I'm your father,
your protector.
I'm of your blood.
But believe me,
these matters take time.
You must be patient.
With your permission,
my president,
we make our tortillas
out of corn, not patience.
And patience will not cross
an armed and guarded fence.
To do as you suggest,
to verify those boundaries,
we need your authority
to cross that fence.
I cannot possibly
exercise such authority.
But you advised it.
I can only advise.
Then naturally, my president,
we will do as you advise.
Thank you.
With your permission.
You!
Yes, my president?
What is your name?
Zapata.
What is it?
Emiliano
Zapata.
There you are.
Thank you,
my son.
My pleasure, Father.
Come here!
Here! Here! Here!
Go back!
Get him! The one
on the white horse!
That's the one we're
supposed to bring in!
That's the one!
The one on the white horse!
That's the one!
Come on!
Zapata!
Emiliano Zapata!
Zapata!
Emiliano Zapata!
Zapata!
Emiliano Zapata!
The stupid.
He's still coming.
Who do you
think he is?
Stranger.
Look at his clothes.
Emiliano, shall I kill him?
No, shoot in front
of him again.
Careful,
don't hit him.
When I wanna hit him,
I hit him.
When I wanna to
miss him, I miss him.
Man has been known
to die of a close miss.
Zapata!
Emiliano Zapata!
He's more stupid than I
thought. He's still coming.
He's crazy.
You know it's not nice
to kill crazy people?
Emiliano, shall I try him
again? A little closer?
A little closer?
How can you come closer?
Maybe he has a message.
Look, maybe it's a trap.
Why don't we kill him? It's so much
easier instead of so much worry.
What does it cost?
One little bullet?
No!
What do you want?
I'm looking for
Emiliano Zapata.
He's not here.
His friends sent me.
Who are his friends?
People of the village.
He's not here.
I have no weapons.
What's this?
Writing machine.
Sword of the mind.
I thought you had
no weapons.
Don't you dare break that!
Put it down!
Put it down!
Hermano!
Put it down.
You're Emiliano Zapata.
I come with news of Madero,
leader of the fight against Diaz.
Give me some water.
Why do you come to me?
Give me some water
while I talk to you.
Fernando Aguirre.
Pablo Gomez.
I want to talk to you.
Talk.
I want you to listen.
Well, talk.
"The despotism of Porfirio
Diaz is unbearable.
"For more than 34 years he's ruled
with the hand of a ruthless tyrant."
Yeah, Blanco.
Pretty soon now.
Listen. "The true meaning of democracy
has long been forgotten in Mexico.
"Elections are a farce. The people
have no voice in the government.
"The control of the country
is in the hands of one man.
"And those he's appointed
to carry out his orders."
Who wrote that?
Francisco Madero.
"If we are to bring back to Mexico the
freedom that goes only with democracy
"we must unite to drive
this tyrant from office."
Who's Madero?
Leader of the fight
against Diaz.
Where is he?
Right now, he's in a part
of the United States. Texas.
A fine place to lead
a fight against Diaz.
From Texas he's
making preparations.
Now he's ready to move.
He's sending out many people
like me to spread the word,
search out leaders
in other parts of Mexico.
I was sent to
the state of Morelos.
Careful.
The smell of a mare came in on the
wind this morning and he's restless.
So am I.
The people in
the town told me...
Don't believe
what people tell you.
Hey! Hey, you!
Come on. Eat.
Go on. Eat.
Madero?
Yes. You remember I once read to
you about him in the newspaper?
You promised to
teach me to read.
I will, I will.
Let's talk to this man
more about Madero.
Maybe he has a letter.
No, anybody can
write a letter. Even you.
I'd like to look
at Madero's eyes.
Then go to wherever he is
and talk to him. I can't.
Why not?
No.
I know why.
I want you to go to Madero
and look in his face
and tell me what you see.
Me? He's in Texas.
Well, then go to Texas.
How far is it?
Who knows? Go and see.
You know I've never
been out of our state.
Now you will be. I want you to
go to see if we can trust him.
I like his face.
But a picture is
only a picture.
All right.
When do you want me to go?
Now.
Now!
Right now. Cinch up.
If you like what
you see in his face,
tell him about
our troubles here.
And tell him that we recognize
him as a leader against Diaz.
Where is he going?
What?
Where is he going?
I don't know.
He didn't say.
Now he's going.
Where is he going?
I don't know.
He didn't say.
What's the matter
with him?
Woman. What else?
Where are you going?
What else?
What about her?
She can take care
of herself.
This is all
very disorganized.
Police.
Josefa,
I must speak with you.
Federales are after you.
I know. I risked my life to come here.
When may I speak
with your father?
What for?
To ask permission
for your hand.
No, don't do it.
Why not?
Just don't do it.
What is wrong with me?
That's not it.
What would be wrong with me
if I married you?
What do you mean?
I have no intention of ending
up washing clothes in a ditch
and patting tortillas
like an Indian.
Who says this?
My father.
My mother was a Salazar.
Zapatas were chieftains here when
your grandfather lived in a cave.
Always remember that.
Well,
you're not chieftains now.
You have no land, no money.
Without luck, you'll probably
be in jail by tomorrow.
Be still.
I've been offered a very important
position by Don Nacio de la Torre.
Don Nacio de la Torre does not
employ fugitives from the law.
If I accept his offer,
he will have me pardoned.
Why in the world would Don
Nacio need anyone like you?
Why?
Apparently, Josefa,
you do not know
that I am the best judge
of horses in the country.
You are the only one
who does not know this.
I was with him for years. I
bought every horse in his stable.
When I have not helped
Don Nacio buy his horses,
it's later discovered
that they have five legs.
Conceited monkey.
You know, Josefa, that I can
take you away with me by force.
Now.
By force?
I would not prevent you.
I would go with you because
I couldn't prevent you.
But, sooner or later,
you will go to sleep.
And then?
Sooner or later,
you will go to sleep.
You wouldn't do that,
a respectable girl like you.
Yes, I would.
Because I am
a respectable girl.
A respectable girl
wants to live a safe life,
protected, uneventful,
without surprises,
and preferably
with a rich man.
You don't mean that.
I do.
Come back when you
can offer me that.
He's going to let you go now. Don't scream.
The police are after him.
Let her go.
I like him.
You do?
I mean, he's a terrible man,
a fugitive and a criminal.
I like him, too.
Rub it in.
Rub it in harder.
They're so lazy.
Luncheon is ready now.
Yes, this is
the best of the lot.
Where are the others?
Are the others here?
They're so lazy.
If they're not stealing,
they're asleep.
If they're awake,
they're drunk.
Let's look
at the others.
But luncheon is served!
It'll wait.
Hey! Hey!
This is what I mean! This
is what I'm talking about!
What is it? Stealing! You
see? Even a horse's food!
They steal everything!
Stop it, Emiliano!
Stop it!
Get a hold of him!
Get him out.
Get him out!
Get out, you... You...
No!
Get out!
When I had the charges against
you dismissed, you promised.
It wasn't easy.
I don't want to regret...
I know.
Emiliano, I've told you
violence is no good.
Then why does he use it?
So full of anger.
So full of anger!
That boy was hungry.
Calm down.
Now look, Emiliano,
you're a clever man
and an able man,
you might even be
an important man,
have money and property,
be respected.
You told me
that's what you wanted.
Now do you want
it or don't you?
That boy was hungry!
Are you responsible
to everybody?
You can't be the conscience
of the whole world.
Thank you. You should have seen him go down.
You have another cigar?
Some of your admirers.
Indians.
Most civilized
thing about you
is your taste
for good cigars.
I'm going to prescribe
for you, Emiliano.
You need that wife.
Have you ever spoken
to Josefa's father?
No.
Well, why not?
He doesn't like me,
and I don't like him.
In the world of business,
few people like each other,
but they have to get along or
there wouldn't be any business.
Now look, Emiliano. Now you
have a position, clothes.
Go to Seor Espejo.
Tell him I'm your patron.
Make your peace with him.
And don't forget,
the president has drawn
a circle around your name.
You must behave.
You better start
practicing now.
Go over and
apologize to him.
Well, go ahead.
I apologize.
Accepted. Accepted.
All right.
You know them?
He's a friend.
He's been away.
Hey, look!
What's that?
Texas.
Hello.
He spoke of you, Emiliano.
He wants a message
from you.
One strong push from
the north or south,
and Diaz drops
like an old bull
with a sword
under his shoulder.
The time has come.
How come they let this Madero
stay up in the United States?
Why don't they lock him up?
Up there, they protect
political refugees.
Why? Up there, they're a democracy.
Yeah, we're a democracy too, and look.
I know. But up there... I'll explain it.
Up there,
the government governs
but with the consent
of the people.
The people have a voice.
That's right.
They also have a president
but he governs
with the consent
of the people.
Here we have the president,
no consent.
Who asked us if we wanted Diaz for 34 years?
Nobody ever asked me nothing.
Well...
How are you in all this?
Madero sent him with me.
He wants a message
from you.
Tell him to get
another leader.
You don't
believe in him?
Yes.
So?
Tell him to
get another man.
As you wish.
I have private affairs.
I don't want to be
the conscience of the world.
I don't want to be
the conscience of anybody.
As you wish.
Inocente,
what's the matter?
Get away from
the prisoner!
Inocente, what are
they taking you in for?
Inocente... He can't talk, Emiliano.
Inocente, here.
What did he do?
They're crazier than the
craziest people I ever saw.
Well, what did he do?
Who knows?
They're always
doing something.
What are you going
to do with him?
I think you
better let him go.
Wait.
Let him go!
He's dead.
You should have cut the rope
without talking.
He crawled through the fence
at night to plant the corn.
My father does
the same thing.
Look at this corn. He still
thinks it's his own field.
Stubborn.
That's what you are.
No, not stubborn.
The field is
like a woman.
You live with it
all your life.
It's hard to learn
that she isn't yours.
He understands.
Hermano, I couldn't
catch them. They're...
I'm sorry
we caused you trouble.
Now they'll
be after you.
You can hide
in my house.
It would be an honor
to take care of your horse.
Thank you.
You mentioned Don Nacio.
Don Nacio is my patron.
He's assured me that I
will be a man of substance
and on that basis I presume the
suit for your daughter's hand.
My friend, do not think I'm
insensible of the honor you do me
by offering to take my daughter off my hands.
Why is it impossible for me to get
a glass of cold water in this house?
Go! Go!
But I don't need to give the
problem a great deal of thought
before I answer with a
permanent and unchanging "no."
The answer is no.
What is wrong with me?
We have a proverb.
"Though we're all made of the
same clay, a jug is not a vase."
What is wrong with me?
I had hoped you
would not ask that again.
But since you have,
allow me to say
that you're a rancher
without land,
a gentleman without money, a man
of substance without substance.
A fighter, a drinker, a
brawler, these things you are.
Though I have nothing
against you personally,
and I can see
where in some quarters
you might be
considered desirable,
but my daughter,
I have no
intention whatsoever
of one day finding her
squatting on the bare earth
patting tortillas
like a common Indian.
What are you doing?
Find her a merchant.
A musty, moth-eaten man
like yourself.
Let her be queen
of the warehouses
and mistress of
the receipt books.
Bring him down here!
Down here!
Clear the way.
This man is a criminal.
You're making yourselves
liable for his crime.
What are you trying to do?
We are here, my captain,
with your permission,
to see that the prisoner
does not try to escape.
For if he did try, you would be
forced to shoot him in the back.
Is that not so, Captain?
You're breaking the law.
No, helping the law, with your
permission, guarding the prisoner.
Zapata, the wire.
What do you mean?
Telegraph wire.
Cut it before he uses it.
Don't touch that!
This is rebellion.
Cut it.
No ammunition?
No ammunition.
What did you find?
Uniforms and blankets.
No ammunition?
No ammunition.
Hermano, come here,
look what I found!
Ammunition?
No, dynamite.
Boxes and boxes,
all dynamite.
Ammunition?
No, powder
and dynamite.
How much?
Plenty. Look.
What do you think?
Well, we won't wait.
We'll use what we have.
Anything doing?
A few women.
I liked it better
when they were shooting.
Maybe Zapata ran
out of ammunition.
I wouldn't
depend on that.
I think they've gone away.
Look, there, sir.
Some market women. If there's a
market, they must have gone away.
With these Indians, I don't trust
the women any more than the men.
There hasn't been a sign of
Zapata since yesterday noon.
Send out a scout.
Captain! My captain!
What are you doing down there?
Would you like to
buy some eggs, sir?
Get away from that gate!
Hurry up.
Pile those baskets.
Get away from that
gate or I'll fire!
Pile up those baskets. Get away
from that gate or I'll fire!
Hurry up! Fire! Go get those baskets. Quick!
Fire!
Remember the machine gun
that flanked us from the hill?
Yeah.
This boy and his brother
crept out into the dark,
lassoed the gun and pulled
it out of the gunner's hands.
And look at the size of him.
Did you do that?
Of course he did.
Bring the machine gun!
Leave the gun.
Did you do that?
Where is your brother?
He was killed.
You should have a reward.
Hey, hey, hermano. Here!
You want this pig?
Well, what? Anything.
Not my horse!
That's a good horse.
He says that's
why he wants it.
Take him.
Well, what did he do?
I don't know.
I'm waiting to find out.
Don Emiliano, my friend,
I'm only here
to present to you
representatives of
our great liberator,
Francisco Madero.
Gentlemen, gentlemen.
Gentlemen, here he is.
I found him for you.
Don Emiliano Zapata, one
of my oldest acquaintances.
I think we know each other.
My congratulations,
General Zapata.
Read it.
"To Emiliano Zapata,
"I, Francisco Madero,
acting on the authority
"given me by the forces
of triumphant liberation,
"create you general of the
armies of the south.
"The day will soon come when
I embrace you in triumph.
"Long live Mexico."
He signed
with his own hand.
I and my family
would be happy if...
Now you'll have to wear
those things a general wears.
I and my family would...
Where did you get those?
Off a general,
where else?
General!
My wife, my daughter, and
myself, would be honored...
A present.
Boys! General Zapata!
Boys! General Zapata!
Take this one, please.
It's nicer.
What a waste of time.
He should have stolen her
if he wanted her.
This way he gets her
father's money, too.
Yeah,
but is it worth all this?
I have loved with all my heart 100
women I never want to see again.
And he's still after this one. It escapes me.
Did you think of me?
It is said a warrior's shield
is his sweetheart's heart.
Hmm?
We have a proverb,
"A man well dressed
is a man well thought of."
A monkey in silk
is still a monkey.
When love and beauty
come into the house,
then throw out the lamps.
An hour and three
quarters already.
I know. It makes me sick.
That's the way these people
go about getting married.
Excuse me.
Do you believe the saying,
"An egg unbroke, a horse
unrode, a girl unwed"?
I believe that a man is fire
and a woman, fuel.
And she who is born beautiful
is born married.
Get away from the window,
let some air through.
And get that horse
out of here!
Go on!
Best horse I ever had.
Josefa, let's go for
a walk in the park.
There might be
a breeze there.
A walk?
Alone?
A whipped dog
is a wiser dog.
Do you think that three women
and a goose make a market?
I believe that love cannot
be bought except with love.
And he who has a good wife
wears heaven in his hat.
After love, food.
A cup of chocolate?
A starved body
has a skinny soul.
Emiliano!
The pediment of the heart
is the stomach.
Alicia Candelaria,
will you bring chocolate?
Emiliano.
What?
Diaz ran away.
He left the country.
Viva Zapata!
Viva Zapata!
It's true?
It's true.
Josefa,
the fighting is over.
Josefa! Josefa!
Mama, be quiet.
The fighting is over.
Emiliano?
It's almost morning.
They never get tired.
Emiliano!
Emiliano, my little brother.
Josefa.
Josefa, my sister.
Emiliano, come back to bed.
My darling friend,
we are getting old.
We are getting very,
very old.
I know what's
the matter with you.
What?
You, my friend,
you have heavy blood.
You're unhappy because
the fighting is over.
Half victorious.
All this celebrating
and nothing really won.
I love you,
but I don't like you.
I never liked you,
my darling friend.
There will be
a lot more bloodshed.
All right, there will be!
But not tonight.
Here, enjoy yourself.
Be human.
Emiliano?
Hmm?
You're restless.
Are you unhappy?
Oh, no. Go to sleep.
Can't you sleep?
Listen, now...
What are you thinking?
Nothing.
You are, too.
No, no, no.
What are you
worried about?
We'll find a good piece of land
someplace and we'll settle down.
Now go to sleep.
I don't want to sleep.
Emiliano, the fighting is over.
Madero's in the capital,
and tomorrow I'll go see him.
Can I go with you?
No.
Do you think
we'll have children?
Yes.
We'll name them
all Francisco,
after Madero
because he brought peace.
Emiliano,
is it something about me?
No.
You mustn't think that.
Then I want you to tell me.
I'll see Madero and
all the men around him.
You're not telling me.
Men from schools.
Lawyers, educated men.
You're not telling me.
My horse and my rifle
won't help me there.
I can't read.
Teach me.
Of course.
Teach me now.
Get a book.
Hey, be quiet down there.
Can't you let a man sleep
on his wedding night?
Begin.
"In the beginning,
"God created the heavens
and the earth."
"In..."
"...the..."
"...the..."
"...beginning..."
Well, there he goes.
Old Diaz was
rottener than we knew.
When Huerta pushed from the
north with Pancho Villa's help
and you, General, from the
south, why, Diaz crumbled.
Pardon me, sir.
But when will village
lands be given back?
The country people
are asking.
Don't worry. Now we will
build slowly and carefully.
The country people
want to know.
They will get their land,
but under the law.
This is a delicate matter.
It must be studied.
What is there to study?
Well, the land must be
given back under the law
so there will
be no injustice.
And speaking of lands...
Close the door, please.
Let me show you this.
Thank you.
You see here where
these two streams meet?
The land is
very rich here.
Rich, level,
and well watered.
I'm told it has
a good house on it.
You know what
this is, General?
No.
This is your ranch.
My ranch?
It's a fine old custom
to reward victorious generals
and no one deserves it
more than you.
I did not fight
for a ranch.
I don't think you
know what I meant.
I know what you meant.
Forgive me, Sir, but the land that
I fought for was not for myself.
But, General, I didn't...
What are you going to do
about the land I did fight for?
General, General, that will be taken
care of, believe me, in good time.
Now is a good time.
General Zapata, sit down.
I am not tired.
This is
a constitutional government.
There's only one way
to do these things.
This noise, this confusion...
I can't think here.
Get out. Out. Get out.
Give me these.
I'll sign these now.
They're still waiting, sir.
Let them wait.
Well, I'll come.
I'll be right back.
Don't let anybody else in.
Get these workmen out.
They make too much noise.
This mouse in a black suit
talks too much like Diaz.
No, he's right.
This is peace.
Takes time.
We must work by law now.
Laws?
Laws don't govern,
men do.
The same men who governed
before are here now in that room.
They have his ear.
They've got to
be cleaned out.
First the land
must be given back.
And if Madero
doesn't do it...
Yes.
...then he is an enemy too.
You're his emissary,
his officer, his friend.
I'm a friend to no one
and to nothing except logic.
Peace is very difficult.
Hermano,
what do you think?
It's a nice piece of
land they offered you.
What's the harm?
You've never taken anything.
The result?
We have nothing.
It's finally quiet.
General Zapata,
don't you trust me?
You must trust me.
I promise you that my first
preoccupation is with the land.
But in a way
that is permanent.
Before you can do anything
by law you must have law.
We cannot have
an armed and angry nation.
It's time, General,
to stack our arms.
In fact,
that's the first step.
That's my first
request of you.
Stack your arms and
disband your army.
And who will enforce the
laws once we have them?
The regular army.
The police.
They're the ones
we just fought and beat.
Give me your watch.
What?
Give me your watch.
Give it to me.
It's a beautiful watch.
Expensive.
Now take my rifle.
Now you can have
your watch back.
But without this, never.
You draw a strong moral.
You ask us to disarm.
How could we get our land
or keep it, if we disarm?
But it's not that simple.
There's the matter of time...
Time? Time is one
thing to a lawmaker
but to a farmer there's a time
to plant, and a time to harvest
and you cannot
plant and harvest time.
General Zapata,
do you trust me?
Just the way
my people trust me.
I trust you and
they trust me,
as long as we keep our promises
and not a moment longer.
Where are you going?
I'm going home.
What will you do there?
I will wait,
but not for long.
Kill that Zapata now.
Save time, lives.
Perhaps your own.
Were you listening,
General Huerta?
I advise you to
shoot Zapata now. Now!
General Huerta,
I don't shoot my own people.
You'll learn.
He's a fine man.
What does that mean?
I mean he's an honest man.
What's that got
to do with it?
A man can be honest
and completely wrong.
I trust him.
To do what?
I think it's essential that I
take my troops down to Morelos
and help him
decide to disarm.
Yes?
Excuse me.
No, no, wait, wait.
Come in. Come in.
I...
You can speak freely.
Yes. Excuse me.
Come in. Come in.
I want to speak to
General Zapata again.
You ask him to
come back, will you?
He won't come back.
He's stubborn.
But if you could come down to
Morelos, he's different there.
You know, his whole
life has been fighting.
He can hardly read.
He needs you.
He may not know it yet
but he needs you to help him.
He can learn.
He wants to.
If you'll excuse me for
saying it, you need him too.
I will come.
Thank you.
I will come.
With your permission,
excuse the interruption,
please.
Troops are not necessary.
I will do it without troops.
These are fine people.
You know, General Huerta, there
is such a thing as an honest man.
The odor of goodness.
Get me a drink.
You know we're never
going to get anywhere
as long as that
Zapata is alive.
He believes in what
he's fighting for.
So does Madero, sir.
I know, but he's a mouse.
He can be handled.
Zapata's a tiger.
You have to kill a tiger.
See?
They don't mind
giving up their arms
now that I've
explained it to them.
He explained it very well,
didn't he, Emiliano?
They have accepted it.
Have you?
I've been fighting for so
long I don't understand peace.
Peace is the
hard problem.
Many men have been honest
in war, but peace...
I often wonder
how a man can stay honest
under the pressure of peace.
Emiliano, whatever happened to
that little boy you told me about
who got your horse?
He's dead.
And they were never
able to find the horse.
This woman
has three rifles.
Husband and
two sons killed.
Seora.
Please, take this.
No. It is too valuable.
As valuable as your sons?
Emiliano! Emiliano!
What is it?
Ask him!
What is it?
Huerta's forces are coming
through the pass, Emiliano!
Pretend
you don't know it.
No, they're not.
They can't.
How many?
Three regiments
with artillery.
Who posted scouts?
I did.
You?
I don't trust him.
I'm right.
Look at him!
Bugle.
I want to shake hands with our
liberator so I can tell my children.
Troops are coming?
Huerta has
disobeyed my orders?
What did you say, sir?
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
I have to go
and stop them.
Huerta would not dare!
Don't let him get away.
We must trust Madero.
Only he can bring us peace.
Emiliano, listen.
Please listen to me!
No!
Now get the snipers out
and flank the road.
Might be better to finish
him off. What do you say?
Emiliano,
I give you my word.
I will stop the troops.
I hope so.
But if you don't, I will.
I'm sorry, Mr. President.
Huerta must have
misunderstood.
You know, he's got good
qualities, too. Believe me.
Pablo.
Yes, I know, I know.
I'll talk to Emiliano. I'll
bring you two together again.
You look across the river!
I'll look upstream.
Watch it.
Wait. The hat.
Giddy up.
Here!
Here! Here!
All right.
Did you see him?
Did you see Huerta?
Yes, my president.
How does he explain this?
Why am I a prisoner here?
You are no longer
a prisoner, my president.
But they won't
let me leave.
I've been here for days!
Of course. He's been
guarding you for your safety.
You have enemies outside.
What enemies?
Zapata, Pancho Villa.
They've all turned against
you. They don't understand.
But don't worry.
General Huerta loves you.
He will protect you.
You must agree,
here you've been safe.
Why doesn't he give me
safe conduct to the port?
When is he going
to let me see him?
Tonight. He asked me to take you to him now.
Good. Good, good.
I don't want to
keep him waiting.
We mustn't keep him waiting.
Come on.
I'll be with you in a minute.
It's going to be all right.
It stopped.
Where are they?
What's keeping them?
We'll be late
for the reception.
There they come!
Will you step out,
my president?
Is Huerta here?
Where is he?
What...
What is this? What is...
What you do is wrong.
Wrong, I say.
No. You can't do this. I
tell you because... Because...
No!
Come on, come on.
I'm late.
Consorting with
the enemy.
You were seen talking to
an officer of Huerta's army.
We were ambushed.
We know that now.
What have you got
to say for yourself?
Why shouldn't I talk to him?
He was my brother-in-law.
He brought me
a message from my wife.
How did he know
where to find you?
I sent word.
You sent word and
we were ambushed!
Shoot him.
Wait.
Look behind you.
Two hundred and
forty-four fighting men!
We planned a surprise.
Huerta was ready for us.
When they killed Madero,
we had to begin again.
We lost many men
and there was a reason.
But this was useless.
Two hundred and
forty-four good farmers.
Your relatives,
with victory in their mouths,
will never chew it.
Now do you see why we have hard discipline?
You told your wife where
we would be and what?
Shoot him.
Thirty-two deserters from
the other side, my General.
They want to come over to us.
It's easy to come over to us
now that we're winning, isn't it?
Take care of them.
Go on.
Next.
I think
I'll get some sleep.
Putting it off?
No.
Mmm-hmm.
You're looking tired,
Emiliano.
He met with the
enemy. I have witnesses.
You don't need witnesses.
Just ask me.
It's true. I met with
Madero before he was killed.
You met him many times.
Many times, Emiliano.
Even after Madero signed
orders to destroy us.
That was at the end.
Madero wasn't himself.
He tried to hold Huerta in
check and Huerta killed him!
He was a good man, Emiliano.
He wanted to build houses,
plant fields.
If we could begin to build,
even while we're burning,
if we could plant
while we destroy.
You deserted our cause.
No!
Our cause was land,
not a thought.
The corn-planted earth
to feed the families.
Liberty, not a word.
But a man sitting safely in
front of his home in the evening.
Peace, not a dream.
Time for rest and kindness.
The question
beats in my head.
Can a good thing
come from a bad act?
Can peace come
from so much killing?
Can kindness finally come
from so much violence?
Can a man whose thoughts are
born in anger and hatred...
Can such a man
lead to peace?
Can he govern in peace?
I don't know.
You must have thought about
it, Emiliano. Do you know?
Do you know?
Two hundred and forty-four of our
fighting men were killed this morning.
We planned to surprise the
enemy. They surprised us.
Emiliano.
We've been friends since we guarded
the corn against the blackbird.
You know our rule against
consorting with the enemy.
Yes, my General.
And you ignored it.
Yes, my General.
Shall I call the squad?
Emiliano, not strangers.
Do it yourself.
Do it yourself.
A message from
General Villa. Important.
General Zapata's busy.
General Zapata
will see you now.
Why aren't you eating?
Tell me,
why is he a general at all?
What's he got from us?
More.
Look at you.
Look at that dress.
Is this a general's house?
Pancho Villa knows what to
do with his opportunities.
Look how he dresses.
Don't argue with me.
More meat?
More everything.
I know what I'm
talking about.
Being a general is
a business opportunity,
and he's not
taking advantage of it.
Why, he could
take half the state.
And everyone would
respect him for it.
And he won't touch it.
I give up on him.
Never had any faith in him.
What's that?
Do you hear horses?
Are you hurt?
No. Sentry.
How'd you get
through the lines?
There are no lines.
Huerta's defeated.
If he's in Mexico City,
I'll see him there.
Congratulations, my son.
Are you sick?
No.
I'm tired.
Something's
wrong with you.
No. Nothing's wrong.
We've won.
I just need sleep.
Right this way,
gentlemen.
Zapata!
Look, Huerta.
Zapata.
Let's get this over with.
Sit down.
No.
No, you sit there.
Sit down.
Sit down!
Viva! Viva! Viva!
All right, I'll stand guard
now. What are they doing?
Pancho Villa's still talking,
deciding the fate of Mexico.
Let them take their time. It's important.
Gentlemen, forgive me,
but it's past 3:00.
You're right.
We should be asleep.
We have a great
deal to discuss.
What do you think
we've been doing?
Political matters.
I eat too much.
I haven't anything to
discuss. I've made up my mind.
I'm going home.
I have a nice ranch, now. I'm
going to be president of that ranch.
In the morning I'll hear
roosters instead of bugles.
You know somebody took a
shot at me this morning.
Somebody
I didn't even know!
What do you propose?
I've been fighting too long.
I've lost my appetite for it.
You mean
you're going home?
I'm sick of it.
You beat one of them down
and two more will jump up.
I used to think
it would work.
What about Mexico?
I figured it out.
Only one man I can trust.
Can you read?
Then you're the president.
No. No.
Yes, yes, you are.
I just appointed you.
You sleep on it.
You'll see I'm right.
There isn't anyone else.
Do I look like a president?
There's no one else.
Acting on the report that
there have been gatherings
of disgruntled officers
in Saltillo,
Colonel Chavez, on your orders, my president,
moved in with a troop of
cavalry after nightfall.
The names of the deceased officers
are appended, my president.
"General."
I'm not president.
General.
All killed?
All.
Telegraph congratulations
to Colonel Chavez.
Yes, sir.
Next.
A delegation from the
state of Morelos with a petition.
I know these men.
Lalito, how are you?
Pepe, you got skinny.
Well,
what can I do for you?
Hmm?
What is it?
Lazaro?
What's wrong?
Well... What?
We have a complaint
against your brother.
My brother?
Your brother moved into
the Hacienda de Ayala.
And? He took the land you just distributed.
He's living there.
He put us out.
He killed a man
who wouldn't go.
Lalito, is this true?
It's true.
It's true.
Well...
All right.
When I get some time
I'll look into it.
These men
haven't got time.
Hmm?
These men
haven't got time!
If you just...
One minute.
They've plowed the land and
they've got it half-sowed.
And they haven't got time.
Your brother...
My brother is a general.
And he became a general
fighting for many years and
killing many of your enemies.
And don't you forget it.
Now I'm one of you
and you can trust me.
Since you are, you ought
to know the land can't wait.
The furrows are open,
the seeds not planted,
and stomachs
can't wait, either.
What's your name?
Hernandez.
What is it?
Hernandez. H-E-R...
I have it.
Where are you going?
I'm going home.
So you're
throwing it away.
Leave tonight, your enemies
will be here tomorrow,
in this room, at that desk!
They won't walk away.
They'll hunt you down till
you get your rest in the sun,
with the flies
in your face!
Leave now, I promise you,
you won't live long.
I won't live long anyway.
Zapata, in the name of all
we've fought for, don't go!
In the name of all we've
fought for, I'm going.
I won't go with you.
I don't expect you to.
Now I know you.
No field, no home,
no wife, no woman.
No friends, no love.
You only destroy.
That is your love.
And I will tell you
what you will do now.
You will go to
Obregon or Carranza.
And you'll never change.
Come on.
Brother, be careful
what you say to me.
Hermano.
Did you take the land
away from these people?
I took what I wanted.
Hermano?
I took their wives, too.
What kind of
an animal are you?
I'm a man,
not a freak like my brother!
Get out!
Look, I fought as long
and as hard as you did.
Every day you fought,
I fought!
I'm a General. Look.
Look. Here's my pay,
a little dust.
I can't even buy
a bottle of tequila.
We beat Diaz. He's living
in a palace in Paris.
We beat Huerta. He's a rich
man in the United States.
I have to beg pennies
in my own village
from people who
never fired a gun!
I'm a General, I'm gonna act like a
General. I'm gonna take what I want.
And don't you or anybody else try to stop me.
Chula.
So?
This land is yours.
But you must protect it.
It won't be yours long
if you don't protect it.
If necessary,
with your lives,
and your children
with their lives.
Don't discount your enemies.
They will be back.
And if your house is burned,
build it again.
If your corn is destroyed,
replant.
If your children die,
bear more.
If they drive you
out of the valley
live in the sides of
the mountains, but live.
You've always
looked for leaders,
strong men without faults,
there aren't any.
They are only men
like yourselves.
They change.
They desert, they die.
There are no leaders
but yourselves.
A strong people is
the only lasting strength.
Hermano!
What he said was true.
He fought every day
we fought.
He was a general.
We will bury him
as a general.
No.
He didn't die in battle.
I'll take him home with me.
Pancho Villa's in the north.
There's no trouble with him.
But Zapata.
What about Zapata?
Sir, how can you fight
an enemy you can't see?
You're looking for
an army to fight.
There is no army.
Every man, woman and child in the
state of Morelos is Zapata's army.
There's only
one thing to do.
Wipe them out.
All of them.
Excuse me, sir. We can't
find anybody to wipe out.
We go there,
the corn is growing,
there's a fire in
the hearth and no one.
We burn the house,
we destroy the corn.
We go back,
there are new shelters.
And the corn is
growing again.
The people, they're
like a different race.
They're not
afraid of anything.
Gentlemen, this is not a man
we're discussing, it's an idea,
and it's spreading.
It's a man!
Cut off the head of a snake
and the body will die.
Ideas are harder
to kill than snakes.
How do you kill an idea?
Kill Zapata,
your problem is solved.
Let us through!
Let us through!
Let him through.
Let me by!
We saw the supplies.
The guns were new, some never
fired. Machine guns, too.
Ammunition?
A mountain of it.
Have you seen it?
Yes.
That will give us a year.
And in a year,
we'll be ready for anything.
Why does he want to join us?
He says he was stripped
of his rank for nothing.
He wants revenge.
He was stripped of his rank
and now he's a colonel
with a first-class regiment?
It sounds
like a trap.
But it's strange enough to be true. Yes.
What proof did he give you
of his good faith?
He executed Juan Calsavo,
the chief of police, who
killed so many of our people.
Further proof
he leaves to you.
All right. All right.
Be here at sunset
ready to ride.
I'll think out
some more proofs.
What has happened?
Nothing.
Emiliano, I want to know.
What?
What is happening?
Are the hens
beginning to crow?
Every night I have
the same thought.
My heart says to me,
"Now for the first time you have
your husband alone sometimes.
"Without fighting,
running, hiding."
It also says that
soon you will be dead
and I have never
known you in peace.
Josefa,
I'm trying to make a plan.
We're getting
all the ammunition we need.
I don't want to hear.
Josefa.
Soon you'll be
gone and one day
a stranger will
come to the door
and tell me
that you're dead.
That is what is left for me.
Josefa,
a federal colonel
has given me his regiment
and all of his equipment.
It's a trick!
No. I always suspect a trick.
I wouldn't be alive...
This is an easy way to kill
you. I haven't made up my mind.
Emiliano, don't go.
We need the ammunition!
Don't go! I have a feeling. Don't go!
That's enough, Josefa!
I will make up my mind.
Emiliano!
Do you want to die?
I must do what is needed.
Emiliano.
You want to die.
Josefa, that's enough.
I will make up my mind.
I must do what is needed.
It will be all right.
Josefa, look how the little clouds
go across the face of the moon.
The moon is racing.
Time is racing, too.
Yes.
It reminds me.
You've made up your mind.
I don't speak
for myself now.
But, if anything happens to you,
what would become of these people?
What will they have left?
Themselves.
With all the fighting
and the death,
what has really changed?
They've changed.
That's how things really
change. Slowly, through people.
They don't need me anymore.
They have to be led.
Yes, but by each other.
A strong man
makes a weak people.
Strong people don't
need a strong man.
Here!
Well?
Jonacatepec is destroyed,
its garrison dead.
You saw it?
The garrison is destroyed.
And the supplies?
I saw them,
stacked and waiting.
What do you think?
Hmm?
He's passed every test.
Paco.
When will you go?
Now.
We'll leave tonight.
It's safer by night.
Chamaco.
Suppose something
happened to me?
We will get along.
And someday we'll go down
into the valleys again.
Until then,
we know how to survive.
Don't!
Emiliano, don't go.
Don't go, I beg you.
Emiliano, don't. Don't.
Emiliano Zapata.
Jesus Guajardo.
Where did you find him?
He's yours.
Where you been?
A federal officer
had him.
You got old.
Shoot that horse!
Shoot her! Shoot her!
The horse got away.
The horse?
Well, these people
are very superstitious.
They must have been
terribly afraid of him.
They shot him to ribbons.
The tiger is dead.
Well,
that's the end of that.
I don't know.
Sometimes a dead man
can be a terrible enemy.
Expose his body on the plaza
so they can see it.
So they can all
see that he's dead.
Who do they think
they're fooling?
Shot up that way,
he could be anybody.
He fooled them again.
Are you sure?
I rode with him. I fought
with him all these years.
They think they can fool me?
They can't kill him.
They'll never get him.
Can you capture a river?
Can you kill the wind?
No, he's not a river and
he's not the wind, he's a man!
And still
they can't kill him.
Then where is he?
He's in the mountains.
You couldn't find him now,
but if we ever need him
again, he'll be back.
Yes.
He's in the mountains.