Salvador Allende

Salvador Allende, the democratically-elected socialist leader of Chile overthrown in a 1973 coup supported by the United States, has become little more than an historical footnote in America—a mere prelude to the horrors of the Pinochet years. But Patricio Guzmán's engrossing documentary demonstrates not only that Allende is still revered by many in his native land, but also that he had a long political career, culminating in a three-year presidency that witnessed substantial reform. Filmmaker Guzmán, one of Allende's supporters who fled the country after his fall (along with, among others, Allende's niece, the acclaimed novelist Isabel Allende), covers Allende's “official” life in excellent detail (though with more than a hint of panegyric), while also presenting the personal side, investigating Allende's family background and development of his political thought, in particular his idiosyncratic notion that socialist change could best be brought about by peaceful electoral means rather than violent upheaval. Guzmán employs a wide variety of sources—newsreel footage, still photos (including one of Allende's corpse following his suicide), visits to historical sites, and interviews with family, friends, journalists, and supporters (the hostile attitude of the Nixon administration is illustrated through excerpts from a revealing conversation with Edward Korry, the American ambassador to Chile at the time). Narrated by the director, Salvador Allende is at times excessively impressionistic, but the film succeeds well both as an account of a political life (often reduced to sound-bites) and as a tribute to an idealistic man whose vision was dashed by the realities of the Cold War. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)