What distinguishes this documentary about Ernesto “Che” Guevara, the Argentina-born hero of the mid-20th century Cuban revolution, is the fact that even though filmmaker Eduardo Montes-Bradley's Che features a wealth of archival stills and film footage, it's essentially an oral history, told by those who actually knew the man. The key figure here is definitely Dr. Alberto Granados, a friend who accompanied Guevara on the 1951 motorcycle trip through South America that acted as a catalyst for the young man's revolutionary leanings. Although tilting to the left himself, Granados remained focused on a life of scientific investigation rather than political activism, but continued his friendship with Guevara and eventually joined him in Cuba. Other interviewees here were part of Che's contingent of bodyguards or served with him on military campaigns, and their recollections have a homely, down-to-earth quality, noting—for instance—the way he punished them for infractions of discipline, but also discussing his leadership qualities and strength of character. All interviewees (whose comments are supplemented by brief written texts that offer fuller historical data) are fundamentally complimentary toward Che, though they don't shy away from admitting that Guevara's efforts to export his guerilla tactics to Africa and South America were a failure. Che begins with an account of Guevara's death in Bolivia in 1967 and fittingly ends with footage of the return of his remains for internment in a monument in Santa Clara's Revolution Square some 30 years later. Recommended. [Note: also newly available is filmmaker Eduardo Montes-Bradley's Evita.] Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Che: Rise & Fall
(2008) 52 min. In Spanish w/English subtitles. DVD: $27.99. Patagonia Film Group (avail. from www.createspace.com). Volume 23, Issue 5
Che: Rise & Fall
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: