Storm the Skies

The 1940 murder of Leon Trotsky was one of the most dramatic political assassinations of the 20th century. José Luis López-Linares and Jávier Rioyo's exceptional Spanish documentary Storm the Skies traces the bold lives of both the victim and his murderer. Trotsky, who lost the power struggle among the Bolsheviks in Russia, eventually went into exile in Mexico City with the assistance of the artistic couple Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. Trotsky continued to issue blistering writings denouncing the abuses of the Soviet regime, leading Stalin to worry about the outcast's continued influence, even though it was obvious that Trotsky would never be able to regain power in the Soviet Union. Trotsky's murder by Ramon Mercader, a Marxist who stabbed him in the head with an ice pick, was shocking—both for the brutality of the crime and because of Mercader's ability to infiltrate Trotsky's highly protective inner circle. The film carefully pieces together as much of Mercader's life story as is known—he never offered details about the assassination during his many years in prison, and remained equally enigmatic and closed-lipped in his final years in Cuba. If Storm the Skies doesn't offer definitive answers, it nevertheless recreates an amazing real life crime story that rivals any make-believe murder mystery. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)