Revelations 6:8 in the Bible quoted at the start of the film refers to death in the form of a pale horse.
If one reflects on the film, written by Emeric Pressburger (who wrote and directed films) and scripted by the interesting J. P. Miller, the film is considerably about death more than the Spanish politics. Only two major characters die in the film; yet the film is all about death of unseen characters. The young boy Paco crosses the Spanish border to France to avenge in his own way his father's death. A priest, Francisco, (played by Omar Sharif), became one after his father was killed in Lorca. When queried about which faction killed his father, he replies rhetorically, "Does either side have a right to take his life?" Even the dying Pilar (Mildred Dunnock) who is an agnostic, responds to the priest Francisco on her deathbed when he philosophically states "The Lord giveth and taketh" with an acerbic repartee "Mostly taketh." Even Vinolas (Anthony Quinn) who plays a negative character and laughs at his secret lover's religious fervour to visit Lourdes as a pilgrim, goes to a church to pray that he succeeds and comes out alive after he sets out an elaborate trap to catch Manuel Artiguez (Gregory Peck).
Zinnemann's direction of the film gives one the foretaste of his future work "The Day of the Jackal" in exciting the build-up to the finale. The film belongs to Zinnemann, Pressburger and Miller even though all the major actors do a commendable job.
If one reflects on the film, written by Emeric Pressburger (who wrote and directed films) and scripted by the interesting J. P. Miller, the film is considerably about death more than the Spanish politics. Only two major characters die in the film; yet the film is all about death of unseen characters. The young boy Paco crosses the Spanish border to France to avenge in his own way his father's death. A priest, Francisco, (played by Omar Sharif), became one after his father was killed in Lorca. When queried about which faction killed his father, he replies rhetorically, "Does either side have a right to take his life?" Even the dying Pilar (Mildred Dunnock) who is an agnostic, responds to the priest Francisco on her deathbed when he philosophically states "The Lord giveth and taketh" with an acerbic repartee "Mostly taketh." Even Vinolas (Anthony Quinn) who plays a negative character and laughs at his secret lover's religious fervour to visit Lourdes as a pilgrim, goes to a church to pray that he succeeds and comes out alive after he sets out an elaborate trap to catch Manuel Artiguez (Gregory Peck).
Zinnemann's direction of the film gives one the foretaste of his future work "The Day of the Jackal" in exciting the build-up to the finale. The film belongs to Zinnemann, Pressburger and Miller even though all the major actors do a commendable job.