Viva Zapata! (1952)

A Mexican peasant (Marlon Brando) becomes a revolutionary when the country's president (Fay Roope) and then his successor (Harold Gordon) keep the status quo and continue the suppression of the peasants while the country's elite have control of the land. Very loosely based on ZAPATA THE UNCONQUERABLE by Edgcomb Pinchon and adapted for the screen by John Steinbeck and directed by Elia Kazan. The film is hampered with Steinbeck's flawed screenplay that drags out the "we the people" cliches (though their placement here is not nearly as deadly as in Ford's film of Steinbeck's GRAPES OF WRATH but strong direction and excellent performances push the film through. Fittingly, that young rebel and revolutionary (in acting terms) Marlon Brando is Zapata and while he has no "big" scenes, he has some wonderful moments and touches that only a great actor can bring to a part. The film's biggest flaw is is in the obviousness of the character played by Joseph Wiseman, a cold and calculating Judas Iscariot with no identifiable human feelings. He's such an obvious symbol and cliche that he almost throws the movie out of whack. The beauty of a score is by Alex North. The fine cast includes Anthony Quinn in an Oscar winning performance as Zapata's brother, Jean Peters, Mildred Dunnock, Frank Silvera, Margo, Alan Reed and Henry Silva.