El Cid/The book and the film
I was recently given a new biography of El Cid, the Spanish 11th Century knight, by Nora Berend, a Cambridge University historian.
Her thesis is that Rodrigo de Viva – far rom being a patriot – was a mercenary.
She concedes that many of the primary sources are unreliable.
However this did inspire me to watch the epic film again.
There no doubt here of El Cid’s devotion to Spain and its monarchy in Castile.
The Moors under Ben Yusuf (Herbert Lom) are about to invade and Rodrigo (Charlton Heston) is setting off to marry Chimena (Sophia Loren), the daughter of the King’s champion – somewhat incongruously played by the Scottish actor Andrew Cruikshank – whom Rodrigo kills in combat. Chimena is none too pleased, but agrees to proceed with the marriage. She is also coveted by the duplicitous Count Ordoneż – both plotting to kill Rodrigo. Ordineź is instrumental in Rodrigo being tried for treason for freeing the Emir of Zaragoza (Douglas Wilmer) who calls him “El Cid” (Milord).
The old King Fernando dies and his two sons – Sancho and Alfonso – dispute the kingdom. Alfonso, assisted by his scheming sister Ullaca, has Sancho murdered. El Cid supports Alfonso and wins back the love of Chimena.
The film, directed by Anthony Mann, is notable for its big scale battle scenes, but my favourite one is the meeting between El Cid and the leper (Anthony Wheatley ).
The Cid offers water from his gourd to the leper who thanks him ‘My Cid”, which prompts The Cid to enquire how a blind man could know his name.
“There is only one man in the whole of Spain who can humble a king and give water from his gourd to a leper – the one they call the Cid …” comes the reply.
My friend – who gave me the biography – was once summoned by his autocratic senior partner, to which he replied “There is only one man in the whole of Holborn who summons a clerk to his office – the one they call “Big Arthur” …“
In leading the army out of Valencia against Ben Yusuf, the Cid is struck by an arrow but chooses not to have it removed in order to lead out the army and – flanked by the King and The Emir of Zaragoza – scatters the Muslim army.
The myth of El Cid was perpetuated by Generalisimo Franco as symbolic of Spanish catholic patriotism and put El Cid on a stamp and was photographed bearing his sword.
There is an irony here as Franco, as Governor of Africa, mobilised a Moroccan army in the Civil War.
’El Cid ‘ was the template for ‘Gladiator ‘and 63 years after release still a popular film