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La cruz y la espada
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox film
| name = La cruz y la espada
| image = La cruz y la espada.poster.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Poster for the film
| director = Frank Strayer
| producer = John Stone
| writer =
| screenplay = Paul Schofield
William DuBois
| story = Miguel de Zrraga
| based_on =
| starring = Jos Mojica
Juan Torena
Anita Campillo
| narrator =
| music = Samuel Kaylin
| cinematography =
| editing =
| studio = Fox Film Corporation
| distributor = Fox Film Corporation
| released =
| runtime = 73 minutes
| country = United States
| language = Spanish
}}
'La cruz y la espada' is a 1934 American Spanish language drama film directed by Frank Strayer, which stars Jos Mojica, Juan Torena, and Anita Campillo. The screenplay was written by Paul Schofield and William DuBois from a story by Miguel de Zrraga.
Plot
In the California of the late 1800s, Jos Antonio Romero hears of the nearby discovery of gold. Wanting to provide his fianc, Carmela, with all the good things in life, he decides to go hunt for gold. He tells his friend, Francisco, who is a Brother at a nearby mission, of his intentions and the reason. Carmela, who also lives near the mission, is having second thoughts about her relationship with Jos. When she is kidnapped by bandits, Francisco, who is unaware that she is his friend's fianc, goes off to her rescue. After freeing her, the two begin to have an attraction for each other. When Francisco realizes she is Jos's beloved, he begins to distance himself, although he is attracted to her.
Carmela, equally attracted to Francisco, is dismayed to learn that he is a member of the religious order. When one of the miners, Jaime, arrives at the mission and tells Francisco that Estaban, another miner, has been stabbed at the mining camp, Francisco does not hesitate to head out to the camp to render aid. On his return, he is forced to seek shelter in a cave due to a sudden storm. While in the cave, he accidentally discovers a large vein of gold. He struggles with his desire for Carmela, who he fantasizes about living happily ever after if he took the gold, left the religious order, and married her. In the end, his commitment to his religious devotion wins out, and he decides to tell his friend Jos the gold's location.
However, Jos has been told by another villager of the seeming infatuation growing between Francisco and Carmela. Consumed by jealousy, Jos confronts Francisco, accusing him of betraying their friendship. He attacks the Brother with a knife, but in the ensuing fight, Francisco convinces Jos that nothing untoward occurred between him and Carmela, and Jos asks for his friend's forgiveness.
Now able to support his fianc, Jos asks Francisco to sing at his wedding, which Francisco gladly does.
Cast list
* Jos Mojica as Hermano Francisco
* Juan Torena as Jos Antonio Romero
* Anita Campillo as Carmela
* Lucio Villegas as Padre Superior
* Carmen Rodrguez as Ta Mnica
* Paco Moreno as Hermano Pedro
* Carlos Montalbn as Esteban
* Martn Garralaga as Jaime
* Julin Rivero as El Mestizo
* F. A. Armenta as the Indian
* Rudolph Galante as Vaquero
* Soledad Jimnez as Senora Moreno
Production
In December 1933 it was revealed that Miguel de Zrraga, Paul Schofield, and William DuBois were writing the original screenplay for the film. Also announced was that Ernesto Lecuona, Jos Mojica, and Troy Sanders would be composing music for the film. The picture was the first of several scheduled by Fox Pictures, after a renewed interest in producing Spanish language films for the Latin American market, rather than simply releasing English language films with subtitle.
References
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