I haven't notice anyone mention 'The Salt of the Earth' in their desert island films and I'm astonished to note that I didn't mention it either in my list. 'Astonished' because it is a film that is perhaps more important to me than any other for reasons that are too numerous to explain but basically because it is a heartlifting movie and so rich in explorations of cultural conflicts in many fields, including male/female, anglo/chicano, worker/boss, socialism/capitalism, rich/poor, community/individual and others. It is a film that I have written extensively on and lectured on many times here in Spain and one I would recommend to all who have not seen it.
I write this because yesterday a film about the making of 'The Salt of the Earth' opened here in Barcelona. It was made by a Welsh director with Welsh, British and Spanish financing and was shot largely in Spain, as far as I can tell, or at least the location shots were. It stars Jeff Goldblum as Herbert J Biberman, director of 'Salt', Greta Scacchi as his wife Gale Sondergaard, and Angela Molina as Rosaura Revueltas who played the lead in 'Salt'. The film is entitled 'One of the Hollywood Ten' and is directed by Karl Francis. It is hard to be objective about this film, given my feelings towards it, but I urge anyone who has seen 'Salt' to see it. It seems to me the perfect time to have made this film, given the current climate where freedom of expression seems under threat and any 'dissenting voices' (including on this list) are treated as 'undemocratic' or 'marxist inspired' 'un-American' or whatever else. The one thing I don't understand about 'Hollywood Ten' is why they changed the character's name from Esperanza, a very hopeful name in Spanish, to Esmeralda. If anyone can explain this I'd like to hear it. I believe the film will open in the USA in the near future. mike NP Beth Orton 'Trailer Park'
