Film Stories From The Book:
Hollywood of the Rockies
By: Frederic B. Wildfang
Viva Zapata
1952 — 20th Century Fox — produced by Darryl F. Zanuck, written by John Steinbeck, directed by Elia Kazan, photography by Joe MacDonald, music directed by Alfred Newman, music by Alex North, art directed by Lyle Wheeler and Leland Fuller — starring Marlon Brando, Anthony Quinn, Jean Peters, Joseph Wiseman, Arnold Moss, Margo, and Frank Silvera
Academy Award Nominations: John Steinbeck (Screenplay), Alex North (Score), Marlon Brando (Best Actor), Lyle Wheeler and Leland Fuller (Art Direction)
Academy Award: Anthony Quinn
“Land and Liberty” was the rallying cry of Emiliano Zapata.
This story of revolution (appropriately and aptly rendered by John Steinbeck) is about the efforts of (Marlon Brando) the peasant leader of the indigenous Mayans of southern Mexico to win back the land for his people. Aided by (Anthony Quinn) his brother and motivated by his love for (Jean Peters) a woman of breeding and education equal to his own lofty aspirations, Zapata successively defeats regime after regime — ultimately gaining for himself the office of the President. After giving it all up in order to return to the service of his people, however, he is finally betrayed and assassinated by a former political ally — leaving only his spirit behind in his stead. Even today among the peoples of southern Mexico his spirit survives.
Train scenes for Viva Zapata were shot on Denver & Rio Grande Southern tracks no longer in existence. The original spurline used to run south through Wildcat Canyon — just west of Durango — near the old town of Porter. As announced in the Durango Herald-Tribune at the time of shooting:
The old ‘Emma Sweeney’ narrow-gauge locomotive made famous in the Basin-filmed ‘Ticket to Tomahawk,’ was riding the rails again today, though with a different number on her painted boiler and sides.
Marlon Brando, characterized by Halliwell’s Filmgoer’s Guide as a “Moody, good-looking star...” in this “romanticized but glum view of history,” received an Academy Award nomination for “Best Actor” for his role as Emiliano Zapata. Anthony Quinn received a nomination for “Best Supporting Actor” for his role as Zapata’s brother — and actually walked away with the Oscar, his first. Ironically, as reported in the Durango Herald:
Quinn’s own life was touched by the revolution. His mother was Mexican, and as an infant he was smuggled out of Mexico during the revolution.
