A simple peasant is forced to take up arms to defend his farm during the Spanish Civil War. Along the way he falls in love with a Russian girl whose father is involved in espionage.
Acting
Fonda's conviction almost sells the watered-down politics.
Production
RKO's expensive sets that outclass the cautious screenplay.
Writing
John Howard Lawson's original script, butchered by studio fear.
Director
William Dieterle
Madeleine Carroll
Norma
Henry Fonda
Marco
Leo Carrillo
Luis
John Halliday
Andre Gallinet
Reginald Denny
Edward Grant
Vladimir Sokoloff
Basil
Robert Warwick
General Vallejo
Fred Kohler
Pietro
Peter Godfrey
Roderigo - Cafe Magician
Rosina Galli
Waitress
William B. Davidson
Commandant
Lupita Tovar
Palm Reader
Katherine DeMille
Peasant Woman on Train
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Blockade was denounced by both sides: conservatives hated its vague leftism, leftists hated its cowardice. Perfect 1938 centrist disaster.
Screenwriter John Howard Lawson became one of the Hollywood Ten; this film's mangling partly radicalized him.
US
