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Xantos and Mongo

posted 18 years ago by pogglezig
6 replies | jump to latest

I'm kind of confused as to the political differences between Xantos and Mongo. I watched it in English before turning it back to Italian w/Eng. subs since I couldn't stand the dub, so I'm not sure if I missed anything.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] den_dennis 18 years ago

If you watch it with English subs and English audio, then there's a problem, as the subtitle is obviously for the Italian audio track. If that what bothered you then I can understand. Otherwise, the English dubbing for this film is good, in my opinion.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] sockscats 13 years ago

Mongo is a power hungry and corrupt opportunist. An evil man no better than the people(Diaz) running things.

Xantos is an idealistic intellectual who wants a free Mexico and nothing for himself. I assume Xantos to be a socialist fighting for the poor while Mongo would be just another militaristic Latin American dictator.

The whole thing is a bit nonsensical really because how can a bunch of non violent students overcome an army. But with the help of our heroes they do. Gotta love it!

[–] serfs_up 10 years ago

Xantos is an idealistic intellectual who wants a free Mexico and nothing for himself. I assume Xantos to be a socialist fighting for the poor while Mongo would be just another militaristic Latin American dictator.

The whole thing is a bit nonsensical really because how can a bunch of non violent students overcome an army.

Wrong, Xantos represents non-violence that's why his gun wasn't loaded in the final duel. The director is showing the inefficacy of non-violence to win revolutions and the importance of a militant left as represented by the students at the end who *did* rise up. It's a rebuke of the 1960s hippie movements; a call for the left to take up arms, not just ideas.