Although the original post is from some time ago, I assume that others might have this question too and feel the need to provide a brief reply.
Cria Cuervos was made in 1976, Franco had only died in November of 1975 and the political climate was not in any sense 'settled.' The amount of censorship, particularly that concerning criticism of the government had not yet been repealed, thus out and out discussion of the regime was impossible. The criticism of fascism, I feel, is found in the film comes in the form of careful symbolism.
With that said, the very title of the film suggests Ana is a case study of her nation. Cria Cuervos (as has been noted elsewhere on this board) comes from a traditional saying: raise ravens and they will pluck out your eyes. Children raised in eras of duress, who carry burdens inappropriate to their age will show signs of it as adults. The implications of child trauma or psychosis reflecting the ills of the nation was a typical narrative ploy to critique forbidden subjects.
The concept of the authoritarian or selfish father is an allegory to Franco that would have been very comfortable and familiar with the 1970s audience, even those outside of Spain. Franco referred to himself as a father of the nation, a father of a revolution, and the citizens of Spain as "my children" and "my little children." Criticisms of fathers were seen as criticisms of the state. In this case, Ana watches her father destroy her mother's mental health (and possibly neglect her physical health) because he was using his uniform to attract other women. He justifies this by saying "you know what sort of man I am." I would say this is a fairly important political comparison. By living in a non-democratic country one is subject to the whims and indulgences of one's master, dependent on his love and charity (like a wife, or a child). The costs can be grave, as we see through Ana, who tries to kill three people.
While the film certainly speaks to overall neurosis and damage done to a child just gaining her adult teeth when witnessing death and discontentment, that situation is familiar to anyone growing up in politically unsteady times and is furtive narrative ground for the sacrifices or abuses of 'that age.'
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anticaria
14 years ago
thank you, skindili, for a fantastic summary.. this movie is indeed laden with thought-provoking political symbolism.. the cruel, womanizing father represents the whims of an appressive dictatorial regime, while the mentally and physically frail mother represents a starving spain crying out for love and respect.. and finally, little ana represents the damaged/traumatized psyche of the average spanish citizen, who is hurt, desolate, and seemingly impotent to stop the abuse and disrespect their mother, spain herself, was so harshly subjected to by the paternalistic tyrant hellbent on treating her as a mere hysterical and immature 'child'..
in fact, the political symbolism is so thick one would need a knife to cut through it.. and it truly boggles the mind to hear someone suggesting that there was no political symbolism to be found in this movie.. huh?
btw, despite her flaws, i found the character of rosa a breath of fresh air in an otherwise oppressively sad story..
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Hypatia42
14 years ago
Thank you for elaborating on the symbolism of the story. I was some what alarmed to find there was someone questioning the availability of coherent political criticism in the story.
One thing I have been wondering since watching Cria is whether Franco's death instigated a slight re-editing of the story. Ana's aunt is found in the clutches of yet another 'military' figure and seems all too pleased to acquiesce to his desires. But, of course, the film has already established that he is married and his seduction of the aunt implies that he too will carry the paternal hypocrisy's and ego that her father did. As the aunt has become the new maternal figure, he is poised to become the new father and seems to carry all the shortcomings of the original patriarch.
Given Franco's recent death, I wonder if this was originally intended to be more elaborate symbolism (fatherly tyranny, etc.) that was toned down given the circumstances. The story felt poised to further elaborate this point but then skirted the issue. It's still there, just not as strongly as could be.
Otherwise, I still firmly believe the film easily, symbolically establishes the characters as representatives of their country's plight.
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xianjiro
11 years ago
Again, thank you Skindill for the thoughtful explanation.
One thing we can't forget is how willing young Ana is to kill. First offering what she thinks is horrible poison to her gran and then actually putting it in her aunt's milk. This mutation of youthful innocence is reminiscent of Rossellini's Germany Year Zero. Fascism's affect on the innocent is a primary theme of both movies.
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