For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada Page #2

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You?

I thought you were being punished.

Hmm.

Don Enrique, we have a problem

with milling machine four.

Grab those there.

Ay.

[ laughs ]

Beautiful.

Look at this.

Charles Lindbergh

crosses the Atlantic solo.

Me? I am here,

going mad surrounded by pink soap.

You have a beautiful family

and enough memories of battle

to last a lifetime.

Memories.

You live in your memories,

you're already dead.

GIRL:
I saw you at the church.

Are you a gardener now?

JOSE:
Maybe an altar boy.

Really?

Marilena!

I'll see you later.

[ bell tolling ]

[ horse neighs ]

[ galloping hoofbeats ]

The federales are coming!

They're coming!

[ overlapping chatter ]

Padre, the federal soldiers are coming.

You must hide.

Hide? I'm too old to hide.

Please, Father, come with me.

You can hide at our house.

Would I hide from God?

This is my home.

I'm safe here, Joselito.

Jose, who are you

if you don't stand up

for what you believe?

There is no greater glory

than to give your life for Christ.

Now...

go.

Please, Father.

Go, and run fast.

God bless you.

[ overlapping chatter ]

[ door crashes open ]

Let this be a lesson

to any of you who help

the traitorous Cristeros.

[ officer speaking Spanish ]

Ya!

[ officer speaking Spanish ]

Ya!

[ rifles clatter ]

Apunten...

ya!

Stop.

Fuego!

Jose. Mi amor.

[ kiss ] Ests bien?

[ kiss ] Thank the Lord.

[ kiss ] Mi amor.

[ kiss ]

They killed Father Christopher.

I told him he could come here.

He wouldn't come with me.

I should have made him come with me.

Jose...

it was very brave of you to try.

Can't Godfather punish them?

Your padrino's a mayor...

but even he has no power

over the federales.

Anacleto Gonzlez Flores?

Yes?

This is the most I could get.

Umberto, God bless you.

[ laughs ]

We need to take

five belts each if you can.

Let me show you.

Hello, Padre.

It is prohibited to say Mass,

Padre Robles.

I forgive you, my son.

[ crashing, gunfire ]

Ya!

[ man speaking Spanish ]

[ laughter ]

[ shouting ]

Captain.

[ Captain groaning ]

Please. What do you want?

Money?

I can get you money.

Spend it in hell, cabrn.

[ wood scrapes ]

[ gasps ]

[ spits ]

We have over 20,000 men

who call themselves

defenders or populists.

Most don't even know

of each other's existence.

That's why we need

a commander in chief

and a central command.

What about your military friends?

Well, they suggested

Enrique Gorostieta...

an experienced, decorated general

and strategist.

He defeated Zapata.

I know of him.

I doubt he's sympathetic to our cause.

I don't even think he's Catholic.

We are not hiring him to pray.

He is a great man

capable of doing great things.

Close your eyes,

and sleep with the angels.

I'll try.

Okay.

[ clatter ]

Close your eyes.

[ shards tinkling ]

My mother brought us

that vase from Sevilla.

Sorry, Mother.

[ coyotes howling ]

[ horse neighs ]

MAN:
You looking for me?

[ bullets whizzing ]

[ gunfire stops ]

[ clatter ]

[ yells ]

[ insects chirping ]

He has to be dead.

Let's go in.

You go first.

Okay?

Come on.

[ yelling ]

Come out, cabrn.

Got you surrounded.

[ horses galloping ]

We heard they rode by Chucho's.

We came as fast as we could.

Are you all right?

Who else came to help you?

Go get the rest of the guns

and the ammunition

and their horses.

We're Cristeros now, boys!

[ shouts ]

How many?

- Six.

- Six.

Four here.

Four there.

[ chuckles ]

Catorce.

Catorce.

Miguel Gomez Loza.

Enrique Gorostieta.

Sit down, please.

I represent the National League

for the Defense of Religious Liberty.

Maybe you have heard us

referred to as the League.

I have heard you called

by another name,

Cristeros.

Surely you don't support Calles.

No.

He's a barbarian

and a fool.

There are uprisings

all around the country.

Over 20,000 men,

but no leader.

No leader?

I am not what you might call

a devout believer.

We propose to hire you

to turn our armed resistance

into a formidable army.

An army?

I thank you, sir,

for a most generous offer.

Okay, let's make an army.

Let's make a, uh, formidable army

out of a group of ragtag peasants

in huaraches...

out of a few game ranchers,

out of some tenderfooted clergy

who are trembling at the thought

of holding a weapon for the first time.

You want me to make

a national guard out of that?

Look at me.

Do you have proper weapons? No.

Do you have

an ammunition supply? No.

Do you have

a central command? No.

How many is that?

Three no's.

All you have is belief,

and belief will not save them in battle.

A central command?

The League has an extensive

secret network all over Mxico.

Weapons, ammunition?

From dissenters

within the army itself

and soldiers we have defeated.

Surely you have read about

our victories in your paper.

And your defeats.

General, that's why

we want to hire you.

And suppose I'm interested

in your offer.

What are your finances?

You gonna pay me in prayers?

Tell me what you want,

and I will bring it back to the League.

I don't think the Cristeros

can afford me.

The question here is,

where does the finest general

in Mxico want to serve?

[ sniffs ]

If I don't take these photographs,

who will?

Who will record this barbarity

that wouldn't be believed?

Why didn't they shoot you?

Heh.

I always promise them a portrait.

[ clatter outside ]

Miguel.

Miijo, what happened?

Are you all right?

Yes, Father.

There was a big battle.

Bullet went right through my ankle.

They killed my horse.

Hi.

I will get Dr. Limn.

No, no, no, no.

It's better if no one knows.

No one will know.

I have known him for almost 30 years.

[ laughs ]

Will he be all right?

Yes.

Boys, time to go.

Don't tell anyone what you saw here.

- Viva!

- [ cheering ]

Viva Cristo Rey!

Viva El Catorce!

[ cheering continues ]

El Catorce!

El Catorce!

El Catorce!

[ kiss ]

[ kiss ]

There you go, Padre.

Thank you, Pablo.

[ horses neighing ]

The legendary El Catorce.

Victoriano Ramirez.

My brother Pablo.

Hey.

They should be here, Pablo.

Bring them inside.

Where is the general?

I'm sorry.

I didn't introduce myself.

General Jose Reyes Vega.

You're General Vega?

Yes.

You're a priest.

I'm a priest.

[ both laughing ]

A priest general, huh?

Oh. All right.

Some water?

Uh, what else do you have?

Some tequila. Help yourself.

[ laughs ]

You know, I-- [ chuckles ]

I heard that your last battle

didn't go so well.

Now I know why.

Really? Maybe--

Maybe priests shouldn't

be generals. Hmm?

Of course, we didn't know

you would be fighting so close.

Did you know that you drove

the federales right into our camp

when we were completely unprepared?

You were completely unprepared?

And this is my fault?

I'm saying we should

be working together.

[ sniffs ]

Under whose command?

The League appointed me

commander.

Well, I don't know anything

about any League, Padre.

I'm fighting for Cristo Rey

y la Virgen de Guadalupe.

And I'm responsible

for my own men.

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