For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada Page #6

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Jose!

Jose!

[ echoes ] Jose!

Jose!

[ overlapping chatter ]

GOROSTIETA:
Thank you.

FR. VEGA:
How are you?

Not good.

A scout tells us that General Rodriguez

is heading towards Tepatitln

to set up headquarters.

This will be one of the most

important battles of our struggle.

I'm entrusting it to you...

with Pedroza and Victoriano

under your command.

I'm ready, Commander.

You, Pedroza and Victoriano

will be in Tepatitln in two days.

We can pull some more troops in.

If you get there first,

it will not be necessary.

You go into the city.

You look for vantage points--

buildings, rooftops, behind walls,

sheltered places.

There will be not one Cristero in sight.

[ spits ]

Padre, can't you see the gun?

We have to attack now.

Hyah!

What the hell is he doing?

Fuego!

CRISTERO:
Catorce!

Did we get the--

Did we get the machine gun?

Yes.

- Yes.

- [ gurgles ]

Yes. Yes.

Okay.

Viva Cristo Rey.

Que viva.

[ gunfire, yelling continue ]

[ sighs ]

In nomine Patris

et Filii et Spiritus Sanctus.

Well done, Victoriano.

Ah, Lalo.

- Lalo, are you a strong rider?

- Yes, sir.

I want you to ride

like the wind to Sahuayo.

Find out if Jose is there.

You report back to me

as soon as possible.

Yes, sir.

You're only alive because

the capitn knows your padrino.

[ scoffing laugh ]

BOY:
Are they going to kill us?

I don't want to die.

I'm scared, too, Lorenzo.

This is what happens when you don't

tell me what I need to know.

- Pull.

- [ gasps ]

[ car approaching ]

No! No!

Muvete.

Get out!

I'm gonna take you home, Jose.

I'm gonna take you home.

Just--Just say the words.

"Death to Cristo Rey.

Long live the federal government."

No, Padrino.

[ stammers ]

They're just words.

I--I can't, Padrino.

Just f-for your mother.

Viva Cristo Rey.

[ car driving away ]

Your luck has run out.

[ train whistle blows ]

- Bishop Diaz?

- Yes.

- Bishop Ruiz?

- Yes.

Dwight Morrow.

What a pleasure.

The pleasure is ours,

Mr. Ambassador.

Would you care for some tea?

Please join us.

Oh, superb, superb.

The prospects of the trip

have improved already.

Mr. Ambassador...

who actually invited us?

It's important to everyone.

And I've been working

with President Calles

to try and find a solution

to this madness.

We are ready to listen

and to bring the message to Rome.

Well, I know Rome and the top prelates

have not publicly claimed support

for the Cristeros,

but neither have they disowned them.

And in this situation,

their silence is deafening.

This whole thing has been--

It's been an unnecessary tragedy.

And Calles himself sees that now,

and he's ready to find a compromise

with the Church.

What is critical is that we reach

an agreement soon

so that the killings stop

and services can begin again in peace,

and with peace comes stability and prosperity.

Peace and stability, Mr. Ambassador?

Gentlemen, would you excuse me

for a moment?

Of course.

[ sighs ]

Jose.

Lalo.

The general sent me

to see if you were here.

You have to go.

La Guada could see you.

Hold on.

I'm in God's hands, Lalo.

[ clatter ]

Go. Before they see you.

A complete pardon

for the entire Cristero army?

What should we do with their leadership?

Give them a parade with confetti

all the way up to Chapultepec Castle?

Well, the pardon must be universal,

specifically including the leadership,

or there won't be an accord.

How many men did you lose

with General Rodriguez in Tepatitln?

Just how many more

are you prepared to lose?

And Rome?

Will it accept the other terms?

I believe I can arrange a meeting

with the bishops

to confirm their support.

[ sighs ]

Before I give you my answer,

there is something I need to do first.

What's that?

Go see an old friend.

[ birds squawking ]

Frankly, I thought you would not come.

You came to me.

This is Cristero country.

This is Mxico, Enrique.

Please join me.

How's the family?

Your wife, Tulita?

She's very excited.

Church bells will be ringing freely very soon.

Salud.

Viva Cristo Rey.

Your war is coming to an end very soon.

You're here to concede?

[ chuckles ]

Not quite, no.

It's not my war.

It's your war.

You declared war on freedom.

I know you for a long time,

and I know you're not a fool,

so you must know this war

is not about freedom,

and it's not about religion.

It's about who is going to decide

the fate of Mxico and its people.

Well, the people of Mxico

have spoken.

They did speak when they elected me

President, not you.

I run things in this country.

Not for long.

An agreement is being discussed.

Mxico and Rome

are going to make peace.

An agreement?

No one wants this war anymore, Enrique.

Mxico is bleeding on its own fields.

Mxico is hanging from telegraph poles

from Monterrey to Veracruz.

Of course you need an agreement.

But freedom has no compromise.

By definition, it is absolute,

and that's why we will be victorious.

Keep your agreement.

Please spare me

your rhetorical idealism

and tell me,

what do you really want?

Absolute freedom.

Is that in the agreement?

The agreement is all but sealed.

This is yours, your agreement.

It's not ours.

You're holding your fate in your hands.

The fate of Mxico,

the destiny of Mxico...

it's in God's hands,

not yours or mine.

Que viva Cristo Rey.

The American Ambassador Morrow

has made a preliminary agreement

between the government

of Mxico and Rome.

An agreement?

What kind of an agreement?

The Church has been asked

to forgo half of its demands.

In return, the government will loosen

some restrictions on the clergy.

What does that mean exactly?

The extreme laws will be rescinded.

Others will be...

officially unenforced.

And then what?

With Rome's blessing,

the church bells could be

ringing again within a month.

My brother died for this.

For what?

Mi General,

what should we do?

We will defeat this government,

we will overthrow Calles,

and we will establish

a democratic government

that respects

the rights of the people!

Especially the basic right

to worship God in peace.

And with God on our side,

we will prevail.

[ kiss ]

I wish I had your faith.

Jose's faith.

I don't know where to find it.

If your heart's open,

it might find you.

Entre el cielo y la tierra

Entre la luz...

In a few seconds,

you're gonna beg me

to let you spit on Cristo Rey.

[ sobbing ]

Jess nos da fuerzas!

Do you have anything to tell me?

Viva Cristo Rey!

[ distant ]

Viva Cristo Rey!

Viva Cristo Rey!

...y slo mi corazn

And what about going through Colotln

to get to get to Tlaltenango?

No, better through Aguascalientes.

It's safer.

General! They have Jose.

They're going to kill him.

- In Sahuayo?

- Yes, sir.

Teniente, you plus 1 0 men come with me!

- The rest, return to camp!

- S, mi General.

Desmonte. Vaya.

con el General.

El resto se regresa

al campamento. Ya!

Ho! Hah!

Entre el cielo y la tierra

Entre la luz y la oscuridad

Entre la fe y el pecado

Slo se encuentra mi corazn

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