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• Technoguy said...

  Posted on Aug 15 2008 01:12 The Devil's Backbone is rich in metaphor between the real,historical and supernatural realms.The richness comes from the symbiosis of childhood wonder,it's ability to inhabit states of change and metamorphosis and The Spanish Civil War,it's trauma in the Spanish
  mind and it's effects on Spanish life.The subject of
  ghosts,the suspension of trapped emotion.The divisions within and without.The unexploded bomb in the yard is an apt symbol.Dr. Casares and Carmen run the
  orphanage for boys who have lost their parents in the civil war.There is the fear of the arrival of the Nationalists coming to a communist stronghold. There
  is also Jacinto the surly young janitor who oppresses
  the children and threatens them if they are found in the wrong place. Jaime,one of the orphans saw how Santi died at Jacinto's hands and was dropped into the murky pool inside the house.Dr. Casares is in love with Carmen, the widowed cripple who teaches the orphans,
  keeps gold in a safe for 'the cause' and makes love to
  Jacinto. Jacinto is aware the gold is being given to communists and wants to get it and leave with his girlfriend, Conchita. Carlos sleeps in the bed of Santi who was killed and he makes connection with him and
  is whispered to by him and followed by him'the one who sighs'.Dr. Casares is a scientist and does not believe in things like 'the Devil's Backbone' he says
  showing a stillborn baby in a jar of rum.This comes from
  the sickness of fear.All he sees is poverty and disease.
  One day he drives Jacinto out of the orphanage due to
  his ill treatment of Carmen. However he tails back and sets light to a room with petrol in and there is a massive explosion which kills several children and Carmen. Casares though badly wounded sits guard
  looking out over the horizon for any approach of Jacinto.Jacinto does return with fellow criminals to
  get the gold once Casares dies.He locks up the kids and
  proceeds to search the rooms,digging through the rubble.Santi has told Carlos to bring Jacinto to him.
  Jacinto's men drive off not believing there is any gold.
  Jacinto finds the gold in an atrificial leg. The children
  bait Jacinto and as he's about to shoot he is speared
  by a pole.He is driven into the pool like a wounded bull
  and with the weight of gold in his pockets he sinks until
  Santi claims him at the bottom.The children go off
  leaving the ghost of Dr. Casares watching them. The
  whole design of the orphanage with the use of the two
  chief colour schemes the cool blue of night and interior scenes and the warm orange and yellows of the days
  of hot summer sunshine,conveying a sense of warm earth and dry air.It's a marvellous depiction of childhood filteredf through the Spanish Civil War.

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