Spain's History with Classic Hollywood
I've been living in Spain since 2017 but my love for this country goes way back. There are the obvious things why I'm attracted to Spain (weather, food, lifestyle) but there's another thing that I love and it has to do with Classic Hollywood. I love the fact that Spanish people are far more familiar with classic films and their stars than Dutch people. I think it's more likely to get a blank stare from a Dutch man than a Spaniard when mentioning the name of a classic film star. In Barcelona we have this wonderful movie theater called Filmoteca and I love the fact that many elderly people visit the Filmoteca to watch the classics on the big screen. They really seem classic Hollywood aficionados (admittedly, this applies more to the older generations, probably the same goes for classic film fans in The Netherlands). If you watch the Spanish news when a classic Hollywood star has passed away, the news item will be much longer than on Dutch television (provided the Dutch news will dedicate time to this item at all). Classic films, even the obscure ones, are easy to find on DVD/Blu-ray in Spain ¹). Even if the DVD has no other release, chances are you will find a Spanish one.
¹) I don't buy DVDs regularly anymore but I used to buy them at El Corte Inglés or FNAC where they have a special section for Cine Clásico. (It could be they have reduced their stock in the shops but they also sell lots of titles online; I love their pre-code double boxes!) I did recently buy the DVD of Together Again at the Filmoteca shop for only 3 EUR.
I often wondered why Spanish people seem to love Classic Hollywood.
I often wondered why Spanish people seem to love Classic Hollywood.
I went online and got my answer when I read this blog article How a Spanish Girl Got Hooked On Hollywood Classic Films. Author Ana Eire, a professor of Spanish at Stetson University in Florida, says: "I became a classic movie fan because of the Franco dictatorship. When I was a child in the sixties and seventies in Spain, the state-owned national TV channel relied heavily on American classic films to fill its programming, with a good dose of American TV shows such as Bonanza, Bewitched, Get Smart, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and many others. Franco died in 1975, but during the beginning of the transition to democracy the TV did not change much in its programming. We got some recent films, such as Take the Money and Run by Woody Allen, and we were able to see classics that had not been shown due to censorship, as was the case with Chaplin’s The Great Dictator. American classics dominated Spanish TV until the mid-eighties."
Obviously Spain has its own film industry, going back to the days of the silent film with Barcelona as the center of the national industry during the 1910s (by the end of the 1920s Madrid had taken over as the primary center). When we talk about imported films from Hollywood into Spain, there was no language problem during the days of silent cinema. Films were still understandable with translated intertitles and audiences even believed the actors spoke in their language. This all changed with the advent of the talkies at the end of the 1920s. At first Spanish audiences stood up against the influx of English language films and demanded films in their own language. The domestic industry flourished temporarily. As a reaction Hollywood started making multiple-language versions of the same film. A new version of the original English film would be made with foreign actors speaking their own language. Naturally this method was very costly and was ultimately abandoned.
There were two other options for making film dialogue understandable: by dubbing the actor's voices or adding subtitles. European film industries were divided which option to choose. Because of illiteracy dominating in Europe, subtitling would pose a huge problem as foreign films would not be accessible to a wider audience. During the 1930s foreign films were both dubbed and subtitled (the first dubbed film in Castellano (Spanish) dates back to 1931) with film theaters operating well during the Spanish Civil War (1936 - 1939), screening both local productions and Hollywood import. But when in 1938 the Republican government was seemingly losing the conflict, many Spanish filmmakers left Spain to try their luck elsewhere. Needless to say the national film industry wasn't doing too well by the end of the Civil War.
When Franco seized power in Spain in 1939, things changed radically for the film industry ²). The Junta Superior de Censura Cinematográfica (Superior Board of Film Censorship) had been established in 1937 and was the first measure of Franco's regime to control the film industry. Following the examples of Italy and Germany, the Spanish Ministry of Industry and Trade issued on 23rd April 1941 an Orden Ministerial (a ministerial bill) which prohibited the screenings of foreign films in their original language. Dubbing became compulsory and it had to be carried out on Spanish soil, in a Spanish studio, by Spanish professional voice actors. The dubbing of films had a twofold purpose: only Castellano was allowed, so all films in other languages (even home languages like Catalan, Basque and Galician) had to be dubbed in Castellano. This was meant to create an unity among the Spanish people, unity by one language. The other purpose of dubbing was censorship: by dubbing it was possible to control the dialogue and manipulate the script. Censorship was not new to Spain due to conservatism and religion — the first film censorship even goes back to 1913. In 1946 dubbing was no longer compulsory but the custom was set and the censorship and changed dialogues were still practised. (In 1977 film censorship was officially abolished.)
²) Franco was a big film lover; see the newspaper article from El País in the Further Reading section down below.
Because the Axis countries (i.e. Germany and Italy) supported Franco's regime, their films slightly dominated over the American ones from 1939 till 1942. Since Franco was not really in favour of films which propagated Nazism, the German and Italian films that were shown were pure entertainment, for instance the Heinz Rühmann films (I myself have watched some of those in my childhood). Franco also tried to revive the Spanish film industry but the Allies put the most important Spanish film company CIFESA on the blacklist, supposedly because of their cooperation with the Axis. By blacklisting CIFESA and thus eliminating the only film company of any significance, Hollywood secured their domineering position on the Spanish film market. Towards the end of 1942 it was unsure how WWII would develop but the decrease in German power became more evident and the American landing in Africa meant a significant step for the Allies. Franco turned his sympathies from the Axis countries to the Allies/the United States and this was also reflected in cinema. More Hollywood films were admitted to Spain because of their popularity by the public and because of financial gain. 1942 was also the year that Hitchcock's Rebecca was released in Spain and it became immensely popular. ³)
³) Nathan Hoback argues in "Hooray for Hollywood": Postwar Cinema and Trauma in Franco's Dictatorship in Spain (2010) that "the Republican audience, a public severely traumatized following three years of civil war and the continued reprisals of Francoism, appropriated Rebecca as a vehicle of commemoration of their dead, making it such an "éxito extraordinario" in Spain upon its release."
When Franco seized power in Spain in 1939, things changed radically for the film industry ²). The Junta Superior de Censura Cinematográfica (Superior Board of Film Censorship) had been established in 1937 and was the first measure of Franco's regime to control the film industry. Following the examples of Italy and Germany, the Spanish Ministry of Industry and Trade issued on 23rd April 1941 an Orden Ministerial (a ministerial bill) which prohibited the screenings of foreign films in their original language. Dubbing became compulsory and it had to be carried out on Spanish soil, in a Spanish studio, by Spanish professional voice actors. The dubbing of films had a twofold purpose: only Castellano was allowed, so all films in other languages (even home languages like Catalan, Basque and Galician) had to be dubbed in Castellano. This was meant to create an unity among the Spanish people, unity by one language. The other purpose of dubbing was censorship: by dubbing it was possible to control the dialogue and manipulate the script. Censorship was not new to Spain due to conservatism and religion — the first film censorship even goes back to 1913. In 1946 dubbing was no longer compulsory but the custom was set and the censorship and changed dialogues were still practised. (In 1977 film censorship was officially abolished.)
²) Franco was a big film lover; see the newspaper article from El País in the Further Reading section down below.
Because the Axis countries (i.e. Germany and Italy) supported Franco's regime, their films slightly dominated over the American ones from 1939 till 1942. Since Franco was not really in favour of films which propagated Nazism, the German and Italian films that were shown were pure entertainment, for instance the Heinz Rühmann films (I myself have watched some of those in my childhood). Franco also tried to revive the Spanish film industry but the Allies put the most important Spanish film company CIFESA on the blacklist, supposedly because of their cooperation with the Axis. By blacklisting CIFESA and thus eliminating the only film company of any significance, Hollywood secured their domineering position on the Spanish film market. Towards the end of 1942 it was unsure how WWII would develop but the decrease in German power became more evident and the American landing in Africa meant a significant step for the Allies. Franco turned his sympathies from the Axis countries to the Allies/the United States and this was also reflected in cinema. More Hollywood films were admitted to Spain because of their popularity by the public and because of financial gain. 1942 was also the year that Hitchcock's Rebecca was released in Spain and it became immensely popular. ³)
³) Nathan Hoback argues in "Hooray for Hollywood": Postwar Cinema and Trauma in Franco's Dictatorship in Spain (2010) that "the Republican audience, a public severely traumatized following three years of civil war and the continued reprisals of Francoism, appropriated Rebecca as a vehicle of commemoration of their dead, making it such an "éxito extraordinario" in Spain upon its release."
Incidentally, the Spanish spelling for Rebecca is with one C, thus Rebeca. Because of the huge popularity of the film, the cardigan Joan Fontaine wore became known in Spain as a 'rebeca'.
The increase of imported Hollywood films had an enormous influence on Spanish cinema. Now Hollywood films were as accessible to the public as Spanish ones, the Spanish film lost the battle against the mighty Hollywood with their better productions. They could not compete with the famous and well-loved American stars speaking the same language as their Spanish target audience. Though the Spanish people had always preferred their own silent films over the Hollywood ones, with the talkies this changed and their preference for Hollywood films was only growing. Because of the Hays Code Hollywood films were already scrutinised for nudity, scantily clad actresses, ridicule of religion, lustful kissing, et cetera, so this was one concern less for Franco's censorship. But the way Spain and its citizens were depicted in Hollywood movies was another matter and this had to be dealt with. For instance, in 1935 the Spanish government issued a formal protest against Paramount concerning Josef von Sternberg's The Devil is a Woman. They objected to scenes where the Civil Guards and the armed forces were unfavourably portrayed. (Now I'm very curious to see it!) Paramount withdrew the film from circulation and it remained unseen for many years. If you're interested in more examples of censorship in Hollywood films, go here.
The most famous example of how a film's content is changed due to dubbing is John Ford's Mogambo. Because Grace Kelly's character finds herself in an adulterous affair with Clark Gable, the dialogue was dubbed and censored in such a way that her character wasn't married to Donald Sinden but they were siblings. So the censorship gave preference to an incestuous relationship over adultery. I would love to hear that version but I believe the original dubbed version is not available anymore. Also the dialogue in The Barefoot Contessa has been changed through dubbing in such a degree that the dubbed and original versions seem to be two completely different films. For examples in the film's dialogue, see this article.
So I guess this long history Spain has with classic Hollywood accounts for its love for the classics, having been exposed to them for decades on end. There has always been a huge demand for the classic Hollywood product and I'm glad to know what caused it. (Franco did!)
SOURCES:
The increase of imported Hollywood films had an enormous influence on Spanish cinema. Now Hollywood films were as accessible to the public as Spanish ones, the Spanish film lost the battle against the mighty Hollywood with their better productions. They could not compete with the famous and well-loved American stars speaking the same language as their Spanish target audience. Though the Spanish people had always preferred their own silent films over the Hollywood ones, with the talkies this changed and their preference for Hollywood films was only growing. Because of the Hays Code Hollywood films were already scrutinised for nudity, scantily clad actresses, ridicule of religion, lustful kissing, et cetera, so this was one concern less for Franco's censorship. But the way Spain and its citizens were depicted in Hollywood movies was another matter and this had to be dealt with. For instance, in 1935 the Spanish government issued a formal protest against Paramount concerning Josef von Sternberg's The Devil is a Woman. They objected to scenes where the Civil Guards and the armed forces were unfavourably portrayed. (Now I'm very curious to see it!) Paramount withdrew the film from circulation and it remained unseen for many years. If you're interested in more examples of censorship in Hollywood films, go here.
The most famous example of how a film's content is changed due to dubbing is John Ford's Mogambo. Because Grace Kelly's character finds herself in an adulterous affair with Clark Gable, the dialogue was dubbed and censored in such a way that her character wasn't married to Donald Sinden but they were siblings. So the censorship gave preference to an incestuous relationship over adultery. I would love to hear that version but I believe the original dubbed version is not available anymore. Also the dialogue in The Barefoot Contessa has been changed through dubbing in such a degree that the dubbed and original versions seem to be two completely different films. For examples in the film's dialogue, see this article.
So I guess this long history Spain has with classic Hollywood accounts for its love for the classics, having been exposed to them for decades on end. There has always been a huge demand for the classic Hollywood product and I'm glad to know what caused it. (Franco did!)
SOURCES:
Jorge Diaz-Cintas, University College London, Film Censorship in Franco's Spain: The Transforming Power of Dubbing (via researchgate.net)
Rafael de España, Spain and the United States: A Cinematic Relationship, 1939 - 1953 (via core.ac.uk)
UK Essays, November 2018, Spanish Cinema During The Dictatorship (via ukessays.com)
M. Carmen Gil Ariza, A Case Study: Spain as a dubbing country (via translationjournal.net)
FURTHER READING:
András Lénárt, Hispanic Hollywood. Spanish-Language American films in the 1920s and 1930s (Americana E-Journal of American Studies in Hungary, Volume IX, Number 2, Fall 2013)
Nathan Hoback, "Hooray for Hollywood": Postwar Cinema and Trauma in Franco's Dictatorship in Spain. Undergraduate Honors Thesis (2010), Paper 709 (via scholarworks.wm.edu)
Sunday Sessions with Franco, El País, 29.08.2011
Rafael de España, Spain and the United States: A Cinematic Relationship, 1939 - 1953 (via core.ac.uk)
UK Essays, November 2018, Spanish Cinema During The Dictatorship (via ukessays.com)
M. Carmen Gil Ariza, A Case Study: Spain as a dubbing country (via translationjournal.net)
FURTHER READING:
András Lénárt, Hispanic Hollywood. Spanish-Language American films in the 1920s and 1930s (Americana E-Journal of American Studies in Hungary, Volume IX, Number 2, Fall 2013)
Nathan Hoback, "Hooray for Hollywood": Postwar Cinema and Trauma in Franco's Dictatorship in Spain. Undergraduate Honors Thesis (2010), Paper 709 (via scholarworks.wm.edu)
Sunday Sessions with Franco, El País, 29.08.2011
PHOTOS/GIFS IN THIS POST FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
*Mogambo (1953), publicity shot with Donald Sinden, Grace Kelly, Clark Gable, Denis O'Dea, Ava Gardner and Eric Pohlmann;
*Mogambo (1953) with Ava Gardner, Clark Gable and Grace Kelly;
*The Devil Is a Woman (1935) with Marlene Dietrich;
*Rebecca (1940) with Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine;
*The Barefoot Contessa (1954) with Ava Gardner, Humphrey Bogart and Edmond O'Brien;
*Mogambo (1953) with Grace Kelly and Donald Sinden; (screenshot by me)
*Mogambo (1953) with Grace Kelly and Donald Sinden; (screenshot by me)
*Double-bill Pre-Code DVD A Diez Centavos El Baile (Ten Cents a Dance, 1931) and Cruel Desengaño (Shopworn, 1932) with Barbara Stanwyck (V.O.S. - Versión Original Subtitulada).