If you were alive in 1973 you may have been aware of the leftist coalition Popular Unity winning the March 4, 1973, Chilean general election under the leadership of Salvador Allende.
Unfortunately the opposition Christian Democrats and various national parties controlled the Chilean Congress. From Congress they attempted to block progressive legislation, remove Allende appointed ministers and attack neighbourhood organizations attempting to control hoarding. The “opposition” more of less did all it could to encourage civil disturbances and undermine the Allende government. Allende was after all speaking revolutionary Marxist language and this terrified the industrial elite. Allende referred to himself as a “militant socialist”.
The entire documentary is in black and white and the microphone is buried deep in the leftist’s camp. For historians and political scientists interested in Chilean politics and history Part One spells the beginning of the end of Allende and his leftist agenda in detail.
It wasn’t as if the military decided to seize power immediately after the March election. The rise of the black market and hoarding, attempted expropriation by the Allende government of key national industries, strikes, student demonstrations and an offensive by the economic elite, the interference of the U.S. State Department and a government in constant crisis all contributed to Chile on the verge of collapse if not civil war.
Aside from a particular Chilean context “The Battle for Chile” is a study in the collapse of a legitimately elected leftist government headed by a militant socialist aided by his “comrades”. The collapse of the Allende government might have been inevitable but it was over a 4-month period superbly captured by director Patricio Guzmán in this new 2K restoration.
Part One plays 8-15 September at the Brooklyn Academy of Music to be followed by openings in other cities in Spanish with English subtitles. Filmed from 1975-79.
You can see the trailer here https://vimeo.com/ondemand/battleofchile
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