Che! (1969)
Director:
Richard Fleischer
Writers:
Sy Bartlett (story), David Karp (story)
Stars:
Omar Sharif, Jack Palance, Cesare Danova
In this pseudo-biography of the legendary Cuban revolutionary -- played by Omar Sharif -- Che Guevara takes up the cause as a rebel fighter under the direction of Fidel Castro, played by Jack Palance. Guevara, a young Argentine doctor, proves his worth under the heat of guerilla warfare and, gaining the respect of his men, becomes the leader of a patrol. Castro is impressed by Guevara's tactics and strict discipline and makes him his chief advisor. When Castro defeats the Cuban dictator Batista after two years of fighting, Guevara, under Castro's nod, directs a series of massive reprisals -- but Guevara dreams of fermenting a worldwide revolution. After Castro backs down during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Guevara accuses Castro of being a Soviet dupe and leaves Cuba. Under disguise, Guevara lands in Bolivia, where he attempts to begin his dream of a worldwide peasant revolution, but the Bolivian poor will not follow his lead, and his band find themselves starving in the Bolivian jungle and pursued by the Bolivian army.