Feature with strong documentary elements about the Mexican revolution, based on the experiences of the American reporter John Reed (famous for his eye-witness account of the Russian Revolution Ten Days that Shook the World). Leduc does not show any battles, but discussions between the ‘intellectual bourgeois Reed’ and the Mexican revolutionaries. Reed fights an inner battle about his contribution to the revolution: he feels an urge to fight alongside the revolutionaries, but is hindered by his fear. The frustration about his failure brings memories of his youth to the fore. Leduc made this film outside the confines of the established film industry, filmed in wind and sandstorms, and moved from town to village to camp – conditions similar to those under which Reed had to write his report.
