Ay, Carmela!

¡Ay, Carmela! Theatrical release poster Country Spain Italy Directed by Carlos Saura Release Date 1990 Language Spanish Polish Italian Studio Iberoamericana Films Televisión Española Ellepi Films Distributor Prestige Films Main Cast Character Actor Carmela Carmen Maura Paulino Andrés Pajares Gustavete Gabino Diego Teniente (Lt.) Ripamonte Mauricio De Razza Nationalist Captain José Sancho Polish soldier of the International Brigade Edward Zentara

¡Ay, Carmela! (internationally released under the original title, with or without the inverted exclamation mark in the beginning) is a 1990 Spanish drama directed by Carlos Saura and based on the theater play by Jose Sanchis Sinisterra. The plot depicts the story of a trio of travelling vaudeville performers during the Spanish Civil War - singer and dancer Carmela (Carmen Maura), her husband, comedian Paulino (Andrés Pajares) and their mute assistant Gustavete (Gabino Diego). The trio gives performances for the Republican troops but once they inadvertently find themselves on the territory, controlled by the Nationalists. The price of their life and freedom is a show that mocks the Republic. Paulino readily agrees but for Carmela it would be a treachery of ideals.

The film was the winner of the 1990 Goya Awards in 13 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress.

The following weapons were used in the film ¡Ay, Carmela!:

Pistols

Astra 300

A Nationalist artillery Captain (José Sancho) in charge of the unit that detain the performers carries an Astra 300 pistol. In the final scene a Nationalist officer draws and fires an Astra 300 pistol.

Astra 300 - .380 Auto

The Captain draws his Astra.

An officer draws his pistol in the final scene.

Another view of the pistol.

Star Model B

A Nationalist artillery Alférez (Ensign rank) (Antonio Fuentes) carries a Star Model B pistol. A Star pistol is also seen in hands of a Nationalist official who chooses Republican POWs for execution.

Star Model B Pistol, blued finish - 9x19mm

The officer aims at Gustavete.

Another view of the same scene.

The barrel of the pistol is seen when the officer finds the Republican flag among the belongings of the performers.

A Nationalist official holds a Star pistol.

Beretta M1934

Italian Teniente (Lt.) Ripamonte (Mauricio De Razza) and some other officers and NCOs carry Beretta M1934 pistols in holsters.

Beretta M1934 - .380 ACP

An Italian NCO carries a Beretta 1934 in holster. The grip with the spur on the magazine can be seen.

Teniente Ripamonte carries a Beretta holster.

Submachine Guns

Bergmann MP35/I

Nationalist Cabo (Corporal rank) Cardoso (Emilio del Valle) carries a Bergmann MP35/I submachine gun.

Bergmann MP35/I right side - 9x19mm

The Cabo carries the MP35.

Another view of the submachine gun.

Haenel MP28/II

An Italian soldier, escorting the performers, carries a Haenel MP28/II submachine gun.

Haenel MP28/II - 9x19mm

The Italian soldier carries the MP28.

The buttstock is seen.

The MP28 on table.

Rifles

Spanish Mauser M1893

Many Republicans and Nationalists are armed with Spanish Mauser M1893 rifles. Some rifles of Nationalist soldiers are fitted with Modelo 1913 bayonets that were adopted for M1916 short rifles (the bayonet Modelo 1893 for M93 rifle has 10 inch blade while Modelo 1913 - 15.6 inch blade).

1893 Spanish Mauser - 7x57mm Mauser

Several of the Republicans, watching the performance, hold Mauser M1893 rifles. The rifle in hands of a female at the left lacks the ramrod.

A close view of the barrel of Mauser M1893 in the same scene.

One more rifle in hands of a Republican.

Paulino (Andrés Pajares) holds a Mauser M1893 during the performance. The same scene is seen on the film poster, with the rifle in full size.

A Nationalist soldier at the right carries a Mauser M1893 with M1913 bayonet.

Soldiers with M1893 rifles with bayonets escort arrested performers. The straight bolt handle is seen.

Nationalist soldiers with M1893 rifles.

A Requeté (member of Navarrese royalist militant organisation), wearing a signature red beret, holds an M1893 rifle.

A Requeté escorts arrested Communist mayor of the town.

Nationalist soldiers escort Republican POWs, soldiers of the International Brigade. The grip of M1913 bayonet is seen.

Garate El Tigre

Several Garate El Tigre lever action rifles are seen in hands of Republicans.

Garate El Tigre - .44-40 WCF

A female Republican holds an El Tirge rifle.

One of the two men who close the curtain holds an El Tigre rifle.

A Republican brandishes the rifle. The lever is seen.

A Republican in center brandishes the rifle.

Shotguns

Double Barreled Shotgun

Some Republicans are armed with Double Barreled Shotguns.

One of the Republicans, watching Carmela's dance, holds a double barreled shotgun.

Another Republican with a shotgun in the same scene.

Republicans brandish their guns, greeting Carmela. A double barreled shotgun is seen in center.

Single Barreled Shotgun

Some Republicans are armed with Single Barreled Shotguns.

A single barreled shotgun (or maybe a small caliber hunting rifle) is seen in hands of a Republican.

Machine Guns

Maxim MG08

A Republican Maxim MG08 is seen during the opening credites.

Maxim MG08 on Schlittenlafette 08 mount - 7.92x57mm Mauser

An MG08 on position.

Maxim M1910 or M1910/30

A Maxim M1910 or M1910/30 is seen in the Republican barracks.

Maxim M1910 with 'Sokolov' wheel mount, w/o shield - 7.62x54mmR

A Maxim on Sokolov mount is seen near the door.

Hotchkiss Mle 1914

A Tiznao armored car is armed with a Hotchkiss Mle 1914 machine gun in the turret (the Spanish version of Hotchkiss is known as Modelo 24). In one scene Requetés carry a Hotchkiss.

Hotchkiss M1914 with tripod - 8x50mmR Lebel / 7.92x57mm Mauser / 11mm Gras

The Hotchkiss is mounted on the Tiznao armored car.

A Requeté carries the body of the Hotchkiss machine gun.

Hotchkiss M1922

One of the Republicans, watching the show in the opening scene, holds a light machine gun. Only the large conical flash hider on the barrel is seen. Judging by the position of the front sight at the base of the flash hider, the machine gun can be identified as Hotchkiss M1922. Among the machine guns that were used in the Spanish Civil War, similar conical flash hider can also be seen on Degtyaryov DP-27 and Breda Modello 30 but both have differently placed front sight.

Hotchkiss M1922 magazine-fed version. The locally produced Spanish model was chambered in 7x57mm Mauser.

The barrel with the flash hider is seen. The front sight is located at the base of the flash hider.

Another view of the barrel.

Trivia

Tiznao armored car

A replica of Tiznao armored car of Republican troops is seen in the opening scene (Tiznao is a general term for improvised armored trucks and buses of the Spanish Civil War). It is fitted with a turret with a Hotchkiss Mle 1914 machine gun.

T-26

A Nationalist T-26 tank is seen in the recently taken town. More then 280 T-26s were supplied to Spanish Republic from USSR, and many of them were captured by Nationalists during the late part of the war. The tank is a T-26 mod. 1933, armed with a 45 mm 20-K main gun and a Degtyaryov DT machine gun. The surviving tanks in post-war Spain had their DTs replaced with the Hotchkiss machine guns, so the screen vehicle that is most likely one of many T-26, preserved in Spanish museums, also may be armed with a Hotchkiss.

A T-26 is seen on the street.

A frontal view of the T-26. The coaxial machine gun is seen but it's impossible to identify the model: DT, Hotchkiss or even a mere mockup.

Artillery

Nationalist artillery on march in the misty morning. The artillery piece is a field gun about 75 mm.