| Cuba
|
|
Theartical Release Poster
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| Country
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 USA
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| Directed by
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Richard Lester
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| Release Date
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1979
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| Language
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English
Spanish
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| Studio
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Holmby Pictures
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|
|
Cuba is a 1979 movie directed by Richard Lester and starring Sean Connery as British mercenary Major Robert Dapes, an expert in counter-guerrilla warfare, who is hired by Cuban government to organize successful operations against Castro's guerrillas. In Habana, Dapes runs into an old flame, Alexandra Lopez de Pulido (Brooke Adams), who is now married to a wealthy playboy.
Note: the movie was filmed in Spain, which affected the choice of screen guns.
The following weapons were used in the film Cuba:
Handguns
M1911A1
M1911A1 pistols are widely used by numerous characters, including Maj. Dapes (Sean Connery), Capt. Ramirez (Hector Elizondo), Gen. Bello (Martin Balsam), and Julio Mederos (Danny De La Paz).
Pre-War Colt M1911A1 Pistol - Commercial Model known as the "Colt Government Model" - .45 ACP. This has a deep Colt factory blued finish, common for commercial variants before and after the war.
Gen. Bello at a shooting range.
Dapes examines Gen. Bello's pistol.
Capt. Ramirez draws his Colt during the encounter on the sugarcane plantation.
Ramirez puts the pistol back in its holster.
A guerilla unit leader raises his pistol.
Dapes captures the M10 tank destroyer.
Another view of the same scene.
Astra 400
Some government military officers and warrant officers, including a sergeant (Ram John Holder) who leads the patrol unit, carry Astra 400 pistols.
A good view of the pistol.
Colonel Rosell Leyva (Earl Cameron) at the left carries an Astra 400 in holster.
The same sergeant surrenders his pistol to a guerilla fighter in the scene at the gas station.
Beretta M1934
One of the rebel workers at the Pulido tobacco factory is seen with a Beretta M1934. The pistol is also seen in hands of midget Jesus (David Rappaport).
Beretta Model 1934 - .380 ACP
The worker draws his pistol.
Smith & Wesson New Model No.3
After Julio Mederos' (Danny De La Paz) M1911 jams, he takes a Smith & Wesson New Model No.3 from a fellow female guerilla fighter. The revolver is possibly a Spanish manufactured version.
Smith & Wesson New Model No.3
A female guerilla holds an open revolver.
Julio takes Alexandra hostage.
Another view of the revolver.
Submachine Guns
Erma EMP
Erma EMP SMGs are used by both government troops and guerillas. They are possibly Spanish manufactured Coruña M41/44 copies in 9x23mm Largo caliber. In one scene, Maj. Dapes (Sean Connery) briefly holds an EMP, taken from a female guerilla fighter.
A soldier with an Erma guards two arrested young men.
The soldier fires at an escaping prisoner.
A female guerilla fighter holds a Erma SMG. She also carries a
Mills Bomb on her belt.
A worker at the tobacco factory holds an Erma.
In one scene, a guerrilla fighter fires a submachine gun that resembles the experimental Vollmer VMP 1928, but it is most likely an EMP with the barrel shroud removed.
For comparison: Vollmer VMP 1928 - 9x19mm.
A closer view of the muzzle.
A guerilla fighter fires.
Suomi KP/-31
A Suomi KP/-31 with stick magazine is used by numerous guerilla fighters.
The leader of a guerilla unit holds a Suomi.
The same character fires his Suomi during the massacre in a restaurant.
A female guerilla fighter with a Suomi.
A close-up view of the muzzle.
A guerilla fighter with a Suomi during the battle at the gas station.
Guerilla fighters with Suomi SMGs and Mauser rifles.
A guerilla fighter holds a Suomi in the final scene at the airport.
Sten Mk II
Both British and Canadian versions of the Sten Mk II SMG are used by guerillas.
Sten Mk II (Canadian) - 9x19mm
Workers at the tobacco factory smuggle Stens. Note T-shaped buttstocks.
A pair of Stens are seen in a guerilla base.
A Sten is seen at the right.
A guerilla fighter in center holds a Sten.
The buttstock of the Canadian version is seen at the right.
A guerilla fighter holds a Canadian Sten in the final scene at the airport.
United Defense M42
United Defense M42 SMGs are also used by guerillas.
UD M42 submachine gun - .45 ACP
A pair of M42s are seen among other weapons, one at the left on the floor, another one at the far right, also on the floor.
A guerilla fighter at the left holds an UD M42.
A UD M42 is seen in a promotion still.
Labora Fontbernat M1938 (Modified as Thompson-Style Submachine Guns)
M1928A1/M1A1-Like Version
Guerilla fighters and government troops use submachine guns that resemble both M1928A1 and M1(A1) Thompsons, with "box-shape" sights and barrels of the first, but with a side cocking handle of the second. Their general look allows to guess that they must be modified Labora Fontbernat M1938 SMGs (also, their magazines are of a completely non-standard shape, which suggests that they are also adapted to launch the blank cartritges of unknown type). See the talk page for the discussion of these guns.
Labora Fontbernat M1938 - 9x19mm Par or 9x23mm Largo
For comparison: M1A1 Thompson with 20-round magazine and Cutts compensator - .45 ACP
A fake Thompson M1928A1 at the left and an another SMG at the right.
A fake Thompson is seen in the center, next to a Mauser rifle.
A government soldier fires a fake Thompson during the attack on the train.
Another guerilla holds a fake Thompson in the final scene at the airport.
M1921/M1928-Like version
Guerilla fighters also carry SMGs that have Thompson-style foregrips, pistol grips, and rear sight guards but differ in having a large space between the trigger guard and magazine well. These guns are also modified М1938 SMGs, but, unlike the first version, they have much fewer changes.
Labora Fontbernat M1938 - 9x19mm Par or 9x23mm Largo
For comparison: Colt M1921AC Thompson with 20-round magazine - .45 ACP.
A fake Thompson at the left, an the "second" SMG at the right.
Another one of these mysterious SMGs is seen at the left.
An SMG is seen at the left. The distinctive circular back of the M1938's receiver is clearly visible here.
An SMG is seen at the background.
A guerilla fighter holds the mysterious SMG in the final scene in airport.
Another view of the same gun.
A close-up view of the barrel of the same gun. Note that the cooling fins are different from a Thompson, and the barrel itself seems shorter.
Star Si35
What appears to be a Star Si35 is briefly seen in a guerilla base.
Star Si35 SMG - 9x23mm Largo
Madsen M50
A Madsen M50 is seen in documentary footage when the victorious Fidel Castro enters Habana.
Star Z-45
A Star Z-45 is seen in the same footage.
Star Z-45 with folding stock - 9x23mm Largo
Rifles
M43 Spanish Mauser
Government troops and guerillas use M43 Spanish Mauser rifles.
Spanish Mauser M43 - 7.92x57mm Mauser
A pair of soldiers patrol the streets, carrying Mauser rifles on slings.
A guerilla fighter carries a Mauser rifle.
Soldiers carry Mauser rifles.
A good view of the typical shape of a Mauser M43.
Soldiers with Mauser rifles on a railroad flatcar.
A guerilla fighter in action.
M1 Carbine
Some guerilla fighters are seen with M1 Carbines.
World War II Era M1 Carbine, with Dark Walnut Stock, 'L' peep sight and no bayonet lug - .30 Carbine
One of the celebrating guerillas has an M1 Carbine.
CETME Rifle
What appear to be a CETME Rifle of unclear model is seen on a documentary footage that shows a Cadillac Gage Commando armored car.
For comparison: CETME Model B - 7.62x51mm NATO
The barrel of a CETME protrudes from the firing port.
Machine Guns
Browning M1919A4
Browning M1919A4 machine guns are mounted on jeeps and M10 tank destroyers used by government troops. Larry Gutman (Jack Weston) fires an M1919A4, dismounted from an M10.
Browning M1919A4 on an M31C pedestal mount - .30-06 Springfield
Jeep-mounted M1919 is seen at the right.
An M1919 is mounted on a Cadillac Gage Commando armored car.
A crewmember of an M10 tank destroyer fires a M1919 without support.
The pivot-mounted M1919 is seen next to Dapes.
Two M1919s are mounted on an M10: a pivot-mounted machine gun is seen at the foreground while another one is mounted coaxial with the main gun. The standard secondary armament of an M10 GMC consists only of a single M1919 or M2HB on pivot mounting; no coaxial machine gun was installed.
The muzzle of a coaxial M1919 can be seen.
Another view of the pivot-mounted M1919.
Larry Gutman fires at a plane that he takes for an enemy bomber.
Wz. 28 Browning
A Wz. 28 Browning is used by a soldier in the opening scene. This Polish light machine gun appeared in Spain during the Spanish Civil War. The screen gun appears to be an early model with removed flash hider.
Wz. 28 Browning - 7,92 x 57 mm Mauser.
The soldier fires at an escaping prisoner.
The buttstock can be seen.
Other Weapons
Mills Bomb
A female guerilla fighter carries a Mills Bomb.
No. 36M Mk.I "Mills Bomb" High-Explosive Fragmentation hand grenade.
The woman operates a radio. She has a Mills Bomb on her belt.
A closer view of the grenade.
Wheellock Musket
A pair of 17th century-style Wheellock Muskets are used as decorations in Gen. Bello's apartments. They are most likely non-firing replicas.
Trivia
M10 Tank Destroyer
An M10 Tank Destroyer appears during the battle on gas station. Maj. Dapes captures it from government troops and mans the 75mm gun while Larry Gutman performs the duties of driver.
Gun Motor Carriage M10 moves on dirty road.
Fake "Sherman Firefly Tank"
A pair of M4 Shermans participate in the battle at the gas station. They appear to be fibreglass replicas, built on Landrover chassis (originally for A Bridge Too Far).
Note the fake barrel, mounted around a slim tube that appears to be a sort of pyrotechnical device.
A pair of fake Shermans on the road. Note the wheels inside the tracks.
Cadillac Gage Commando
A Cadillac Gage Commando armored car is seen in documentary footage. It bears Spanish red-yellow-red military insignia and while never used by Cuba, in the movie it is presented as belonging to Gen. Batista's troops.
Mountain Gun
Two cannons are mounted on a railroad flatcar. They appear to be Skoda 75mm mountain guns of WWI pattern.
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