Customer Reviews

The Good Fight: The Abraham Lincoln Brigade in the Spanish Civil War (1984)

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A very interesting movie about the Lincoln Brigade's participation in the Spanish Civil War. The fact that America was so cruel and discriminatory to them after the war and that it didn't support the war efforts despite the fact that 75% of the people did is sad. Even now, those who went to fight for the Republic in Spain are being incorrectly viewed as fighting for communism when they were just fighting for freedom

I've always been of the opinion that World War II could have been averted. Now that I watched "The Good Fight" I am convinced that I was right. I don't remember how many times I watched "The Good Fight". I do remember, however, that I have never been able to watch it without crying. I cried because of what Bill Bailey, Milt Wolfe and the many other courageous members of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade did to help the Spanish people and the legitimately-elected Spanish government in their fight against Francisco Franco, Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). But I also cried because, as this documentary makes it clear, had President Roosevelt and his Secretary of State Cordell Hull done their part by helping Republican Spain I'm convinced that Hitler and Mussolini would have been stopped before they even started thus averting the tragedy of World War II.

This is one of my all time favorite movies. First, I have studied the Spanish Civil War for years. My grandfather was a veteran of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade (and the Spanish Republican Army). He spent nearly 3 years defending democracy in a country he loved. Even 50 years after the war ended, discussions of Spain could still bring a tear to his eye.

I found their choices for "stars" of the movie to be great. Those interviewed have compelling stories to tell. The scenes shown from before and during the war were well chosen. This is not a boring documentary. It starts at the beginning in the 20's and ends in the present (1980's).

This is a well made movie and should give those with no idea what the war was about a very good introduction into the tragedy. It's a shame that the subject of the Spanish Civil War is not taught in American schools. This is a very important part of American, World, and Jewish history. Had Hitler and Mussolini been stopped in Spain, perhaps there would not have been a World War II.

BTW, a great introductory (and very interesting) book about the Spanish Civil War is "The Passionate War" by Peter Wyden (I think that's the spelling). For more info, check out the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade website.

As an American who loves Spain, I never quite understood the reasons behind the Spanish Civil War. This movie helps explain it from a Democratic/Republican point-of-view. The characters are young men and women who fought for the freedom that the US of A enjoys. They in turn fell in love with Spain. Great documentary. Excellent editing. When will they put it on DVD?

This documentary is about the Lincoln Brigades, the 3200 Americans who volunteered to fight with the Republic during the Spanish Civil War. Half of them were killed. This was a group of Americans who were willing to give their lives for their ideals. However, when they came back to the U.S., many were blacklisted as Communists and had trouble finding jobs. It was interesting to see that American women and African Americans participated in the Lincoln brigades. One of the African American soldiers says that he had never been treated with so much respect as when he was fighting in Spain. Also, the people talk about how moving it was when they had to leave. There was a celebration for them in Barcelona and Spaniards were so thankful to these people for their help. For many, this feeling of solidarity made the whole experience worthwhile. All of them claim that they never regretted going and that it was the best thing they had ever done in their lives. One man says that at times he would become cynical and believe that one could never win the "good fight" (the title of the video) because Spain was the good fight and they lost. Nevertheless, all of the people interviewed seem to have remained politically active throughout their lives. At the end you see some of them marching in Washington D.C. against U.S. aid to the death squads in El Salvador in the 1980's. Very touching!

Watch this, and Support the ALBA foundation, Bailey, Wolfe, Keye, Osheroff, my heroes, this was what America was about, come to think of it this message should stand for all of today, question authority when it goes against the wishes of the masses, the first integrated unit of American armed forces, happens in Spain against the Facist ideas then many of those face questions of their loyalty..... what a joke, try that today against those who run the USA into the ground. These people who laid their lives on the line, go almost unknown in American History, live and learn it.

While the basis for this movie had good intentions the director and producers obviously sold out to one vet specifically who had only his own ego and interest in being a part of this film....possibly even "paid off" THE PRODUCERS TO GET HIS ONE HOUR OF FAME AND GLORY. Unfortunately this individual is now dead so cannot respond to my statement or allegations. The book, THE GOOD FIGHT, is far more comprehensive and honest in detailing the veterans and brigades particpation in the war. My mother was MARION MERRIMAN, the wife and widow of Robert Merriman, the first and only "authentic" commander of the Lincoln's. She was his aide and only female to be in combat on the front lines...from Madrid to Teruel. She wore the combat uniform: I have it in the many memoribilla's of the war and vet meeting afterwards. She told me of the discourse from one other brigade member over Merriman's qualifications and appointment to commander that was spoken (and very evident in conversations) at vet meeting/diners, etc. in Berkeley, Ca in the late 60's and 70's: I heard many of the innuendo's, sutilties, put-downs, etc. myself on meeting I attended with my mother. I would purchase the book before I would purchase this movie. A better reading/book is Arthur Landis's " The Abrahman Lincoln Brigade". My uncle, Luke Hinman, was a brigade scout under both Merriman's and (later) Wolfe's command. SO WHY THE HELL ISN'T MERRIMAN'S COMMAND, from Madrid to Teruel, from training of the soldiers to their combat operations to Hemingway's interviews, To Merriman's capture and execution. AS I SAID, THE DIRECTORS AND PRODUCERS WERE BOUGHT OFF....THIS MOVIE IS A SELL OUT TO ONE INDIVIUAL'S OWN EGO, JEALOUSY AND INEPTITUDE! Joe Wachtel 12/2/2010

I developed a fascination with the Spanish Civil War as a teenager. It may have been the idealistic enchantment of a lost cause, an appreciation of the underside of History, the concept of a prelude to WWII, or the reaction to a series of Hemingway novels. Whatever the reason, I read what I could on the subject with a greater focus on literature than history. There is an unusually large selection of good novels for such a relatively obscure although important conflict. "The Cypresses Believe in God" is my favorite novel mainly because of its' impressive ability to weave a story that illuminates the whole of the various factions involved in the conflict. I read all I could of Cela, Hemingway, and Orwell as well as "One Million Dead" and "Peace After War"; the two subsequent novels by Gironella that completed his trilogy that began with "Cypresses". Throughout my 20's and 30's I would revisit the subject and I was always bothered by the inability to change the outcome of the Civil War. However, as I read more and more, especially "Homage to Catalonia", I was gradually realizing the negative side of the Loyalists. Their dominance by Stalinists could have turned Spain into another Albania; a Stalinist country that outlasted Stalin and had a dictator who ruled almost as long as Franco. I never reached the point where I started cheering for the Nationalists but I certainly had lost the idealism of my Youth.

I caught a sense of that idealism last night when I watched "The Good Fight". As my informed mind tried to keep my emotions in check, I found myself absorbed by the members of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade and the thoughts and recollections that they shared on film. There was a lot of newsreels of the events in Spain and film of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. There was a lot of personal recollections as well as personal observations. The veterans that were interviewed were very dedicated people and I couldn't help but appreciate what their motivations were. I knew that there was a fair amount of socialist propaganda as the producers of the film chose to focus the beginning of the story on the Depression, joblessness and labor union strife in the US. However, in all fairness, this is what seems to have formed the motivation of the selected interviewees. Some were communists but others were seemingly less inclined and their lives after the Spanish Civil War reflected life-long dedication to fighting oppression wherever they found it. They acknowledged a number of shortcomings on their side but they also made the point that, I believe, led me in their direction as a young man; the Spanish Civil War was the opportunity to stop the rise of Fascism in Europe. Europe and America's refusal to aid the Loyalists may have led to WWII which caused the deaths of tens of millions of people. In my "reformed" perspective, I realized that the true saga of the Twentieth Century was the necessity to defeat both Fascism AND Communism. Still, I practically got goosebumps in appreciation for what this film had to share. I rented the copy I watched last night. I know that I will eventually own a copy of my own. This is an excellent documentary (even though I had to debrief myself afterwards).

Franco, with the help of pro-Nazi Americans and with the full support of Adolf Hitler and the Catholic Church was allowed to overthrow a democratically elected government and replace it with a Fascist dictatorship that lasted for decades. This is one of the most important civil wars fought in this century, yet it's barely mentioned in modern American history books.

The Good Fight is an accurate historical account told by the people (mostly Americans) that risked everything they had to fight and support the free people of Spain.

This is a fine documentary, well researched, quite fair. While it is true that some anti-religeous abuse did occur on the Republican side, it was not nearly as widespread as the violence committed by the Franco forces.

In fact, the Republican forces fought a much cleaner war than did the conservative reaction and as the Republic was the elected government, Franco's revolt was an illegal act. As the war progressed political violence within the Republican coalition, primarily instigated by the Communists, was also a problem. Niether side in the war was absolutely clean, but Franco's movement was never anything but a brutal Facist dictatorship.

This documentary is an interesting view of an interesting period of modern history, not perfect, but very good.