Surcos (1951)

Curiosidades

Furrows is a 1951 Spanish film directed by José Antonio Nieves Conde, and written by him in collaboration with Gonzalo Torrente Ballester, Eugenio Montes, and Natividad Zaro. It provides an unsettling portrait of post-War Madrid while dictator Francisco Franco was in power. The plot follows the struggles of a Spanish family as it emigrates from the countryside to Madrid circa 1950. Facing difficulties in finding housing and employment, several family members turn to illegal or immoral activities in order to make ends meet, and the traditional family structure disintegrates.

Background

Furrows is considered one of the very few Spanish neo-realist films from the era when the style was being created and popularized in Italy. The picture only escaped censorship because José María García Escudero, Spain's Chief of Cinematography, appreciated the value of the film for its artistic merit.

The film dealt with issues virtually unseen in Francoist Spain, including rural migration into the cities, poverty, prostitution, unemployment, and class conflicts. Furrows is a view of the contradictions found in Francoist Spain. The Catholic Church considered the film "deeply dangerous," yet political observers labeled the drama of "national interest." The film was not released until its controversial ending was removed.

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