Splendid series about Independence War dealing with several historical facts and being competently shot . Equally , being reenacted important events as Carlos IV's Bayona abdication coerced by Napoleon , the Madrid upheaval May 2, 1808 with charge Mamelucos included , battles against French troops as Bailen , and subsequent repression and punishments , proclamation of the Constitution 1812 in the court of Cadiz in San Felipe Neri , among others. Focusing on the strong confrontation between French General Leopoldo Hugo and El Empecinado .Besides , appearing various historical roles as Pepe Botella or Jose Bonaparte , his brother emperor Napoleon , as well as his notorious generales , the brave contender Lord Wellington , Carlos IV and his wife Queen Maria Luisa , El Principe de la Paz Godoy , Marchena , General Leopoldo Hugo and of course Martin Diaz El Empecinado.
A good and interesting series in six episodes written by prestigious writers as Jorge Semprun , Eduardo Chamorro and Rafael Azcona . Stars Sancho Garcia , this great actor played a number of tough adventurers and rebels , most of them living during Spanish Independence War , such as The Black Mask or Mascara Negra , Curro Jimenez and here as El Empecinado , as well as his main contender the French General Leopoldo Hugo finely acted by the French Bernard Fresson , in fact this nice series results to be a Spanish/ French co-production , that's why here shows up various foreign actors . Special mention for Francisco Rabal as a really deranged Francisco Goya y Lucientes , appearing painting his famous gravings about Disasters of War as well other paintings as portrayal of Carlos IV family , uprising May 2 , 1808 . And with a plethora of secondaries giving acceptable interpretations such as : Francisco Cecilio as Fernando VII , Philippe Rouleau as Jose I , Tony Isbert as Lord Wellington , Pierre Santini as Napoleon , Mario Pardo as Marchena , Miguel Rellan, Manuel Zarzo and many others. The motion picture was competently directed by recently deceased filmmaker Mario Camus .
