¡Qué hacer!

Filmed at the time of the 1970 Presidential elections in Chile and released in 1972 this Chilean/U. S. film, from directors Saul Landau, Nina Serrano and Raul Ruiz, producer James Becket and editor Bill Yahraus, is a mix of documentary footage and dramatised scenes. Suzanne McCloud (Sandra Archer) is a member of the U. S. Peace Corps, working in the impoverished community of Copiapo north of Santiago, who becomes disillusioned with her job and role in Chile, especially after her encounter with a 'technical operations consultant' for a mining concern called Martin Scott Bradford (Richard Stahl), who she suspects is a U. S. government agent. An evocative and poignant portrait of Chile in 1970, photographed by Gustavo Moris, featuring split and multi screen, grinding poverty of shacks, dusty roads and poorly dressed children, and punch-ups at political rallies. Country Joe McDonald provides the not bad songs. And that tortoise.

The music in this film makes it special - some very good rock and roll by Gold a San Francisco band of the early 70's is featured. The Chilean rock band Los Javies also adds an interesting counterpoint to the sounds. The solo songs by Country Joe never made it on to a LP, but should have. The scene at the end with the goose stepping Chilean Army wearing Nazi like helmets and jack boots is a sight to see. Allende appears in the film as himself when he was elected President of Chile. The film is bilingual and includes many locals playing roles in the film. This is a historical film based on real events in that turbulent time in Chile and comes across as a sort of documentary, musical. Saul Landau did a great job in directing this unusual film.

An interesting semi documentary by American left wing activist Saul Landau about the 1970 presidential election in Chile, which socialist Salvador Allende won (he would, of course, died in an apparent suicide while being overthrown in the brutal 1973 coup by general Augusto Pinochet). The movie includes documentary material (including a brief Allende interview when he was on the campaign trail) with a fictionalized story, mostly about Americans working in Chile during the time. There is a minimal storyline there with the unlikely romance between a middle aged consultant to the mining companies who has right wing views (Richard Stahl) and a young left wing activist girl working for the Peace Corps.

The nice color photography allows us to see a Chile of the time that we usually see in black and white photos. There are many outdoor shots, with people walking in the street and commenting and arguing about the politics of the time. It makes the already distant era (43 years ago!) seems more vivid to us. The movie also includes a fine soundtrack by Country Joe McDonald.

Note: Landau has four codirectors, including the famous Chilean Raul Ruiz, who would make more than a hundred films, and would become an art cinema darling in his later career in exile in France.