Original subtitles

This story is inspired by real events.

The people and events shown were created for artistic purposes.

Any similarity to reality is purely coincidental.

Previously.

President Wilson is offering you our military support

and will cut off supplies to Carranza.

Pancho Villa won't betray Mexico.

No!

[Villa] I thought the battle would be short,

but it turned into a nightmare that lasted several days.

Retreat!

[Villa] We were stopped time and time again.

There were rumors floating around

that you sold me out in the last battle.

How much did the mining companies pay you to betray me?

[Sommerfeld] An agent learned

that if you return, Villa plans to kill you.

Put the gun down. I introduced you to Pancho Villa.

[gunshots]

Late 1915, Sierra de Chihuahua, near the northern border.

[Villa] People talk, imagine things,

exaggerate, make things up.

They say many things about me.

So many that sometimes I don't even know what's true and what isn't.

[person 1] Since he lost to Obregón, he has gone crazy.

[person 2] They say he killed one of his wives.

[person 3] He rapes and kills, just for fun.

[person 4] He's even eaten his enemies' intestines.

[person 5] He lost his mind. He has a vacant stare.

[person 6] He's crazy.

[person 7] He's a thief who keeps everything for himself.

[Villa] Mother, what are you doing here?

Taking care of you, my son.

No one takes care of you anymore.

You're all alone.

[body thuds]

[Villa breathes heavily]

[Villa] What happened?

-Who the fuck was that? -[Jáuregui] What's going on, General?

[Villa] What's going on? Ask one of these fucking traitors.

-Do you recognize him? -Not really.

Especially with the gunshot to his eye. Could be anyone.

Exactly.

Could be anyone.

I've heard rumors

that some motherfuckers want to betray me,

that they want to kill me and surrender to Carranza,

leave the Revolution.

Colonel Pablo López.

-General. -Where are my bodyguards?

You gave all the Dorados permission to go see their families.

-[Villa] Well, get them back here now! -[Candelario] What's going on, General?

General Candelario,

you're in charge of interrogating all these assholes

who allowed an attempt on my life.

And understand this.

My life may be worthless,

but without Pancho Villa, the Revolution will die.

And so will you, motherfuckers.

Because a man without ideals is lower than a dog.

[Pablo] General, I assure you...

You'll be in charge of shooting the first bastard

who dares to think of abandoning the fight.

And if you have to kill them all,

so be it,

even if I'm left alone!

I will not surrender.

PANCHO VILLA CENTAUR OF THE NORTH

[Villa] While Mexico was bled dry in a savage civil war,

President Wilson was quite willing to fix things

by supporting whichever side was most convenient for the US,

particularly as they were preparing for the great war against the Germans.

And they didn't want any fighting in their own backyard.

After our defeats in Central and West Mexico,

Carranza's army had control of almost the entire country,

with Álvaro Obregón and Plutarco Elías Calles

heading up their forces.

Emiliano Zapata barely had a hold on the South.

In the meantime, we were pulling back north of Chihuahua

to rethink a fight which was already unequal.

We have many new faces.

The Northern Division has changed.

Ángeles isn't here anymore.

Nor is Raúl Madero.

Or Roque.

Even my good friend Urbina...

is gone.

They abandoned us like rats fleeing a ship.

They thought we were going to sink,

but they were wrong.

This Revolution is still alive

thanks to all of you foolish, stubborn bastards

who don't even fear death.

Turning this Revolution around is going to be risky.

We'll have to do some crazy things.

What's the plan, General Villa?

First, we attack Calles in Sonora, here up in the north.

You will lead the people to Agua Prieta, very close to the city of Douglas.

We will then block any access they have to American arms.

They say Americans will recognize Carranza as head of state.

[Candelario] Shit.

Well, if that's true, any support for us will be forbidden.

Damn American sons of bitches.

That's why we have to crush Carranza's men before they gain strength

and reach us here in Chihuahua.

Well, General, our spies in Agua Prieta tell me

that Calles is waiting for us with very few troops and artillery.

He's waiting for Obregón's support.

Okay, so we have to finish them off quickly.

That way, we'll control the north, and then we can head south to join Zapata.

We win or we die.

Right.

[Pablo clears throat] With all due respect, General,

we shouldn't attempt that much.

We lack resources, supplies, and enough men.

Those of us here are men enough.

-Aren't we? -[Pablo] You're right.

Besides, Fierro is on his way. He's joining us.

He's gotta be close by.

You go in that one, I'll check in here.

Two weeks earlier.

[pants]

Fierro!

-Sir. -What did you find?

Nothing. You can't get through here.

So let's get the hell out of here then. There's nothing here.

Yeah. [breathing heavily]

Hurry up.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm coming.

[Fierro groans]

DYNAMITE

[Fierro pants]

[coins clinking]

[horse blusters]

October 13, 1915.

[Fierro] This is the trail for real men...

who ride real horses.

[Villa's soldier] General, the ground is too muddy for the horses.

We'd better turn back and go around along the bank.

Go back? We won't be going back.

If you're scared,

then you can turn round and bail out.

[Villa] People say many things,

and I didn't like what they said about Fierro one little bit.

[Fierro whispering] Come on, well done.

[water splashing]

[Fierro] Let's go, mule!

Keep going, mule. Come on!

-Come on, mule! Let's go! Let's go! -[horse whinnies]

-[softly] That way. -[Villa's soldier] Careful, General!

Don't turn her so much. She'll tangle up.

-[horse whinnies] -I know what I'm doing!

Save your advice for old ladies!

Come on, mule! That way, mule, let's go!

[horse whinnying]

-[whinnying continues] -[Villa's soldier] Wait, General Fierro.

[Fierro] Let's go!

[horse whinnies]

[Fierro panting, choking]

[Villa] If he went to the caves, he'll be on the way back.

I showed him the way.

You think he found the gold?

That's the rumor.

I figure it's true. Just thinking about it pisses me off.

Where's the gold?

[Villa's soldier] Nothing, General. It was so heavy, it all sank.

[Villa] Even though he betrayed me, Fierro's death hurt me so much.

It was like a piece of me had died.

I started feeling that all those who followed me ended up dying,

as if by a curse for all of those I had driven to their graves.

We split into small groups to move more easily

and avoid being seen by the enemy,

but we had very little food and water.

Finally, when we got to Agua Prieta,

we had lost almost a third of those who had left Chihuahua,

along with many horses and much of the artillery.

What's with these faces now?

General,

Wilson did it.

[Jáuregui] He acknowledged Carranza.

[horse whinnies]

[Pablo] Move!

Whoa.

General Villa.

I'm so sorry to bring this news, but the cavalry reinforcements aren't coming.

Most of them deserted when they found out the Americans were supporting Carranza.

So they cut the power in Agua Prieta?

Our men cut the electricity and the water supply.

[Villa] Did they blow up the rail lines?

[Pablo] Yes, General, as you ordered.

Reinforcements won't be able to get through from the south.

Are our men ready?

Well...

Yes. Those who are left, yes.

Good, General.

We can't allow that bastard Calles to escape.

Give the order. We attack,

with everything we have.

[Villa] In times of gossip, intrigue and lies,

knowledge has its advantages.

[soldiers shouting]

[Villa] And General Calles knew so much that we didn't know.

[shouting continues]

[Villa] First there was the electric barbed wire.

[soldiers screaming]

[Villa] Then the spotlights.

-[gunfire] -[soldiers screaming]

[Villa] But where did they get the electricity

if we had cut it?

From the same place as Obregón's reinforcements.

[bombs whistling, exploding]

It was precisely in United States territory

where they allowed Obregón's troops to arrive by train

to reinforce Calles as he crossed the border.

General.

-Are we ready, General? -Ready.

We have all the support you need.

-[shouting] -[explosions]

[Villa] In next few hours, we tried to surround them,

but their artillery and the minefields

not only tore our soldiers to pieces

but took away our will to continue fighting.

[soldiers wailing]

[Jáuregui] General.

Jáuregui.

And who is this perfumed guy?

[Jáuregui] The mining company nearby sent us this doctor

to help with the wounded.

Why are you so quiet?

[Jáuregui] Barely speaks Spanish.

[Villa] Well, I barely speak English, so we're even.

Anyway, we're leaving already.

You know why?

Because his President Wilson is messing around where he doesn't belong.

In Mexican fights.

We don't even have any drinking water.

This water is shit.

[in English] Shit.

[in Spanish] He understands that.

[in English] Shit! Shit!

[in Spanish] Shit for Pancho Villa and his people!

Calm down, General. We'll get into trouble.

[Villa] More than we have already?

I have a feeling this blond jerk is a spy.

I'm thinking the same thing, General.

You only have to give the command...

and I'll take care of him.

[Villa] Colonel Pershing,

your government has no business being here.

Everything that goes on near our borders concerns us.

We don't want bullets in our territory.

That's why I'm here.

But we respect you. This is just a precaution.

A precaution so that Calles doesn't lose Agua Prieta?

If you respected me,

you'd be fair and let my men cross your border.

You know that can't happen.

It can't? But you let Carranza's crooked men cross?

Relax, Villa.

Here's your doctor spy.

If I wanted to kill him, he wouldn't be here.

The American mining company that sent him paid his ransom.

This is a show of mercy.

Something that I will not show again with anyone.

Is that clear?

[Villa] After that, it was absolutely clear

who our true enemy was.

And I made sure all my people knew it.

The north of Mexico was in no one's hands.

We looked for supporters.

And Carranza supporters took over towns to eliminate Villa sympathizers.

Keep walking, priest.

Here you go, General.

This is where the rat hides? In a skirt?

Do you have no shame, coming here like this to a house of God?

And do you have no shame in charging for entrance to heaven

without supporting our revolution?

-[hammer cocks] -Or are you going to support it?

[priest] We have no money left.

Carranza's supporters took it all.

[gunshot]

Bring all those people out here!

Now!

Bring me all the men in this town aged 15 and over.

Whatever you say, General.

You heard. Let's go get all the men from this town.

Let's go.

We just fought on behalf of all of you...

and no one wants to join our cause?

Shoot them!

That's a crazy order.

You can't kill them. Your reputation will suffer.

Stop the butchery!

Have we killed a man yet?

That's my brother and my father.

That's why you look at me with such hatred?

You'd already have killed me if you could have, wouldn't you?

All of us! All of us want to kill you.

[Villa] All of you?

[crowd members] Yes, yes.

So let them die already. Fire!

You should die like that, murderer!

-Get this woman the hell away! -[people crying]

-They're making me mad, man. -[Jáuregui] I got them.

[person crying]

Let's go, next ones!

[Candelario] You heard. Next ones!

Please don't kill me, I beg you.

I'm not a priest. I dressed like this to escape Calles's men.

I'm a musician, a pianist. I swear.

Over here.

-Can you play "Las Tres Pelonas"? -Yes, General.

If you can't, I'll kill you, asshole.

[musician] I know its origin.

Yes? Tell me.

[panting] A father, scared by incoming soldiers,

shaved his three daughters' hair,

saying they had typhus so they wouldn't get raped.

What a smart guy.

Play it.

[plays "Las Tres Pelonas"]

♪ Three bald girls sitting in a chair ♪

♪ Kept saying one to another ♪

♪ Long live Francisco Villa ♪

[Candelario] Ready!

♪ Three bald girls sitting on a corner♪

♪ Kept saying one to another ♪

♪ Long live Tomás Urbina ♪

-[music stops] -General.

Honestly, General, Jáuregui is right.

I already told you, this is no time for tears.

Kill them all.

If one of them moves a foot, just shoot it for fun.

Then burn down this town.

And the women?

[people crying]

Do what you like with them,

but let them live

so they can tell the story of what happened here.

Whatever you say, General.

You,

play that again.

[Candelario] Aim!

♪ Three bald girls sitting in a chair ♪

♪ Kept saying... ♪

-[Candelario] Fire! -[gunshots]

[Villa] Keep playing, asshole!

♪ Long live Francisco Villa ♪

♪ Three bald girls sitting on a corner... ♪

[horses whinnying]

Francisco.

Thank God and the Virgin Mary you are well.

Yes, I am.

Come on, don't cry. Looks bad.

They say so many things.

Some of them terrible.

[Hipólito] That you'd died countless times, Pancho,

that you're all over the place, doing awful things.

They even said I fled to the United States with all the cash,

and that I'd betrayed you.

I know.

I'm tired of all the lies.

I'm sick of everything. Sick of the slurs.

But crying is no good right now.

We have to hurry.

We can't get caught with our pants down.

We have to do something.

Hipólito,

I've made arrangements for our families to cross the border.

They'll go up the coast

and take a boat over to Cuba.

They can stay there until things calm down.

I'm putting Lucita's and my kids' lives in your hands.

Whatever you say, Pancho.

I'll put their lives before mine.

[Lucita] Why are you staying here all alone?

Why don't you come with us and don't we start over,

far from all this killing?

[Villa] I'm staying here.

You go tomorrow, end of story.

Francisco.

One single man cannot carry a revolution.

We'll see.

We'll see.

She's in your hands.

-Go on. -Giddy up! Let's go.

[horse whinnies]

What nightmare did you come from?

From yours.

I'm General Zarco, and I'm the law.

Your law, my ass.

[hammer cocks]

Many chase you, and you're not afraid of me.

That's how the Revolution is.

You live or you die.

Go fuck yourself.

I said get out of here!

[Jáuregui] General...

with all due respect...

I have to say I'm worried about you.

It's been days...

[stammers] ...since you've slept,

since you've eaten.

And that's bad for your body,

and worse for your mind.

General, did you hear me?

You're right, Jáuregui.

I've been cooped up here a long time.

I have to go.

Gather our people.

Everyone.

I'll wait for them.

[Jáuregui] Where are you going?

Away, Marquitos.

Outside of Chihuahua, I'm not worth so much.

I'm going to live on my land.

Once I've cleared my head, I'll let you know

so you can meet me.

[engine starts]

[Villa] You again.

You following me or what?

The Holy Child wants to see you...

because you want to see her.

[rooster crows]

[fire crackling]

I've been here several times.

[Holy Child speaks indigenous language]

[in Spanish] God and all his heavenly spirits wish you a good day.

I came because a friend told me I wanted to see you.

And because of a dream.

Sit down. Tell me about it.

I dreamt...

of a wealthy person's mansion.

There was a huge mirror.

I stood in front of it...

but couldn't see myself.

[echoing] I thought...

it was my enemies' witchcraft.

The dream is right,

but you are wrong.

You are your only enemy.

I mean...

you don't have any enemies?

My enemies are those who think I'm a witch,

money I don't need, and doctors who think I'm crazy.

[Villa] What if this poisons me?

[Holy Child] It's mother-of-pearl,

my saliva, herbs.

You couldn't see yourself in the mirror 'cause you don't know yourself.

But I can know your future.

[Villa] The moon will speak through your mouth.

[speaks indigenous language]

[in Spanish] Something just appeared.

Never go to El Parral, unless you want death to find you.

It's not easy to trick me.

You...

may be a fortune teller.

I know people.

I'm not afraid of death.

[Holy Child] Maybe you need a new fear, General Villa.

[Villa] I already have that.

Everyone who has fought at my side

has abandoned me.

I still don't fear bullets.

You fear poisons,

sleeping in the same place,

and forgetting.

Maybe you need a protector so the bullets don't penetrate you.

Like a ghost.

[thunderclap]

[horse whinnies]

[horse blusters]

[ghostly voice] I'll be your protector you if you wish.

I come from very far.

Let's make a pact.

-I'll save you from the bullets. -[Villa, echoing] Who's there?

[horse whinnying, distorted]

-[ghost] Follow me. -[bang]

[high-pitched scream]

[Villa shouts]

-[voice whispering, echoing] Follow me. -[Villa shouts]

Follow me.

[whispering, echoing stop]

[Jáuregui] There you are, General.

Who is it?

Are you okay?

[Candelario] General.

Relax, relax.

We found your motorbike. It's crushed and broken.

It's good you found shelter.

A storm hit.

Oh, Marquitos, it always finds me. Crap.

How'd you get to Sahuaripa?

Isn't that in Sonora?

Where are we?

In Chihuahua.

You sent a telegram to Jáuregui saying to meet you here.

So where is here?

They call it the Devil's Cave.

They're waiting for you outside.

Who?

Go and look.

-[Villa groans] -[Jáuregui] Careful.

General.

We're here, the ones you asked for.

The blockheads, those who aren't afraid to die,

the ones who want to continue the Revolution with you.

[Villa] People say things, invent, exaggerate.

-Long live General Pancho Villa! -[all cheer]

[Villa] They even accused me of making a pact with the devil.

I don't know what it was,

but the object of my hate would soon know my fury.

When we attacked the gringos at Columbus,

people said I could no longer fear death

-because I died long ago. -[shouting, echoing]

They said I couldn't fear the devil

because I was the devil.

But, no, it wasn't like that.