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.

My government gave orders to catch Villa at any cost.

[gunshot]

[Villa narrates] The Carrancistas surprised us.

-And got me in one leg. -Let's go.

Knowing that General Pershing was approaching,

we hid our horses.

[Carranza] There's a treaty from last century

that allows them to catch outlaws on this side of the border.

Get out of here, fucking gringos!

[shouting]

I wondered how a girl could raise our flag.

I did it for my country.

It's thanks to people like you that I don't give up.

MEXICAN CENTRAL RAILWAY

We're back!

[Villistas cheer]

[distant gunshots]

Near Torreón, 1917.

-[gunshots continue] -[shouting]

Okay, where's the money?

I don't know.

You don't know?

-[distant explosions] -[shouting]

There's the boss, General.

The Carrancista Guard Commander.

By now you must know what we're looking for.

Name.

Colonel Jesus Salas Barraza.

Oh, really.

He's an officer.

You better hurry up and tell me now

because Pancho Murguía's troops are at our heels.

I'm only gonna ask you once.

Where did you hide the money?

No fucking way I'm telling you.

It's in that warehouse.

Go look for it over there!

General, we have to get into Torreón, fast.

We used a lot of ammo in Chihuahua.

And nothing's going on with the blockade the fucking gringos set up.

Murguía is coming fast, we gotta be prepared.

That bull turned into an asshole, not like the others, total jerk.

Did you find anything?

Here's the money, General.

I thought you didn't know?

[gunshot]

-[guns cock] -Take cover, General!

[soldier] Here are the weapons.

Bring over those pricks.

Hurry.

Oh, fuck!

There are also brave women on the other side.

We caught others who were shooting at us from the station.

What do we do with them, General?

Let's see, doll.

What are we gonna do with you?

[spits]

That's how I like them: fearless.

Execute this mare, but with honor.

As for the rest of them, however you want, but do it fast.

Move! Take them with the others.

Move it, assholes!

[soldier] Walk.

Right now, doll.

The Grim Reaper is here for you.

[distant cries]

[distant gunshots]

PANCHO VILLA

PANCHO VILLA CENTAUR OF THE NORTH

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

[Villa] Although the gringo government lied to the press to justify its invasion...

ARMY

...in the end, its army had to leave Mexico without even a glimpse of my mustache.

Our forces kept fighting against Carranza's government,

backed by President Wilson with plenty of money and weapons.

VILLA REVOLT

They ended up killing many of our best soldiers and officers.

The Carranza bigwigs all wanted part of the loot,

so the infighting soon began.

The old goat didn't want to give up power

and wanted to install a new civil president.

That didn't sit well with Obregón or Calles,

so they started distancing themselves.

I had to disperse our guerrilla who were hungry,

without bullets, and had no fight left in them.

I returned home with my men to think on how to revive the Revolution.

Yes, once more.

[bird chirps]

[horse neighs]

[Villa] Go and tell the other men the meeting place.

Let's see how many we can gather.

[horse neighs]

Don't get discouraged.

You'll see, several will come.

There's still a lot of us who believe in you.

[horse neighs]

[horse neighs]

[Villa] We got to my house not knowing the Carrancistas had planted spies

to spread word of our arrival.

Hurry, General!

[Villa] That time, we barely avoided the Grim Reaper.

No place was safe anymore.

The traitors, many of them ex-soldiers of mine, were everywhere,

waiting to collect a cash reward for my head.

December 11, 1918.

-[sniffs] -[horse neighs]

[water splashes]

What do you think, Bernal?

We were hoping for 400 or 500.

So few came.

The government is offering money and support

to those who surrender and join the Carrancista Guard.

And more for those who provide information about us.

This shit is bad, General.

[Jáuregui] General Villa!

[Ángeles] General Villa.

Hey, guerrilla life suits you very well.

[Villa] Going off to join the gringos suited you very well.

[laughs] No, man, no way.

I'm actually so cold I feel numb.

Well...

what if you try this to warm up:

you take care of the bullets and the men,

and we keep on giving hell to those pricks?

So?

At your command, General.

NEW YORK

[Villa] Felipe Ángeles took exile in New York,

where he tried but failed to build opposition against Carranza.

And he accepted my invitation,

despite the slander the gringos tried to feed him about me.

With his return, the desire to fight was reignited in many people.

[Villa] Line everyone up.

We're going to kill them.

Starting with this son of a bitch, for ass-kissing the gringos.

No, General Villa. Don't kill anyone.

I beg you.

Miss Griensen, how nice to see you.

I thought you were in Juárez or El Paso.

No, General, my kids need me.

You know the importance of education and family.

Many of those prisoners are their fathers.

Yes, and the Mayor's daughter is one of my students.

SCHOOL

General, it's time to stop this killing. I beg you.

In war, I've learned...

that the defeated...

deserve the victor's mercy.

Only traitors...

have no right to compassion.

[horse neighs]

[Villa] So, I ask you,

why the hell are you fighting us?

We're the same people. We're poor like you.

We simply want families in this country to do well.

[horse neighs]

Answer me, goddamn it!

Why are you leaving me alone?

Why are you supporting those aperfumado pricks?

They only care about their wealth,

their privileges,

and you pay for all that with your suffering.

General Ángeles.

At your command, General.

[horse neighs]

Lock up this pig.

But don't kill him.

I'll figure out how to teach him.

[horse neighs]

Speak to all the prisoners.

Let's see who wants to join our forces.

Those who don't,

will be given safe-conduct papers so we know who they are.

So if we catch them again, they're as good as dead.

Long live General Pancho Villa!

[crowd] Hooray!

-[cheering continues] -[person] Baptize my baby!

Take my baby. I want you to baptize him!

-My baby too. -[crowd] Hail Pancho Villa!

[Villa] Those we planned to kill joined us,

and I ended up baptizing over 50 kids with my name.

At your command, General.

All good.

[Villa] I even married someone named Soledad, I think.

With more will than men or resources, we continued the fight.

But every time we won something, we had to run and hide,

because things didn't look good.

Several months later.

[Villa] We have to enter Durango.

Durango limits, October 1919.

We need ammunition.

Fucking gringos won't let anything get through to us.

I disagree, General.

We don't have enough men or horses.

There are enemy trains in the area.

If we fail, they could surround us in a lightning attack.

What do you want, Ángeles?

For us to hide out in the mountains without a fight?

Don't get angry at me, General.

Pancho.

The truth is, we've spent months

wearing ourselves out in short, disjointed campaigns,

rather than planning fewer attacks, which could be more forceful.

Maybe, but not with this fucking mess!

Have you looked at these men and their horses?

They're tired.

That motherfucker Carranza destroyed the North.

There's no food, no water!

Chihuahua is no longer good for revolution.

Exactly.

That's why I'm asking for us to look for a peace treaty.

Look.

I can launch my presidential candidacy for the next elections.

We'll keep on fighting, but with other tactics, with democracy.

Democracy my ass! Don't give me that bullshit!

Those cocksuckers understand bullets and that's it!

To be honest, and with all due respect and affection,

I'm telling you, Pancho, as it stands now,

I'm done.

I doubt we can win.

I'll tell you something.

If you leave me,

they'll hang you.

Or worse.

Take it from an old coyote.

Why should I be afraid of death if I'm not afraid of life?

I'm sorry, General.

I've failed you.

[Villa] Felipe Ángeles' departure was the beginning of the end.

One of his escorts sold him out.

When he was recovering from a fever,

the Federales caught him defenseless, and he had no fair trial.

Fucking Carranza sentenced him to death.

Tell Carranza, he who kills by the sword dies by the sword.

[Federal] Squad!

Ready!

[guns cock]

Aim!

Fire!

Fire!

Fire.

[gunshots]

[Villa] But Carranza, Obregón and Calles continued betraying the revolution.

Emiliano Zapata had resisted as much as he could in the South.

A guy named Jesús Guajardo invited him to dinner in Chinameca,

allegedly to unite against Carranza.

Welcome, General.

-[trumpets sound] -[neighs]

-[Guajardo] Fire! -[gunshots]

[Villa] But it was a government trap in reality.

Guajardo was paid 50,000 pesos.

And the bastard was later heard saying he would kill me too.

Let's go, let's go, let's go! Retreat, let's go!

[Villa] Too many people wanted me dead.

So I continued fighting with my guerrilla.

-[shoots] -[gunshots]

Let's go, let's go!

[gunshots]

[gunshots continue]

But more and more of our men were dying,

surrendering or switching sides.

-[gunshots] -[horse neighs]

[gunshots]

[gunshots continue]

[Villa] No!

Help!

General, General, let's go, let's go, let's go.

Let's go, General.

[gunshots continue]

[Villa] No way, Bernal.

You saved me once, and I failed you.

I've failed everyone, Marquitos.

Don't say that General.

You know the worst thing?

What's most fucked up?

Not only that brave men die,

but that hope dies too.

[Villa] The only reason they hadn't finished us off

was that Carranza and Obregón were estranged.

Carranza accused Obregón and Calles of planning a coup against him.

In April 1920,

Calles and Adolfo de la Huerta sign "The Agua Prieta Plan,"

not recognizing Carranza as President,

and calling for elections with Obregón as a candidate.

[train whistles]

[bell rings]

[Villa] Despite not having support from military leaders,

Carranza wanted to move the government to Veracruz

along with the National Treasure.

But his train broke down on the way, by chance.

Tlaxcalantongo, May 21, 1920.

[Villa] He spent the night in the middle of nowhere.

Upon Carranza's death,

Obregón and Calles took power.

Adolfo de la Huerta became interim president.

I liked this because he was less of a bastard than the other two.

We exchanged messages,

and I finally reached a peaceful and fair agreement for everyone.

"On July 28, 1920,

General Pancho Villa's rendition agreement has been signed,

by Pancho Villa himself and President Adolfo de la Huerta,

decreeing that General Villa shall retire to private life.

[applause]

Canutillo Ranch, Durango.

You only brought Agustín?

My wife and other children arrive by train in two days, Pancho.

All right.

How do you like your new home?

This place is so sad.

It looks like a cemetery.

Like the whole country.

The Revolution is over.

Everything must be redone.

We will have to do it our own way.

[Villa] As President Elect...

December 1, 1920.

...Obregón refused to recognize my rendition agreement.

RENDITION AGREEMENT

But he got screwed.

Little by little I rebuilt the El Canutillo ruins,

under my own rules.

Two years later.

-[Jáuregui] Welcome. -[person] Thank you.

[in English] Sophie Treadwell, from the New York Herald Tribune.

[in Spanish] Thanks for seeing me, General Villa.

Nice meeting you, my dear.

Well, here I am, a farmer.

I don't even know what's going on in the world anymore.

I doubt that I have anything interesting to tell you.

You're wrong. I am interested.

I like what the newspapers say about you.

Pancho Villa, the bandit.

Pancho Villa, the killer.

Pancho Villa, enemy of the Americans.

I'm no bandit. And I'm no killer.

I'm also not your enemy, my dear girl.

Did you invade Columbus?

I never set foot in Columbus.

Not how they tell it.

Believe me, if I'd wanted,

I'd have arrived at the Capital with my people,

and with the Negroes' support.

Battles Are Won With Work

[Treadwell] Impressive.

I see you make everything here.

What do they do to relax?

No, my dear, nobody relaxes here.

It's all work.

There's no drinking, no gambling, no entertainment houses.

But working hours are fair so they can spend time with family.

It sounds more puritan than my country's Puritans.

I was in many wars, more than you can imagine.

Pure destruction.

But now it's time to build.

Here everything is sold at cost, or below cost.

Here's a grinder for tortillas.

Those are free for everyone.

We have various products.

Some are harvested here and processed, some brought from elsewhere.

We also have a pension for our troops' widows

to support their orphans.

Right, María?

Thank you.

[chokes]

Too spicy, my dear?

We plant a little of everything here: potatoes, cotton, wheat.

We have the pastures to feed lots of cattle.

I was told you maintain this utopia off of "Pancho Villa's famous treasure."

Utopia. I don't even know that word, dear.

And about "Pancho Villa's famous treasure," look.

No, man. Wishful thinking.

If I had a treasure, the social revolution wouldn't be so delayed.

Take this for me.

You sound like Vladimir Lenin.

Who's that?

The leader of the Russian Revolution.

They say he was inspired by Mexico.

You two even have a friend in common: John Reed.

John Reed, Juanito.

I lost track of him.

A well-read man.

Speaking of well-read, I want to show you what we have here.

This way, please.

We have a library and well, everything so the kids can learn.

Come.

Kids! Good morning!

[students] Good morning, General Villa.

Look, I brought you a visitor from New York.

I brought her so she could see that I also study here with you.

That's my spot.

Did you know I wanted to be a donkey when I was little?

I wanted to be a donkey to help my mom with the firewood.

And well, I became a donkey.

[children laugh]

But because I didn't study and I didn't read.

You know, you suffer when fighting in a revolution.

Some days you don't eat anything, just air.

We were afraid and cold.

You suffer.

That's why I set this up for you,

so you can study, read,

so you grow up to be fine people.

Come, my dear.

In my spot.

Come.

So you see how good it feels.

Here is where my dreams come true.

Carry on, teacher.

[teacher] Let's continue, class. If I have four pears and...

Lucita, could you bring me bread?

Ma'am, could you take him the bread?

-[Villa] The bread, Lucita. -There you go.

Did you meet my kids?

Yes, yes.

No, I meant these. They're also mine.

-Right, Chole? -Mm-hmm.

[Treadwell] Okay.

C'mon, Jáuregui, have some bread.

Are they all yours, Lucita?

Not one of them.

I just take care of them as if they were mine.

Pancho's children need to be together.

Here you have them all together.

And more are coming.

That's my curse.

Who's she?

Soledad, my husband's other wife.

-Lucita. -Huh?

Bring me a little cheese?

The bastard has three more.

But believe me, I'm the only wife by law.

Married at the cathedral.

[Jáuregui] Okay, Miss Treadwell.

[Treadwell] This is so incredible.

Although some powerful men must not like your socialist dream.

[Villa] Not sure what that is.

But I'm done fighting.

I want to live and die in peace.

Unless there's another invasion,

or unless some politician treats my people poorly.

If they asked me, I'd go back to the bullets.

In a second.

It was a pleasure.

The pleasure is all mine.

I hope you treat me kindly.

Not like the newspaper owner and so many others.

Your Mr. O'Hare dislikes Mexicans and likes me even less.

I believe in Pancho Villa,

in his sincere feelings for his country and for his people, for the poorest.

That's how I'll write it.

I promise.

Drive carefully, Jáuregui.

[motor starts]

Long live Villa, assholes!

[crowd] Hooray!

[cheering, whistling]

[Villa] You'll see.

Lucita.

Look.

I brought you this girl so that she can help you sew.

And what's your name?

Austreberta Rentería.

They call me Berta, ma'am.

Berta, then.

Take your things inside. I'll call you in a minute.

I'll leave her to you.

You think I'm a moron, Pancho?

I agreed to live with Soledad, but at a distance.

I take care of your kids with three other women.

How many more are you gonna bring me, you son of a bitch?

[Villa] Lucita and Berta never got along.

So the light of my life left for Chihuahua one day in 1921,

with some of my children.

I repaired the house so they could live there.

The woman had earned it.

-Giddy up! -Giddy up! [tutting]

Shh! Move on.

[horse neighs]

Shortly after, my old brother-in-arms, Raúl Madero returned,

having forgotten the intrigue and mean gossip.

To Felipe Ángeles.

-Cheers. -[all] Cheers.

Jáuregui, my secretary, compiled this man's last words:

he was a misunderstood and executed hero.

"My death will do more good for democracy than everything else I've done in my life.

A martyr's blood is the seed of good causes."

Felipe Ángeles.

[applause]

Boy, take a photo of the meeting.

[Calles] Raúl Madero returned from exile very happy with Villa.

I can imagine what they talked about.

[Obregón] De la Huerta gifted a ranch to Villa.

He's always asking me for money for his people.

The rest of the ranchers are also unhappy with his ways.

He's setting a bad example.

And then he told the gringo reporter

that if the people asked, he would take up arms again.

[sighs] The elections are close.

We must find a way to calm down Pancho Villa.

But it's complicated in his territory.

He still has many allies.

I know someone who hates him.

Congressman Jesus Salas Barraza.

Maybe...

July 19, 1923.

-[Villa] Keep well, both of you. -[Berta] Mmm.

[Villa] If it's a boy, I'll call him Hipólito.

Jáuregui, I'll drive.

Battles Are Won With Work

Try to get back today, Pancho.

[Villa groans]

Take care of this for me.

[Villa] That day they removed the army garrison from Parral.

Supposedly to rehearse for the Independence Day parade,

months before the celebration.

Ready, boys?

Let's give the General the welcome he deserves.

[guns cock]

[Villa] The day prior, the municipality

coincidentally ordered a ditch to be dug, exactly where my car always passed by.

[Villa] I love Parral. I could even die here.

Don't say that, General.

I always say that.

Many years ago a Holy Child

warned me not to come here because of a dream I had,

but dreams are just dreams, right?

Long live General Pancho Villa!

[person] Hooray!

Enough, enough, enough.

[person] Let's go, let's go!

I always liked Parral as a place to die.

A Holy Child told me it would happen here.

The day will come, but it doesn't mean that you die.

My dearest Seven Leagues.

What the hell are you doing with him?

Hurry, General. You'll find out later.

[horse huffs]

[neighs]

[neighs]

Pancho.

Lucita.

Are you mad at me?

No.

Why?

Because I've hurt you so much.

Do you really forgive me?

Yes.

Go back to sleep.

[knocking at door]

[knocking]

What is it?

[Hipólito cries]

[continues crying]

VILLA DIES

[Villa] Photos and news of my death started spreading

around the world like wildfire.

The government didn't want me buried in the capital of Chihuahua.

So, on July 21, 1923,

I was buried in a small cemetery in Parral.

Only one of my 23 wives was there to say good-bye.

We're both outraged and saddened by General Pancho Villa's death.

I can assure you that a full investigation

to find the guilty parties will take place immediately.

[Villa] Of course, the investigation never took place.

Three years later.

[scratching]

[soldier 1] There it is.

Hurry up so no one hears us.

-[soldier 2] Shit, I cut myself. -[soldier 1] You're so dumb.

If we get caught, the General will have our balls. Gimme that!

[Villa] And that's how, even in death, I lived on.

[shoveling]

As usual, many things were said about my poor head.

That Álvaro Obregón wanted it as a trophy.

That a rich gringo wanted it in revenge for Columbus.

They even said a museum wanted to buy it.

GENERAL FRANCISCO VILLA HIGH SCHOOL

PRESIDENT OF MEXICO

[American accent] Excuse me, sir.

I'm looking for something very specific.

I'm an archaeologist with a museum in New York.

[person] So what?

I've been told that in this area

Pancho Villa's head is buried.

Do you know if it's true what they say?

[person] Eh.

[coins clink]

[person] Put that away and go on, my friend.

Haven't you heard about the revenge of Pancho Villa?

[Villa] Obregón was murdered in 1928, allegedly in a religious conflict.

[laughs] This is badass.

But everyone pointed the finger at Calles, saying he didn't want to share the power.

[laughs] Yeah, I look like me.

[Villa] As for those who dared cut off my head,

the soldier who hurt his hand died of gangrene,

and the others soon after, in alleged muggings or accidents.

-[rumbling] -[groaning]

[thunderclap]

The general who ordered my head cut off went crazy,

claiming that Pancho Villa visited him every night,

pulling his legs, trying to drag him into hell.

Go away.

It wasn't me.

It wasn't me!

[in English] Oh, dear Lord!

[in Spanish] Well, at least you know where they say the head is buried?

It's right here, under this school.

If you want to find Pancho Villa...

Pancho Villa will find you.

Take my word for it.

[motor starts]

They say the centaur is an animal from stories and tales of the past...

half man, half horse.

An invincible beast.

That's why they call you that.

Centaur of the North.

I'll tell you something.

If this country had had more schools for kids,

more teachers than soldiers,

the Revolution wouldn't have broken out.

So many wouldn't have been killed.

[neighs]