blanche-2 Henry Fonda was roped into this -- he had a higher box office rating than the perfect actor for it, Gilbert Roland. There aren't many roles both of these men could play, and this wasn't one of them.The story concerns the Spanish Civil War.The script was written by an avowed Communist, John Howard Lawson who wanted to "present the Communist position" in his scripts. He doesn't really get to do that in Blockade, since it's deliberately ambiguous as to the different factions, referred to as "they" and "us." The costuming also doesn't suggest anything as far as sides.The story concerns a place called Castelmare, where Marco and Luis (Fonda and Leo Carrillo) help a Russian woman, Norma (Madeleine Carroll) who has had a car accident on the way to her father's. For Marco, it's love at first sight.When war begins, Marco is the head of a group of peasant attempting to defend Castelmare. Meanwhile, Norma and her father are forced to spy for the other side. Marco winds up killing Norma's father.Castelmare cannot get any supplies, and Norma is being blackmailed to give information about the ship so that it can be sunk.Probably the most striking thing are the closeups of the suffering peasants.Casablanca it isn't. Fonda and Carroll have no chemistry. The dialogue is very stilted. Henry Fonda at the end gives an impassioned speech right into the camera. It's embarrassing.

vitaleralphlouis Most other reviewers focused on the politics of the film regarding the Spanish Civil War. Not necessary. There's no way to tell which side Henry Fonda is on, or which side the Bad Guys represent. It's strictly about (a) two farmers and (b) one village, all find themselves entangled with an invasion of powerful forces suddenly intruding on their lands and their lives. It's a struggle against a strange enemy trying to kill you and your friends, to starve and destroy your village with corruption and self-interest. Politically, it reminds the viewer of the current day struggle of OUR country being taken over and being destroyed by an administration of thugs, thieves and other evil-doers.The movie has the look and feel of the great foreign movies of the era; the sets, the lighting, the casting -- couldn't be better. Although filmed in Los Angeles, it'll take you to rural Spain of 80 years ago. Hollywood doesn't make good movies like this anymore, the talent is gone, the cocaine takes over. Skip the action garbage, rent this from Netflix.

dbdumonteil The Fonda/Caroll romance is one of the weakest you can see in a thirties film.He seems to appear haphazardly at the most awkward moments.That leads us to a Corneille-like situation:Fonda has killed his love's father.Politically,the film remains vague,always referring to the enemy as "they" like in Borzage 's 'three comrades" (but that was a great film though).The war was over on the first of March 1939;thus the film ,made in 1938,warns us ,in a clumsy way,that it's only the beginning:propaganda movies can be great,but it takes a strong screenplay (best example:"the mortal storm" Frank Borzage) and not a cat and mouse play between spies ,corrupt officers and profiteers of war.In consequence ,the best scenes ,IMHO,are those which deal with the masses;the starving faces ,watching the ship sinking down are reminiscent of Eisenstein,whose influence was huge at the time.

juddfranklin You'd really have to stretch to find a firm connection between this movie and the Spanish Civil War. If you were not a college student such as myself, studying this film, I doubt that you would even consider doing so. Remembering Franco is not a favorite pasttime of the people of this nation. It is a reminder of the fact that there was a leader who was willing to let his whole nation be decimated for personal gain. Yuckie! In the meantime, if you want cheesy, rigid filmmaking starring a paisley-cheeked Henry Fonda, look no further. Contains a love scene in a collapsed building, as well as a chicano actor pretending to be a spanish man pretending to play a flute. Dig the oxymoronic ending!WARNING!!! Cheesiness may not lead to as many laughs as cheesiness of Tremors!