Producing 'The Spanish Earth' with Joris Ivens

In March 1937, renowned American author Ernest Hemingway arrived in Spain alongside Dutch filmmaker Joris Ivens. Ivens was in the midst of filming 'The Spanish Earth,' a documentary that aimed to highlight the struggles of the Spanish Civil War. Initially, Ivens had collaborated with John Dos Passos as the screenwriter for the project. However, Dos Passos departed from the film after the tragic arrest and subsequent execution of his friend and Spanish translator, José Robles. This incident profoundly impacted Dos Passos's perspective on the leftist republicans, leading to a significant rift between him and Hemingway, who maintained a more favorable view of the republicans. As a result, Ivens sought to replace Dos Passos with Hemingway, recognizing the latter's literary prowess and commitment to the cause. This collaboration marked a pivotal moment in both Hemingway's career and the representation of the Spanish Civil War in cinema, as it brought together two influential figures in the arts during a time of political turmoil. #mooflife #mof #MomentOfLife #ErnestHemingway #JorisIvens #SpanishCivilWar #TheSpanishEarth #JohnDosPassos