El Cid: The Legend (Spanish: El Cid: La leyenda) is a Spanish animated film released on 19 December 2003, written by José Pozo, and based on the historical legend of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, also known as El Cid.
| El Cid: The Legend | |
|---|---|
| Spanish | El Cid: La leyenda |
| Directed by | José Pozo |
| Written by | José Pozo |
| Produced by | Julio Fernández |
| Starring | Manel Fuentes (Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar) Sancho Gracia (Conde Gormaz) Carlos Latre (Ben Yussuf / Conde Ordóñez) Loles León (Infant doña Urraca) Natalia Verbeke (Jimena) Miguel Ángel Rodríguez |
| Cinematography | Adrià García Víctor Maldonado |
| Edited by | Félix Bueno |
| Music by | Óscar Araujo Zacarías M. de la Riva |
| Distributed by | Filmax Animation |
Release date |
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Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | Spain |
| Language | Spanish |
Ibn Yusuf invades the Muslim Taifa of Zaragoza, as the beginning of his campaign to conquer the entire Iberian peninsula. As a result, Prince Al-Mu'tamin flees to Castile to warn king Ferdinand of Yusuf's invasion.
In Castille, Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar is living a life of privilege as the son of a nobleman. He is best friends with prince Sancho and is secretly in a romantic relationship with Jimena, the daughter of count Gormaz. Unfortunately, Gormaz disapproves, and suggests that Jimena should marry the arrogant and self-centered count Ordoñez. As the royal court receives word that the Almoravids of Zaragoza had crossed the Castilian border, Rodrigo gets the opportunity to accompany Sancho, Ordoñez and Gormaz on a scouting mission. Once they set up camp, Gormaz is ambushed by Al-Mu'tamin and his warriors, but Rodrigo intervenes. Once Al-Mu'tamin gets the chance to speak, he is allowed by Sancho to accompany them back to the palace.
Some time later, king Ferdinand dies, and the devious and power-hungry princess Urraca plots to have Sancho killed so that the weak-minded prince Alfonso can be crowned. Gormaz meets with Rodrigo on a balcony, on Jimenas request, where Rodrigo asks for her hand in marriage. Gormaz refuses, and instead challenges Rodrigo to a duel. Rodrigo is hesitant to fight, but when Gormaz insists, he draws his sword. As the two fight, Urraca sends out her lover and servant to assassinate Sancho by stabbing him in the back with a dagger. At the same time, Rodrigo accidentally kills Gormaz. When Jimena witnesses, she becomes distraught and drives Rodrigo away. Later, Alfonso is crowned king, but at the ceremony Rodrigo refuses to kneel before him, and makes Alfonso swear that he had nothing to do with his brother's death. Alfonso does so, but in his rage and humiliation, he banishes Rodrigo without honor.
Rodrigo flees to Zaragoza, where his friends Alvar Fañez and Garces, along with Al-Mu'tamin, reunite with him. At Al-Mu'tamin's suggestion, the four men decide to reclaim the castle of his father, Emir Al-Muqtadir of Zaragoza. With the help of Garces' adopted badger, Ruidoso, Rodrigo and his friends manage to infiltrate the castle and liberate Al-Muqtadir along with other enslaved Muslims of Zaragoza. Soon, Rodrigo begins a campaign to reclaim the castles and lands that had been seized by Yusuf in the name of King Alfonso, as an attempt to regain his lost honor. By doing so, he gathers an army. Rodrigo becomes known as El Cid ("El Señor") among the Muslims.
One day Rodrigo receives a letter from king Alfonso requesting his help. He returns to Castile alone to face the king. Once there, Alfonso informs him that Yusuf has gathered his army in northern Spain, and offers to pardon Rodrigo if he agrees to aid him. Rodrigo objects, claiming that Yusuf intends to seize Valencia. Furious with Rodrigo's defiance, Alfonso orders him imprisoned. Later, Urraca enters Rodrigo's cell and attempts to seduce him, but he resists. She then gives him the same dagger that was used to murder Sancho and releases him, on the condition that he kills Alfonso. Rodrigo enters Alfonso's chamber and, instead of killing him, he displays the dagger and reveals that Urraca orchestrated Sancho's death. Intimidated, Alfonso allows Rodrigo to escape. Rodrigo stops by Jimena's room, but she rejects him, still believing that Rodrigo murdered her father for disapproving of their relationship. Disheartened, Rodrigo escapes Castile.
The principal musical theme of El Cid: The Legend was composed and interpreted CFC by Luis Fonsi. It is called La fuerza de mi corazón.
They also collaborated with the Spanish rock group Diosa, which had already created music for other Spanish feature films.
El Cid (Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, El Cid Campeador) | |
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Goya Award for Best Animated Film | |
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