La Boca del Lobo (The Mouth of the Wolf) is based on the historical incidents that took place in the rural mountain town of Chuspi between 1980 and 1983. The film depicts the true events that happened during the fighting between the anti-terrorist army and the Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) guerrillas that finally led to a great massacre in 1983.
The main character in the movie is a young soldier who has joined the military out of a hope to be accepted for officers’ training school. The other central character is the unit’s leader who arrives at the mountain town sometime after his troops. A new recruit and career office, the two personas have opposing personalities and their differing responses to fighting the terrorists are explored.
Although the movie is shown from the perspective of the military, the story focuses on how both sides affect the native people and how they face abuse from the rebels and government. Powerless to control even their own lives, the Indians must play the role of victim or else be left holding the baby and suffer the consequences of being considered conspirators. As the story progresses, the violence becomes amplified and leads to the death of many Indians although no member of Sendero Luminoso is ever seen.
El personaje principal de la película es un joven soldado que se ha unido al ejército con la esperanza de ser aceptado en la escuela de formación de oficiales. El otro personaje principal es el líder del batallón que llega al pueblo montañés un poco después de sus tropas. Un nuevo recluta y el oficial de carrera, los dos tienen personalidades opuestas y respuestas distintas a la lucha contra los terroristas, las cuales son exploradas.
Aunque la película se muestra desde el punto de vista de los militares, la historia se centra en cómo ambas partes afectan a los pueblos indígenas y cómo estos enfrentan abusos por parte de los rebeldes y del gobierno. Sin poder para controlar ni sus propias vidas, los indígenas deben jugar el papel de víctimas o de lo contrario ‘cargarán con el muerto’ y serán considerados conspiradores. A medida que la historia avanza, la violencia se hace más fuerte y conduce a la muerte de muchos indígenas, aunque los miembros de Sendero Luminoso no aparecen nunca.
SPANISH LESSON
“…de lo contrario cargarán con el muerto y serán considerados conspiradores” (“…otherwise they ‘will be left holding the baby’ and suffer the consequences og being considered conspirators”.) The expression ‘cargar con el muerto’ refers to having to take care of something that one is not responsible.
This seems to be the origin of the phrase: In several territories during the Middle Ages, there was a law that dictated that when you could not find the murderer of a corpse found, the residents of the village to which the person belonged had to pay a joint fine. As none likes to pay taxes, the residents who would find a corpse hurried to carry it, and by mutual agreement, throw it in a neighboring village to escape the fine.
Example: “El pobre de Juan tuvo que cargar con el muerto del robo que otros hicieron”. (“Poor John was left holding the baby of the robbery that others commited.”)