A MAN OF ACTION/ UN HOMBRE DE ACCION

Spain, 2022, 111 minutes, Colour.

Juan José Ballestra, Luis Callejo, Liah O'Prey, Miki Esparbe, Alexandre Blazy, Ben Temple, Fred Tatian, Monica Lamberti,

Directed by Javier Ruiz Caldera.

This portrait of an enterprising character is based on actual characters and facts. It is a drama on the life and the exploits of Luis Urtubia who died in 2020.

The setting is Spain, initially, the war. And the focus on the young boy, his place in the family, the death of his father and his having to move to France. But, the drama also shows the adult Luis and his colleague in action at the Paris airport, collecting money, throwing it about to block police pursuit.

Luis Urtubia was a bricklayer, and continued with that work, but it also provides a cover for his growing commitment to anarchy and to anarchist groups. And this involved many bank robberies, and the distribution of the money to causes the anarchists believed in.

The other central character of the film is the police inspector, Costello, who patiently, sometimes impatiently, pursues the bricklayer over the years, talking with him, meeting with him, threatening him, surveillance. And, eventually, success with the anarchist’s imprisonment.

Ironically when he leaves prison, he is paid in travellers cheques rather than cash – which leads to an elaborate fraud scam, with his brother-in-law who worked at the French Mint, with various associates, forging travellers cheques and cashing them at the same time all around France. This is Citibank and the American executives are upset, send a representative to France, eventually set up a sting to trap Urtubia. Urtubia believes the fraudster and is trapped.

The other line of the plot is his relationship with his girlfriend, participant in the activities, bearing him a daughter, but eventually becoming exasperated by his commitment to his cause and his neglect of his family, her moving to Columbia – and his intention to move there. But, after serving his time, he does move to Columbia, separated from his wife, but reunited with his daughter, dying in 2020.

1. The title? Lucio and his work as a builder, tough action? His being a man of action and anarchist?
2. Based on a true story, the career of Lucio, his background, as a boy, robberies, adult, builder, joining the anarchist, their philosophy, action, the robberies, his participation, leadership, connections, the meeting of and, at the University campus, her joining with him? The pursuit of Castello?
3. The opening, Paris airport, the money, the pursuit, throwing the money away, escaping the pursuit? Building up to the sequence of the middle of the film? The second part of the film, 10 years later and beyond?
4. The Spanish settings, the 40s, the family, Lucio and his father, his father’s illness, the morphine, the refusal of the pharmacist? The funeral?
5. Lucio growing up, the robberies, connections, going to France? Staying with his sister, with Patrick? On the building site, working too hard, his friends, the anarchist meeting? The police? His believing in anarchy, not being told, concern about the poor? The reputation of Quico? Mentoring Lucio? The robberies, his wetting himself, falling in the leaping? Quico and his support, the division of the money, supporting themselves? Building up his career? The friendship with a story and from the building site? Patrick and his work at the Mint?
6. The pursuit by Costello, suave personality, patient? Paris airport? Eventually apprehending him, Lucio going to jail, in jail, saving Charlie, the fight? The lawyer, the delay in release, Anne pregnant, giving birth, Juliet? Eventually getting out? His joy with his daughter?
7. His team, a story and, Charlie, petite Jeanne, Patrick – Lucio and the travellers cheque on release, disbelief, at the shop, the change in cash? His idea? The team, the count of the travellers cheques, Patrick and the setup, perfecting the counterfeit cheques? Trying them out, cashing them? The increase in production, the plan of everybody cashing them at midday to delay the checking?
8. Citibank, France, the US, the meetings in the US, Barrow, his going to France, confronting Costello, demanding action?
9. Anne and Juliet, some alienation, the plan to go to Bolivia, challenging Lucio, his one last job?
10. The meeting with Tony Greko, the setup by Charlie, suspicions, following him, believing him, the meeting at the restaurant, the setup, the arrest?
11. Holding Lucio, the ideas of his lawyer, the Court sequence, the objections because irregularities in the charge, his being released? Lucio confronting Patrick and suspicious? The discovery that Tony Greko was police, the setup, Charley taking the money and going to South Africa?
12. Lucio, going to Bolivia, reunited with an and Juliet?
13. The postscript, the photo of the real Lucio, dying in 2020, separated from And but friends, his anarchist police? And the impact of his counterfeiting scams as a sign of anarchy and activity, undermining the power of the banks?