Che Screenplay

CliCHE

INT. CHRIS’ BASEMENT- DAY

Chris and Glen are sitting in Chris’ basement, analyzing the life and career of Marxist Revolutionary, Che Guevara. Glen is sipping on his Vitamin Water and Chris is shoving Mike and Ike down his throat like there’s no tomorrow, whilst holding Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of The United States as if it was his baby.

GLEN
MURDERER!

CHRIS
REVOLUTIONARY!

GLEN
Yeah right, he was nothing more than a thug. I can’t stand it when I see college kids wearing shirts with his face on it or displaying posters of him on the walls of their dorms. That makes me want to puke.

CHRIS
That’s one way to look at it, but whether you like him or not, to most of Latin America, Che Guevara is like a God. Revolutionaries worldwide, since his death, have respected him for his courage and the principles he stood for.

GLEN
Mass Murder? Dictatorship? Communism? Yeah, because those are all great principles to stand for…….

CHRIS
Don’t be naïve, that’s what your history teachers tell you, that’s just one sided rhetoric. Well, except for the Communism; his vision was a universally communist Latin America.

GLEN
And, you’re saying I’m naïve?! The commie would have massacred anyone who disagreed with him, including you and your family, just to reach that beautiful utopia you speak of. The fact that you won’t even acknowledge that he was a murderer is an obscenity. Now, I bet the next egg of knowledge you’ll crack will inform me that he was at war and therefore his violence was justified, right? Well, in my book, murder is murder, no matter what the reason is.


CHRIS
Do you like living here?

GLEN
Huh?

CHRIS
I said do you like living here? This country was created following a violent revolution. I wouldn’t doubt that good old George Washington killed just as many, if not more enemies than Che did! But, my point is that you wouldn’t be here, if people adhered to your sense of self-righteous pacifism. Let’s face it, there are few bloodless revolutions. It’s sad, but true.

GLEN
Are you comparing the Cuban Revolution to the American Revolution?

CHRIS
No, not necessarily. I’m comparing figures in history being treated with honor and respect, such as George Washington and then other figures like Che being regarded as “killers,” when clearly both men did plenty of killings, but since Che was a Marxist, we don’t like him.

GLEN
We?

CHRIS
America

GLEN
Gotcha

CHRIS
Well, except Hollywood.

GLEN
Pssh, they love him out there. Which brings me to another point. Did you see the Oscars last month?

CHRIS
Of course

GLEN
Ok, so then you saw that lib Sean Penn condemn all the anti-gay marriage Californians during his acceptance speech. Well, see here’s where I’m baffled: Penn supports the Castro led Cuban government, the exact same rebel government Che created, and yet those guys won’t even hesitate to place you in a camp if you’re gay. Now, maybe it’s just me, but isn’t that a perfect example of a hypocrite?

CHRIS
Agree! For once actually. But, Penn doesn’t speak for all of us

GLEN
Obviously, he doesn’t. My point, however, is that Che and especially his supporters constantly contradict themselves and never live up to their principles. People, like you, say he stood for social justice, what is just in killing “suspected traitors” and forcing the disabled, mentally handicapped, and homosexuals, amongst others into labor camps?

CHRIS
Well, I don’t know how true the latter part is, but he definitely did kill people or had people killed for committing treason or people suspected of committing or going to commit treason. I don’t agree with this, but it is possible to admire a historical figure for some aspects of their life and then condemn them for others. Plus, this brings me back to my earlier point about how Che receives harsher criticism than other historical figures. I mean, if you’re talking about people not living up to their principles, the Founding Fathers would have to be on that same list.

Chris furiously flips through the pages of A People’s History to the section on the Declaration of Independence. He points to the line “All men are created equal” and Glen nods.

GLEN
True

CHRIS
Now, I’m sure Tom Jefferson and George Washington treated their slaves with the utmost respect!

GLEN
Ok, so you’ve made your point that there are plenty of evil miscreants in history, so why should I think of Che any differently?

CHRIS
First and foremost, Che saw the effects imperialism, capitalism, and a puppet, totalitarian regime, far more oppressive than he or Castro ever were, had on his people. He was sick of seeing poverty stricken people being oppressed for years and years. His main principle was to defend the proletariat against the bourgeoisie. On top of all that, to the majority of Cubans, the proletariat, Che is seen as a savior. Of course, to the small elite, the bourgeoisie, he is viewed as a devil and rightfully so.

GLEN
You finished?
CHRIS
You convinced?

GLEN
Ok, so he is a revolutionary for overthrowing a corrupt government, but he was a savage murderer for killing anyone that opposed him. Agree?

CHRIS
I can agree to that, so what’s up next for discussion? Chris Brown?

GLEN
Oh, definitely evil.

CHRIS
Agree.