Studied by 8 people"Quince minutos tarde"
(15 minutes late) This shows how Vidal is obsessive about precision and control. It reveals that he is cold and cruel as a leader, lacking respect for anyone but himself
"El capitán no es mi padre"
(The captain isn't my father) This shows that Ofelia is rebelling against the changes in her life, refusing to accept Vidal as a father figure. It also reminds us of the grave situation she finds herself in.
"Quiero que mi hijo nazca en una España limpia y nueva"
(I want my son to be born in a new and clean Spain) This shows the importance of Vidal's political beliefs - the key fascist values were anti-communist, pro-catholic and a unified Spain. It also gives reasons behind his remorseless killing of the rebels so that he can silence anyone who is against him.
"La guerra terminó y ganamos nosotros"
(The war is over and we won) Vidal highlights the inequalities and divisions that the civil war has caused - such as the one brought up in the film of rich vs poor. It also reveals that Vidal is arrogant and always battling for control since they are still fighting the rebels despite the war being over
"Le matáis a él y vendrá otro igual. Y luego otro. Y otro más"
(You kill him and another will come. And then another. And another one) This highlights the brutality of the Franco regime. If Vidal is killed, another merciless leader will take command
"Si tiene escoger, salve al niño"
(If you have to choose, save the child) This shows that Vidal has no respect for Carmen, she is simply just a child-bearer. He exhibits misogynistic values that were very common during the dictatorship. Carmen is a symbol of female repression - in a desperate situation, now restricted by her pregnancy
"Hermano... las cosas por aquí no están muy bien"
(Brother... things out here are not very good) This shows the grim reality that Ofelia and her mother find themselves in. Ofelia has no freedom, her mother is ill and Vidal is ruthless as ever
"La magia no existe. Ni para ti, ni para mi, ni para nadie"
(Magic doesn't exist. Not for you, not for me, not for anyone) Carmen has lost all hope, accepting the grim reality. She consistently tells Ofelia that fairy tales are not real despite the mandrake healing her. By throwing it in the fire, it brings about her own death. This shows the intertwining of fantasy and reality in the film. It also shows what an awful situation Ofelia is in - it is very dark and foreboding
Es que obedecer por obedecer, así sin pensarlo, eso sólo hacen gentes como usted, capitán
(Obeying for the sake of obeying, without thinking, that is something only people like you can do, Captain) It conveys the moral message of the film regarding disobedience. The doctor's role in killing this rebel is important because he helps the rest of the resistance, ensuring that vital information is not passed onto Vidal.
"Por encima de mí no hay nadie"
(Above me there is nobody) Vidal portrays himself as a tyrannical, self-centred leader. He views himself as a God, feeling that he is able to control the people around him, but he cannot.
"No es nada más que una mujer"
(She is nothing more than a woman) Vidal underestimates Mercedes' resourcefulness and intelligence because she is a woman who should be weak and subservient. His misogyny ultimately brings his downfall.
"Yo era invisible para usted"
(I was invisible to you) This highlights the lack of respect towards women that many men in this era had. Mercedes was able to help the rebels because she was right at the bottom of the social hierarchy (not only as a woman but as a housekeeper)
"Un hijo debe nacer donde quiera que esté su padre"
(A son should be born wherever his father is) This shows that Vidal has no respect for Carmen and emphasises his ideas about what a man should be. He wants his son to be born by his side to show how strong and powerful he is, with a male heir
"¿Por qué está tan seguro, capitán?"
(Why are you so sure, Captain) The doctor questions Vidal's obsession over having a son (so that he will have a male heir) when there is no real evidence that it will be a boy. The doctor is being rebellious, and Vidal does not like this.
Las cosas no son tan simples, te estás haciendo mayor, y pronto entenderás que la vida no es como en tus cuentos de hadas, el mundo es un lugar cruel
(Things are not so simple, you are getting older, and soon you will understand that life is not like your fairytales, the world is a cruel place) This emphasises the terrible situation that Ofelia is in. She is a vulnerable and scared young girl. This also backs up the idea that Ofelia might be escaping her reality by making up a fantasy world
"Mi hermano se queda conmigo"
(My brother stays with me) Ofelia is protective over her brother. Throughout the film, she has become more independent and disobedient. Unlike Vidal, she can think for herself and does not obey orders blindly.
"Cuentos de hadas... ya eres muy mayor para llenarte la cabeza con tantas zarandajas"
(Fairytales... you are very old to be filling your head with such rubbish) This distinguishes the division between children and adults in the film. Carmen wants Ofelia to grow up quickly and adapt to the terrible reality in which she lives
"Este es el pan de cada día en la España de Franco"
(This is the bread of each day in Franco's Spain) This shows the clear division between rich and poor. Those with a higher social status and the correct ideology were favoured. The ration cards ensure the army can control what supplies are distributed, so the resistance cannot access them.
"Perdonen a mi mujer, no ha visto mucho mundo, ¿saben? Cree que a todos nos interesan estas tonterías"
(Forgive my wife, she has not seen much of the world, you know? She thinks we are all interested in this nonsense) This shows Vidal's lack of respect towards Carmen, humiliating her and dismissing anything she says as worthless. This aligns with the views at the time of what an ideal woman was.
"- Decide a mi hijo... decide a qué hora murió su padre.
- Ni siquiera sabrá tu nombre"
(Tell my son... tell him what time his father died. He will never know your name) Vidal wants a legacy, like his own father had - which shows that Vidal was obsessed with his own fantasy. Mercedes denies him of this, distributing the message that Vidal is evil and deserves not to be known at all because of what he has done.
"Hazlo por mi"
(Do it for me) Vidal tries to exert control over Carmen, insisting she uses a wheelchair when she can walk. This represents female repression during the Franco regime
"- Tener un hijo es complicado.
- Pues entonces no voy a tener ninguno"
(Having a child is complicated. Then I won't have one) Ofelia rebels against the expectations of women during this era.
“no sé porque has traído tantos libros”
(I don’t know why you have brought so many books) Carmen doesn’t understand Ofelia’s idealism and her hope for the future
“es la otra mano”
(its the other hand) Vidal is so caugh up in his ideaology that he is unhapy when Ofelia even offers her left hand (socialist/idealistic)
“Yo he tenido tantos nombres”
(I have had many names) The faun is a staple of history
“Vos sois la princesa Moanna…La luna os engendró”
(You are princess Moanna… the moon birthed you) This is the fantasy world that exists where Ofelia, a young girl struggling in the aftermath of the spanish civil war, can hold power
“?tu crees en las hadas?”
“Ya no…pero cuando era muy nina, si”
(do you believe in fairy tales? no. but when i was younger, yes) Mercedes encourages Ofelia’s dreams, giving her hope even though she knows the world can be a cruel and dark place
“es muy alto, muy viejo y huele a tierra”
(he’s very tall, very old and he smells of earth) [ the faun] Ofelia’s description makes him seem as old as time and he is intrinsicaly linked to the world
“Soy la princesa Moanna y no te tengo miedo”
(I am princess Moanna and i’m not afraid of you) [Ofelia going into the tree and seeing the frog] Ofelia is brave and clever in her own way. she refuses to let the twisted things of this world, like facism, scare her from doing the right thing
“No toqueis nada. Absolutamente nada.“
(don’t touch anything. absolutley nothing) The faun warns Ofelia of the dangers of temptation and facism here. he doesn’t want her to fall prey to the evils that lay there. greed results in waking the beast of faciscm
“Lo que ahí dormita no es humano”
(what sleeps there isn’t human) Faciscm is unhuman and unjust
“Ésta es la única forma decente de morir”
(its the only decent way to die) Vidal’s ideas of masculinity are so tied up in the idea of power than he can only see death as honorable if it was during battle, just like his father did
“no serás el primer cerdo que degüello”
(you won’t be the first pig I’ve slaughtered) Mercedes breaks free by herself, needing no assistance from a man. She is a strong independent, woman and what’s more, she’s not afraid to stand up for what is right
Habéis derramado vuestra sangre antes de la de un inocente. Ésa era la última prueba, la más importante.
(You have shed your blood before that of an innocent. this was the final test, the most important) Ofelia choose to do what was right and in the end she is rewarded
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