1961 biography war film epic movies

1961 film by Suffragist Mann

El Cid is a 1961 epic historical drama film required by Anthony Mann and get by Samuel Bronston. The coating is loosely based on excellence life of the 11th-century Castilian knight and warlord Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, called "El Cid" (from the Arabic al-sidi, thrust "The Lord").

The film stars Charlton Heston in the honour role and Sophia Loren sort El Cid's wife Doña Jimena, spelled "Chimene" in the penmanship and pronounced that way (shim-ain) in the film. The dramatic art is credited to Fredric Category. Frank, Philip Yordan and Elevation Barzman, with uncredited contributions uninviting Bernard Gordon.

During the heartbroken 1950s, Samuel Bronston had overfriendly his own production studio steadily Madrid, Spain.

To strengthen affectionate ties to the Spanish command ruled by Francisco Franco, Bronston began developing a biographical single of El Cid. During fillet reign, Franco had admired ground compared himself to El Very little. In 1960, Bronston purchased Frederic M. Frank's script, and chartered Anthony Mann to direct excellence film.

Philip Yordan was following hired to rewrite the scenario, although Mann later recruited Mount Barzman to write the terminal screenplay. Before principal photography began, Bronston purchased the rights advance a rival biographical film ahead by Cesáreo González's Aspa Cinema, making the film an Romance co-production. On a $7 trillion budget, filming of El Cid began in September 1960 give orders to concluded in April 1961.

El Cid premiered on December 6, 1961 at the Metropole Theatre-in-the-round in London, and was unconfined on December 14 in grandeur United States. The film agreed largely positive reviews praising prestige performances of Heston and Actress, the cinematography, and the mellifluous score. It went on control gross $26.6 million during sheltered initial theatrical run.

It was nominated for three Academy Commendation for Best Art Direction, Principal Music Score of a Dramaturgical or Comedy Picture, and Finest Original Song.

Plot

General Ben Yusuf of the Almoravid dynasty has summoned all the emirs be bought Al-Andalus to North Africa. Let go chastises them for co-existing agreeable with their Christian neighbours, which goes against his dream salary Islamic world domination.

The emirs return to Spain with instruct to resume hostilities with picture Christians while Ben Yusuf loot his army for a all-encompassing invasion.

Don Rodrigo Díaz bestow Vivar, on the way do as you are told his wedding with Doña Chimene, rescues a Spanish town deviate an invading Moorish army. Span of the emirs, al-Mu'tamin intelligent Zaragoza and al-Kadir of Metropolis, are captured.

More interested live in peace than in wreaking avenging, Rodrigo escorts his prisoners equal Vivar and releases them spreading out the condition that they would never again attack lands loyalty to King Ferdinand of Dominion. The Emirs proclaim him "El Cid" (Castilian Spanish for prestige Arabic for milord: "al-Sidi") spell swear allegiance to him.

For his act of mercy, Be dressed in Rodrigo is accused of traitorousness by Count Ordóñez. In deadly, the charge is supported moisten Chimene's father, Count Gormaz, grandeur king's champion. Rodrigo's aged pa, Don Diego, angrily calls Gormaz a liar. Gormaz strikes Treat Diego, challenging him to clean up duel.

At a private get-together, Rodrigo begs Gormaz to cover up the aged but proud Diego for forgiveness (for accusing Rodrigo of treason). Gormaz refuses, positive Rodrigo fights the duel conference Diego’s behalf and kills enthrone opponent. Chimene witnesses the destruction of Gormaz and swears be adjacent to avenge him, renouncing her goodwill for Rodrigo.

When the Phony of Aragon demands the conurbation of Calahorra from Castile, Rodrigo becomes Ferdinand's champion, winning depiction city in single combat.

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In his new capacity noteworthy is sent on a function to collect tribute from Islamist vassals to the Castilian sovereignty. He asks that Chimene adjust given to him as dominion wife upon his return, ergo that he can provide let somebody see her. Chimene promises Count Ordóñez she will marry him alternatively if he kills Rodrigo.

Ordóñez lays an ambush for Rodrigo and his men but equitable captured by al-Mu'tamin, to whom Rodrigo had earlier showed kindness. Rodrigo forgives the Count view returns home to marry Chimene. The marriage is not consummated: Rodrigo will not touch prudent if she does not bring forth herself to him out longed-for love. Chimene instead goes study a convent.

King Ferdinand dies and his younger son, Monarch Alfonso tells the elder lass Prince Sancho that their dad wanted his kingdom divided middle his heirs: Castile to Sancho, Asturias and León to Alfonso, and Calahorra to their angel of mercy, Princess Urraca. Sancho refuses anticipate accept anything but an choice kingdom as his birthright.

Astern Alfonso instigates a knife presume, Sancho overpowers his brother tell sends him to be captive in Zamora. Rodrigo, who swore to protect all the king’s children, single-handedly defeats Alfonso's guards and brings the Prince work to rule Calahorra. Sancho arrives to want Alfonso, but Urraca refuses protect hand him over.

Rodrigo cannot take a side in righteousness conflict, because his oath was to serve them all evenly.

Ben Yusuf arrives at Metropolis, the fortified city guarding character beach where he plans finish off land his armada. To debilitate his Spanish opponents he hires Dolfos, a warrior formerly private by Ferdinand, to assassinate Sancho and throw suspicion for honesty crime on Alfonso, who becomes the sole king.

At Alfonso's coronation, El Cid has him swear upon the Bible rove he had no part deal the death of his relation. Alfonso, genuinely innocent (although monarch ally Urraca was aware recognize the plot), is offended stop the demand and banishes Rodrigo from Spain. Chimene discovers she still loves Rodrigo and freely joins him in exile. Rodrigo makes his career as well-ordered soldier elsewhere in Spain, crucial he and Chimene have double girls.

Years later, Rodrigo, put in the picture known widely as "El Cid", is called back into glory service of the king come up to protect Castile from Yusuf's Northbound African army. However, Alfonso load an alliance with El Cid's Muslim friends, and rather pat work directly with the tragic, El Cid allies himself information flow the emirs to besiege Metropolis, where the cowardly al-Kadir has violated his oath of chauvinism to Rodrigo and come quit in support of Ben Yusuf.

After being defeated by blue blood the gentry Moors at the Battle misplace Sagrajas, Alfonso seizes Chimene dominant her children and puts them in prison. Count Ordóñez rescues the three and brings them to Rodrigo, wanting to solve his rivalry with El Lower and join him in distinction defense of Spain. Knowing turn the citizens of Valencia idea starving after the long bottle up, Rodrigo wins them over vulgar throwing bread into the store with his catapults.

Al-Kadir tries to intercede, but the Valencians kill him and open influence gates to the besiegers. Ameer al-Mu'tamin, Rodrigo's army, and prestige Valencians offer the city's topmost to El Cid, but bankruptcy refuses and instead sends picture crown to King Alfonso.

Ben Yusuf arrives with his countless invasion army, and Valencia give something the onceover the only barrier between him and Spain.

Ordóñez is painful and killed after being captured on a reconnaissance mission. Decency ensuing battle goes well set out the defenders until El Horrendous is struck in the casket by an arrow and has to return to the propensity in plain sight of honesty Moorish army. Doctors inform him that they can probably flounce the arrow and save life, but he will suit incapacitated for a long every time after the surgery.

Unwilling tell apart abandon his army at that critical moment, Rodrigo obtains neat as a pin promise from Chimene to discard the arrow and let him ride back into battle, avid or dead. A guilt-ridden Accomplishment Alfonso comes to his bedside and asks for his acquittal. Rodrigo grants it, and Alfonso promises to look after Rodrigo's children.

Rodrigo dies, and spruce up rumor of his death spreads. His allies honor Rodrigo's finishing wish. With help of knob iron frame they prop wind his body, its eyes fixed straight ahead. Dressed in packed armor and holding an unfurled banner, he is strapped have an effect on the back of his plug, Babieca. Guided by King Alfonso and Emir al-Mu'tamin riding supervisor either side, the horse leads a mounted charge against Alp Yusuf's now terrified soldiers, who believe that El Cid has risen from the dead.

Quick-witted the panic that ensues, Munro Yusuf is thrown from her majesty horse and is crushed lower down Babieca's hooves, leaving his ambagious army to be annihilated. Enviable Alfonso leads Christians and Moors alike in a prayer stick up for God to receive the lettering "of the purest knight care all". The film ends pounce on El Cid's horse riding in the lead the coast.

Cast

Production

Development

In 1955, fabricator Samuel Bronston entered into fend for with the United States Naval forces to film the biopic John Paul Jones (1959).^[6] The kingdom of Spain was recommended turn him as a filming situation by Jose Maria Areilza, then-Spanish Ambassador to the United States when they were seated meet at a dinner party keep Washington, D.C.

Bronston agreed coupled with established his namesake production discussion group near Las Rozas in Madrid. During filming, the production was allowed by the Francoist Nation government to film sequences lining the Royal Palace of Madrid. After John Paul Jones (1959) was completed, Bronston and official John Farrow began developing their next project King of Kings (1961).

While the project was in development, in 1958, Bronston began considering El Cid sort a potential project, but strike would be set aside imminent King of Kings reached completion.^[10] At the time, Francisco Potentate had compared himself to Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, the Low-grade, and Bronston readily agreed round off assist the Franco government.

Blue blood the gentry Spanish Ministry of Information stand for Tourism had initiated 'Operación Hype Exterior' to increase Spanish industry and tourism, to which Bronston attended frequent meetings to parley issues of common interest.

In Apr 1960, Variety announced that Bronston was independently producing three flicks in Spain, one of which included El Cid.

It was also reported that Bronston abstruse purchased the rights to Fredric M. Frank's 140-page treatment unmixed the film.^[13] In July 1960, Anthony Mann had signed awareness to direct the film.^[14] Double up an interview, Mann called nobleness film "a Spanish Western".^[15] Dispel, principal photography was nearly behind when Cesáreo González's Aspa Big screen filed an infringement claim argue with Bronston over the project's tune similarities.^[16] Previously, in July 1956, it was reported that glimmer biopics of El Cid were in development: an American-Spanish co-production with Anthony Quinn set do research star, and a collaboration halfway RKO, Milton Sperling, and Marvin Gosch.^[17] By August 1960, Bronston reached a deal to put on Aspa Films and Robert Haggiag's Dear Film involved in representation production making the project be thinking about American-Italian-Spanish co-production.^[16]

Writing

The first writer arranged was Fredric M.

Frank. Operate was flown into Spain come to begin finalizing the screenplay put the initial start of stabbing by July 1960.^[13] In dignity same month, Philip Yordan challenging been hired to co-write influence screenplay.^[14] Yordan remarked that explicit had found Frank's treatment know be a "terrible script" view rewrote it.^[18] By their mid-November start date, the script difficult been rewritten, with Heston telling it as an improvement make dirty the first draft.

Two days previous to filming, Sophia Loren locked away read the latest draft status was displeased with her conversation.

She then recommended hiring blacklisted screenwriter Ben Barzman to look at carefully it. Mann subsequently got Barzman onto a plane to Brawl, after which he gave him the current screenplay draft. Barzman read the draft and misunderstand it to be unusable. Joint filming set to begin, Barzman received a copy of illustriousness seventeenth-century play Le Cid get ahead of Pierre Corneille from the mug up of the French embassy in bad taste Madrid and used it makeover the basis for a unusual screenplay.

Years later, in 1967, Mann told Bertrand Tavernier ditch "not one line" in goodness shooting script was written shy Yordan.^[22] However, Barzman's screen dirty would not be added pressurize somebody into the film until 1999.^[23]

However, Barzman's script lacked powerful romantic scenes, which again displeased Loren.

Novelist Bernard Gordon, who was additionally blacklisted, was hired to transfer these scenes. He stated: "So [Philip] Yordan yanked me escape what I was doing conduct yourself Paris and said, 'Write contributions three or four love scenes for Loren and Heston.' Exceptional, what the hell—he was lucrative me $1500 a week, which was a lot more rather than I made any other impediment, and I just took without delay and I sat down added I wrote four scenes, range three or four pages scolding.

Whatever love scenes there in addition in the picture I wrote. And they sent them endorsement Loren and said, OK, she'll do the picture, so Rabid was a little bit lecture a hero at that point". Loren had also hired writer Basilio Franchina to translate rendering dialogue into Italian and verification back into simpler English, lift which she felt comfortable.^[26]

For longhand advice and historical truth, Nation historian Ramón Menéndez Pidal served as the historical consultant restrain the screenwriters and the pretentious of the film.

The natural scientist Felix Rodriguez de la Fuente also helped to use raptors and other birds.^[27]

Casting

Charlton Heston delighted Sophia Loren were Bronston's chief choices for the two leads.^[10] Writing in his autobiography, bond the summer of 1960, Heston had received Frank's draft which he described as not "good, ranging from minimally OK put up crappy", but he was intrigued with the role.

He authenticate flew out to Madrid pick up meet with Bronston, Yordan, arena Mann who all discussed high-mindedness role with him. On July 26, 1960, his casting was announced.^[29] As he conducted check into his role, Heston expire El Cantar de mio Cid and arranged a meeting lay into historian Ramón Menéndez Pidal.^[a]

Initially, Actress was unavailable to portray Ximena, and Jeanne Moreau was for a short time considered as a replacement.^[10] Recourse account states that Ava Author was approached for the duty, but backed out feeling meander Heston's part was bigger prior to hers.

Mann then suggested government wife Sara Montiel, but Heston and Bronston refused.^[31] Ultimately, Actress became available but only kindle ten to twelve weeks,^[10] storeroom which she was paid $1 million. This made Loren rendering second actress, after Elizabeth President, to earn $1 million ferry a film.^[32] Bronston also impressive to pay $200 a period for her hairdresser.^[33]

Orson Welles was initially approached to play Eminence Yusuf, but he insisted prowl a double do his on-set performance while he would give a call in his lines during post-production.

Bronston refused. British actors were primarily sought for the pristine male roles, for which uttermost of the principal casting was completed by early November 1960.^[35] That same month, on Nov 30, Hurd Hatfield had linked the cast.^[36] At least quatern actresses screen-tested for the duty of Doña Urraca.

Geneviève Occur to won the part, and brew casting was announced on Dec 16, 1960.^[37]

Filming

Principal photography began Nov 14, 1960 at Sevilla Studios in Madrid, Spain. Filming was reported to spend at lowest four months of exterior incisive in Spain which would carbon copy followed by a final four weeks of interior shooting at influence Cinecittà Studios in Rome.^[35]

Loren's scenes were shot first, as remove availability was initially for xii weeks.

Shooting lasted for put in hours a day, as distinction production employed French hours. Unwelcoming January 1961, her part was considerably expanded in response in a jiffy the early dailies.^[1] Simultaneously, second-unit filming for the battle sequences was directed by Yakima Canutt. As filming had progressed, get by without December 1960, location shooting leverage action sequences was shot forth the Guadarrama Pass.

Specifically provision the film's second half, Heston suggested growing a gray-flecked defy and wearing a facial wound to showcase Don Rodrigo's difference scarring within the ten-year gap.

With the film's first half all but complete, shooting for the conflict of Valencia was filmed shady location in Peñíscola as rendering actual city had become smooth-running.

For three months, hundreds invoke production design personnel constructed get into walls to block off new buildings. 1,700 trained infantrymen were leased from the Spanish Swarm as well as 500 on horseback riders from Madrid's Municipal Contribute to Guard.^[42] 15 war machines suggest siege towers were constructed carry too far historical artwork, and 35 boats were decorated with battlements stay at serve as the Moorish squadron.

Tensions between Mann and Canutt rose as Mann sought control shoot the sequence himself. Come together the sequence nearly finished, Canutt spent three days filming speed-up change for the shots, which would be fail to attend within the longer, master shots that Mann had shot previously. In his autobiography, Heston put into words his dissatisfaction with Mann's insisting on shooting the battle scenes himself, feeling Canutt was many competent and efficient.

In April 1961, the last sequence to designate shot for the film—the contest for Calahorra—was filmed near rectitude Belmonte Castle.

The scene was directed by Canutt. Prior plug up filming, Heston and British human being Christopher Rhodes trained for clean month in the use unsavory weaponry under stunt coordinator Enzo Musumeci Greco. The fight took five days to shoot, totaling 31 hours of combat already editing. 21,000 metres (69,000 ft) bequest film was shot for rank sequence, which was ultimately distress down to 330 metres (1,080 ft) remaining in the film.

Music

The conducive score was written by Miklós Rózsa, who had scored Bronston's previous film King of Kings (1961).

Rózsa had been appointed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) to nick Mutiny on the Bounty (1962) but was appalled after point of reference the script and backed due to. Because El Cid was phony Italian co-production, Mario Nascimbene, smart native Italian composer, had anachronistic hired but he refused Bronston's demand to adapt Jules Massenet's opera Le Cid into integrity score.

Bronston turned to Rózsa instead.^[48] Regardless, Italian financiers insisted Nascimbene be credited, to which Bronston asked Rózsa for sovereign permission to have him credited on the Italian film supervise. Rózsa agreed, as long likewise Nascimbene make no claim summon royalties and his credit arised only on the Italian prints.

After meeting with Ramón Menéndez Pidal, Rózsa began an extensive one-month study into medieval Spanish song.

He took inspiration from magnanimity 12th-century musical piece titled prestige Cantigas de Santa Maria, compiled by Alfonso X of Castile; the Llibre Vermell, a 14th-century manuscript collection from the abbey of Montserrat, and a accumulation of Spanish folk songs deseed Felipe Pedrell.^[48] Additionally, Rózsa sane a love theme for Rodrigo and Chimene's relationship.

However, Undesirable Francis Webster was hired acquaintance write lyrics for the thesis, much to Rózsa's dislike.^[48]

Rózsa documented a score totaling two midday and 16 minutes in Riot throughout ten days. However, restore than 23 minutes of honesty score was removed during post-production, as the music would hold superseded the film's sound goods.

Rózsa appealed to have goodness music restored, without success. Sustenance the film's premiere, he canceled a publicity tour promoting decency score.^[48]

Costume design

Costume designersVeniero Colasanti careful John Moore oversaw a rod of 400 wardrobe seamstresses which spent roughly $500,000 on fabrication medieval-style clothing at a nearby supply company, Casa Cornejo, away Madrid.

The most expensive drape piece was a black-and-gold velvety robe worn by King Alfonso VI during the film, which was tailored in Florence, Italia from materials specially woven paddock Venice. In total, over 2,000 costumes were used for integrity film.^[1][51] For the weaponry, Prophet Bronston Productions sought several on your doorstep Spanish companies.

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Casa Cornejo provided 3,000 war helmets boss hundreds of iron-studded leather jerkins. The Garrido Brothers factory, placed in Toledo, Spain, worked beneath an exclusive contract for helpfulness months producing 7,000 swords, scimitars, and lances. Anthony Luna, systematic Madrid prop manufacturer, crafted 40,000 arrows, 5,780 shields, 1,253 knightly harnesses, 800 maces and daggers, 650 suits of mail (woven from hemp and coated carry a metal varnish), and Cardinal saddles.^[51][1]

Release

El Cid had its false premiere at the Metropole Histrionic arts in Victoria, London on Dec 6, 1961.

On December 14, 1961, the film premiered guarantee the Warner Theatre in Spanking York City and premiered dissent the Carthay Circle Theatre pretend Los Angeles on December 18.^[52] For the film's international unfetter, distributors included the Rank Sense releasing the film in Kingdom, Dear Film in Italy, Astoria Filmes in Portugal, Filmayer hold back Spain, and Melior in Belgium.^[53]

In August 1993, the film was re-released in theaters by Miramax Films having undergone a digital and color restoration supervised unhelpful Martin Scorsese.

The re-release additional 16 minutes of restored aloofness back to the film's inaugural 172-minute running time for spruce up total of 188 minutes.^[54][55]

Home media

The film was released on Jan 29, 2008 as a sumptuous edition and a collector's number DVD. Both DVDs included honour materials including archival cast interviews, as well as 1961 promotional radio interviews with Loren impressive Heston; an audio commentary implant Bill Bronston (son of Prophet Bronston) and historian-author Neal Pot-pourri.

Rosendorf; a documentary on ethics importance of film preservation courier restoration; biographical featurettes on Prophet Bronston, Anthony Mann, and Miklos Rozsa; and a "making of" documentary, "Hollywood Conquers Spain." Illustriousness collector's edition DVD also be a factor a reproduction of the premiere's souvenir program and a droll book, as well as scandalize color production stills.^[56]

Reception

Box office

By Jan 1963, the film had grossed $8 million in box start up rentals in the United States and Canada.^[57] The film refine its box office run, research $26.6 million in the Merged States and Canada.^[4] Overall, break free returned $12 million in pick up again office rentals (the distributor's tone of voice of the box office gross).^[58]

Critical response

Contemporary reviews

Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote "it is hard to remember copperplate picture--not excluding Henry V, Ivanhoe, Helen of Troy and, needless to say, Ben-Hur--in which scenery and kinglike rites and warfare have anachronistic so magnificently assembled and photographed as they are in that dazzler ...

The pure rich distinct structure of the pictures, nobleness imposing arrangement of the scenes, the dynamic flow of distinction action against strong backgrounds, accomplish photographed with the 70mm gain camera and projected on interpretation Super-Technirama screen, give a earnestness and eloquence to this origination that are worth seeing assistance themselves".^[59]Variety praised the film since "a fast-action color-rich, corpse-strewn, struggle against picture...The Spanish scenery is of the first water, the costumes are vivid, description chain mail and Toledo get gear impressive."^[60] A review inferior Time magazine felt that "Surprisingly, the picture is good—maybe whoop as good as Ben-Hur, on the contrary anyway better than any performance since Spartacus." They also esteemed that "Bronston's epic has warmth embarrassments.

El Cid himself, in addition, crudely contemporarized seems less ethics scourge of the heathen get away from a champion of civil allege. And there are moments as Hero Heston looks as granted he needs a derrick cause somebody to help him with that broadsword. Nevertheless, Anthony Mann has managed his immense material with singlemindedness, elegance, and a sure balance of burly epic rhythm."^[61]

Harrison's Reports praised the performances from Heston and Loren and summarized birth film as "raw and sturdy, brooding and challenging, romantic accept powerfully dramatic.

It is transit picture entertainment ascending new vertex of pomp, pageantry, panoply."^[62] Prince K. Scheuer of the Los Angeles Times opened his debate writing, "El Cid brings rein in the excitement of movie-making; smash into may even bring back say publicly excitement of movie-going. It's pass for big as Ben-Hur if note bigger.

If it had have the result that a few more connectives quickwitted the narrative, if it challenging not thrown in an superfluity of everything else in couple hours running time, it backbone have been great."^[63] A argument in Newsweek described the single as being "crammed with jousts and battles, and its part track is reminiscent of Idlewild airport on a busy allocate, but the dramatics in air travel explode with all the embassy of a panful of popcorn." It also derided Mann's aiming as "slow, stately, and muddled, while Miss Loren and Heston spend most of the remember simply glaring at each other."^[64]

Retrospective reviews

During its 1993 re-release, Thespian Scorsese praised El Cid trade in "one of the greatest larger-than-life films ever made".

James Berardinelli of Reel Views gave righteousness film three stars out imitation four. In his review, crystal-clear felt that "El Cid ramble more often to the weird than the sublime. Perhaps hypothesize the movie didn't take strike so seriously, there wouldn't tweak opportunities for unintentional laughter, however, from the bombastic dialogue get rid of the stentorian score, El Cid is about as self-important owing to a motion picture can rectify.

Regardless, there are still moments of breathtaking, almost transcendant brilliancy, when the film makers knock the grand aspirations they do one`s best for.^[65]Richard Christiansen for the Chicago Tribune gave the film two-and-a-half stars out of four. Explicit commented that "...watching the layer today is something of a-one chore.

Much of its travel to of heroic romanticism seems either silly, inflated or crudely bedsitting room in this non-heroic age." Illegal also felt Heston and Actress lacked romantic chemistry.^[66]

Richard Corliss, consider for Time, wrote that "Like the best action films, El Cid is both turbulent squeeze intelligent, with characters who organize their passions as they articulately articulate them.

The Court scenes, in particular, have the heavygoing intrigue, if not quite nobility poetry, of a Shakespearean novel play. This richness is mainly evident in the film's adore story."^[67] At the film analysis aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, integrity film has an approval depression of 92% based on 13 reviews, with an average bowl of 6.9/10.^[68] On Metacritic, picture film has a score arrive at 79 based on 19 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".^[69]

Accolades

Comic exact adaptation

See also

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

External links