Guillermo del Toro's Forgotten Wartime Horror Gem: Unveiling His Pre-Pan's Labyrinth Masterpiece

The Big Picture

War is portrayed as the ultimate monster in Guillermo del Toro's film The Devil's Backbone, highlighting the dark side of humanity during wartime.

The film delves into the harrowing ordeal of war orphans amidst the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War, vividly depicting the agony, terror, and hopelessness they endure. Employing the narrative style of magical realism, The Devil's Backbone utilizes spectral figures as a symbolic representation of the children's war-induced trauma, while also offering a thought-provoking commentary on mankind's inclination towards brutality, resulting in an impactful and unforgettable viewing experience.

Horror can both entertain and terrify us in various ways, from thrilling scares to disturbing gore. However, there is one form of horror that universally strikes fear in our hearts: war. War is the most malevolent, ruthless, and sadistic monster, both on the silver screen and in reality, with its colossal number of casualties. Guillermo del Toro has always been aware of this, and throughout his career, he has juxtaposed literal monsters with the darkest aspects of humanity in his fantasy horror films, constantly questioning, "Who is the true monster?" Today, we delve into del Toro's most impactful exploration of war, a largely unknown gem from 2001 called The Devil's Backbone. Set in an orphanage during the waning days of the Spanish Civil War, it stands as one of del Toro's earliest and most potent cinematic achievements.

Despite being only del Toro's third film, preceding his other well-known wartime horror Pan's Labyrinth, The Devil's Backbone showcases the director's unparalleled ability to confront audiences with the chilling realities of war. In fact, it leaves viewers more shattered than what ensued in his subsequent works. The sheer sorrow that engulfs The Devil's Backbone weighs heavily on its audience, particularly as it delves into the traumatic lives of war orphans. These forgotten children, abandoned by their fallen parents, must navigate through the horrors of famine, disease, greed, and utter despair, painting a profoundly heart-wrenching picture.

'The Devil's Backbone' Is a Gothic Ghost Story Done Right

Set in Spain during the final year of the civil war between republicans and fascists, The Devil's Backbone tells the story of an orphanage that is struck by a bomb that fails to detonate. This unexploded bomb casts a shadow over the playground where the children spend their days. Carlos, a young boy who has lost his parents to the war, arrives at the orphanage and grapples with feelings of abandonment. However, he soon finds both solace and conflict among his fellow orphans.

The orphanage itself is a desolate and dilapidated place, far removed from the ongoing battles of the Civil War. Lacking proper funding and care, it is run by a small group of individuals who are struggling to get by. Among them are the elderly doctor Casares, the orphanage's matriarch Mrs. Carmen, and two adult orphans, Jacinto and Conchita, who have grown up within its walls. In this environment, the orphans and caregivers do their best to cope, and Carlos must adjust to this new life amidst the backdrop of war. However, his journey is made even more challenging by the presence of a haunting figure that prowls the grounds at night. This ghostly presence, a young boy who whispers and wheezes, seems to be trying to communicate something to Carlos.

Before long, the encroaching violence of the war on the outskirts begins to approach the orphanage, heightening tensions among the adults who grapple with their options. Should they evacuate? Should they flee the country with the hidden gold reserve of Doctor Casares and Carmen? Meanwhile, the children embark on uncovering the mysteries of the orphanage's haunting, but their focus soon shifts as the adults' greed, jealousy, and brutality seize control, leaving the boys to navigate a deteriorating and perilous situation.

To avoid spoiling the film's unexpected twists and turns, we won't divulge further details here. However, it is crucial to understand that the true threat in this film lies in humanity's capacity for violence, rather than the ghost. The ghost serves more as a metaphor, ominously representing the agony and despair of the orphans rather than a mere source of cheap thrills. While the ghost initially instills horror during the first and second acts as the protagonist, Carlos, discovers its existence and grapples to comprehend it, this merely reflects the emotional state of a young boy recently abandoned in a cold and desolate place plagued by violence. As Carlos unravels the truth behind the ghost, he concurrently matures into the resilient and courageous boy necessary to survive the harsh circumstances he faces. The ghostly boy serves as a distorted reflection of Carlos and his fellow orphans, embodying their anguish and fear. In the gripping finale, the boys will learn to conquer their fears alongside the ghost.

How Magical Realism Amplifies The Tragedy Of The Devil's Backbone

Image via Canal+ España

The Devil's Backbone falls under the genre of Magical Realism, which originated in Spanish-speaking countries like Colombia and Chile. Renowned authors such as Gabriel García Márquez and Isabel Allende have shaped the genre with their novels like 100 Years of Solitude and The House of the Spirits. Magical Realism is characterized by its setting in ordinary, realistic environments that often grapple with desperation and tragedy, such as war and famine. However, within these settings, subtle elements of fantasy, like ghosts or fairies, can occur. Unlike traditional fantasy, the fantastical aspects in Magical Realism play a secondary role, serving as metaphorical representations that enhance the profound and emotional impact of the story's real and often tragic plot points.

The storytellers who venture into this genre do so with a desire to convey a deeply meaningful and emotionally resonant narrative, often reflecting personal experiences or events that have profoundly affected their lives. For instance, Isabel Allende wrote The House of the Spirits as a reflection of her family's ordeal during the violent coup d'état led by Augusto Pinochet in Chile in 1973. Similarly, Guillermo del Toro, the director of both The Devil's Backbone and Pan's Labyrinth, explores themes related to the Spanish Civil War. Although Guillermo del Toro is Mexican, both of his parents are of Spanish descent, and he dedicated The Devil's Backbone to his Spanish parents in the film's closing credits. Considering his parents' generation, who lived through the Spanish Civil War, the dedication speaks volumes about the potentially impactful experiences his family may have undergone during that time.

The presence of Magical Realism in The Devil's Backbone is undeniable. The specter itself takes a backseat to the imminent threat of war and the escalating tensions amongst the adult characters within the orphanage. From the audience's perspective, at least, the ghost is not the primary concern. However, for the children, the apparition represents a menacing aura that they cannot comprehend. In reality, though, the ghost child poses no true danger; rather, he is just as bewildered and frightened as the orphans themselves. This is where the metaphor lies. As Dr. Casares eloquently elucidates in a captivating monologue that both opens and concludes the film, albeit with a significantly altered connotation by the end due to the emotional tumultuousness experienced, ghosts are distorted reflections of someone's anguish, distant memories of trauma, or blurry images of sorrow.

The metaphors of war in 'The Devil's Backbone'

Image via Canal+ España

The war will eventually cease, and the orphans will eventually depart from the orphanage... However, within them will persist a lingering specter, a distant recollection of the agonizing period they endured within those walls, an indistinct image of the desolate structure and the desperate individuals who tried, but ultimately failed, to provide solace. Similar to the undetonated bomb that perpetually casts its ominous shadow over the playground, and akin to the apparition that reflects past transgressions committed within the dim corridors of the building, these elements symbolize the children's wartime ordeal. In the minds and memories of the orphans, the orphanage IS the war, with its ticking bomb serving as an eternal reminder of their distress, and the ghost embodying the trauma of being forsaken to navigate a treacherous sea of isolation and bewilderment, abandoned by a world of adults more preoccupied with inflicting harm upon one another and amassing wealth, rather than caring for the lives they brought into existence.

These ideas are also reflected in the film's title. Dr. Casares is seen explaining to Carlos why he keeps a glass jar containing a stillborn fetus. He reveals that this baby was abandoned by the world, rejected and discarded, condemned to a life of nonexistence like a forsaken devil. Yet, the grown men of society eagerly purchase a medicinal concoction derived from the fetus' spine, believed to invigorate and strengthen the drinker. The doctor creates this brew to generate income for the orphanage, which he refers to as "the devil's backbone." Just like the stillborn fetus in the jar, the children of the orphanage are dismissed by the world, forgotten victims of mankind's insatiable desire for power in various forms.

Furthermore, the storyline of the film itself serves as a poignant metaphor for war. Without giving away spoilers, it can be said that the orphanage symbolizes a typical human community, consisting of its leaders, Dr. Casares and Mrs. Carmen, its enforcers, Jacinto and Conchita, and its general population, the orphans. As the external war rages on, the various layers of this microcosmic society within the orphanage collide and engage in conflict through the age-old patterns of human history: battles for control of resources, vengeance for abuse and exploitation, and the pursuit of love. Ultimately, the greedy meet their demise through their own actions, the leaders with sinful pasts face justice, and the general inhabitants are left scarred but resilient, saddened yet hopeful for a brighter future once the fighting ceases.

The Devil's Backbone is ultimately a captivating depiction of the intricacies of life and death. It transcends the boundaries of a traditional ghost story by delving into the complexities of human nature, rather than focusing solely on supernatural elements. Additionally, it serves as a powerful metaphor for humanity's enduring inclination towards aggression and conflict. This film will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression, akin to the indelible impact of a haunting childhood experience on its fictional protagonists. US viewers can stream The Devil's Backbone on Prime Video.

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