Graffiti
The very first shot of the movie is of a wall in the stairwell of a British apartment complex. The graffiti is marked by two particularly important symbols which many viewers may not recognize: a stylistic fusing of the letters N and F and an A situated inside a circle. These are actually two of the most recognizable political symbols in the U.K. the NF of the fascistic National Front and the more universally recognized symbol for Anarchy. Both of these political ideologies will be at the forefront of the tale to be told.
Stuff in the Suitcase
In the present-day, the granddaughter of the protagonist discovers a treasure trove of old documents, including articles from communist newspapers, letters, a scar filled with dirt, yellowed photographs, etc. The meat of the narrative will be told in flashback, but the discovery of these things from the past become the symbolic bridge linking past and present with the robust suggestion that the issues of the past have not been settled and remain significant issues in the present.
The Red Scarf
That red scarf which the granddaughter discovers among the protagonist's belongings at the beginning shows up again at the end when he buried. She recites from a poem about no man really dying if he deeds should prevail. Then she throws the dirt onto his coffin and grasps the scarf in her hand in a silent militant salute in which the scarf becomes the symbol of that immortality gained by passing on the fight for principles to the next generation.
The Dirt
The dirt which is found inside the red scarf is Spanish soil brought back to England with him by her grandfather after the time he spent in Spain fighting against the fascist in the Spanish Civil War. It remains in the suitcase wrapped within the scarf as a reminder of the good fight he fought and ultimately lost. By tossing it onto his casket at his burial, this "land" becomes a symbol of her grandfather's finally gaining "freedom" from his guilt, doubts, and burdens of having failed to gain that freedom for Spain during his life.
Blanca's Murder
The shooting of Blanca near the end of the flashback narrative is a shocking moment that nevertheless seems as inevitable as it does unbelievable. It is the climax of an extended sequence which is likely to be confusing even to viewers armed with a strong historical understanding. The sequence is not really pure anarchy, but it comes across that way as it raises questions about who can be trusted, who are still comrades, what goal is everyone really working toward. Those questions are effectively answered with the shooting of Blanca which becomes the symbolic key to interpreting anarchy.
