Marisa (Beatriz de Añara) daughter of the Marquis of Orduña (Rafael Bardem) remembers her past days of resistence in the Santuario de Maria de La Cabeza . On July 17, 1936 , Francisco Franco began the military rebellion in Spanish Morocco . Some patriots and nationalists take shelter in the sanctuary of the Virgen de la Cabeza. There Marisa heals Aracil (Alfredo Mayo) that previously saved her from enemy troops . In the sanctuary join and resist various villagers , soldiers (Carlos Muñoz , Antonio Casas , Ángel de Andrés , Manuel Monroy ) , and Guardia Civil commanded by Captain Cortés (Tomás Blanco) until the tragic battle final.
This is a historical story in which an intense drama collides with war , ideology and politics . The film was made in similar style to ¨Sin Novedad en El Alcazar¨(1940) by Augusto Genina and setting on the real location and praising the courage of the besieged heroes . The picture is pretty well , though there is an excessive pamphlet tone and propaganda . Displaying a great cast with the best actors at the time such as Alfredo Mayo , Tomás Blanco , Carlos Muñoz , Antonio Casas , Eduardo Fajardo , Valeriano Andrés, Ángel de Andrés , Manuel Monroy , Mary Lamar , José María Lado, Fernando Fernández de Córdoba , José María Lado , among others .The motion picture was professionally directed by Arturo Ruiz del Castillo.
This picture " ! El Santuario no se rinde! " was based on historical events , these are the following ones : The Sanctuary was finally built between 1287 and 1304 on the hill of La Cabeza in Andujar and was renovated at the end of the 16th century. Since 1930, the Trinitarians have been attending worship in the Sanctuary and have maintained their devotion throughout the yeat to the Santisima Virgin Mary de los Trinitarios. During the Spanish Civil War it was the refuge for some two hundred rebellious civil guards from the national side of the province who joined the military uprising in Spain in July 1936, their families and many civilians who were trapped inside. They resisted the siege for nine months against a much larger contingent of soldiers loyal to the Government of the Second Spanish Republic. During these months some people left the sanctuary and surrendered to the attackers of the Republican side, until finally on May 1, 1937, with the Sanctuary reduced to rubble, Captain Santiago Cortés González was mortally wounded. Finally the Sanctuary is taken by the republican side. The final result of the bombardments on the Sanctuary was its reduction to rubble, the loss of its artistic wealth and of the primitive image of the Virgin of the Head. The main causes of its destruction include the incessant bombardments from the Republican side due to the resistance of the refugees under the command of Captain Santiago Cortés González and the importance and repercussion that the press on both sides gave to the development of the siege. The high command of the Republic gave great importance to its conquest and subsequent eviction, more as a symbol than as a strategic victory relevant to the war. The events were taken to the cinema in 1949 with this ¨El sanctuary does not surrender¨, one of the films that were published to praise the National side.
