Hollywood Against Franco

At the end of a bloody civil war, Francisco Franco seized power and ruled Spain with an iron hand for nearly four decades. Under his leadership the conservative, monarchist armed forces staged a coup against Spain's democratically elected republican government. The insurrection was supported by Italy and Germany. Three years of bitter fighting followed and by April 1939, Spain had become a different country. The hostilities and political purges cost half a million lives.

While the world is about to be thrown into the Second World War, the American studios are going to put in place a unique mobilization in the history of cinema.

Jonathan Meades looks at the architectural legacy of one of Europe’s most notorious dictators - Francisco Franco. He reveals that Franco’s lasting contribution to Spanish architecture wasn’t in the dull official buildings he commissioned, but in the tower blocks of tourist towns like Benidorm.

Learn how Francisco Franco used the tactics of colonial war to win control of Spain. Driven by a deeply conservative vision, he used torture, murder and incarceration to transform Spanish Society.

Spain 1960, the dawn of the country's economic development. Industrial "reorganization" means that many workers have lost their jobs and are forced to emigrate. Martin is one of them. Martin, his wife Pilar and their son Pablito live with Mart'n's parents in a basement apartment that comes with their job as superintendents of the building. Encouraged by Marcos, his friend and co-worker, Martin…

Over 500 Scots fought in the Spanish Civil War which devastated Spain 70 years ago. Emotions and memories of this extraordinary conflict are still alive and poignant. This two-part documentary series, narrated by actor David Hayman, remembers the major conflict through unseen, unique archive interviews with Scots who joined the International Brigade, or Brigaders as they are known.

With the recent exhumation and removal of Franco's remains from a public mausoleum for the fallen - a symbolic gesture by the current socialist government to give the 500,000 victims of the Spanish Civil War their rightful recognition - this Storyville documentary is a timely reminder of Spain's traumatic past. Filmed over six years, it reveals the epic struggle of the victims of Spain's 40-year dictatorship under General Franco, as they organise a groundbreaking international lawsuit and fight a government-sanctioned 'pact of forgetting' the crimes that they suffered. A cautionary tale about fascism and the dangers of forgetting the past.

Hollywood arrives en force to Quincy, the small town where the secret Crown Cola billionaires live. They want to film about the billionaires and how they made their fortunes.. Summer Jenkins, who was the town pariah, joins forces with the scout, Ben, and finds filming locations, extras, liasons with the town officials and house owners, etc. When Cole Masten arrives, they hate each other, but sparks fly. Cole is running from a nasty divorce, yet is captivated by Summer. Summer is dying to leave town to get away from the gossip. This is a great story about Southern customs, a Southern girl, and a Hollywood star who finds his lady.

Explores the life of Grace Kelly, examining her transition from Oscar-winning Hollywood star to marrying into one of the world's most closely observed royal families. The programme examines her feelings concerning this change, questioning if she ever longed to return to the screen. Featuring rarely seen archive footage and insider interviews.

Documentary exploring the life of Grace Kelly, examining her transition from Oscar-winning Hollywood star to marrying into one of the world's most closely observed royal families. The programme examines her feelings concerning this change, questioning if she ever longed to return to the screen. Featuring rarely seen archive footage and insider interviews.