Che Part One: Argentine, is the first half of Che, a 2008 film starring Benicio del Toro in the title role and was directed by Steven Soderbergh. The film was first screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May, 2008, earning Del Toro the Festival's best actor award. It was later divided into two parts, Part 1, called The Argentine being released in the United States on December 12, 2008 to qualify it for the Academy Awards. Both parts were put into wider release in January 2009. The first part, The Argentine, follows Che Guevara through the Cuban Revolution against Fulgencio Batista, and the second, Che Part Two: Guerrilla, is the story of the failed revolution in Bolivia.
The following guns were used in the movie Che Part One: Argentine
Sidearms
Colt M1911A1
The rebels and Cuban Army officers are armed with Colt M1911A1 pistols.
World War II issued Colt M1911A1 Pistol - .45 ACP
Smith & Wesson Model 10 M&P Revolver
Esteban (Jose Caro), a rebel deserter, carries a Smith & Wesson Model 10 M&P Revolver.
Smith & Wesson Model M&P Revolver with long barrel and Gold Medallion grips - .38 Special
Esteban's Smith & Wesson Model 10 M&P Revolver on display after his capture.
Submachine Guns
Sa 25
One of Che Guevara's Captains, Lalo Sardiñas (Luis Gonzaga Hernandez), carries a Sa 25 during the revolution.
Armed with a Sa 25, Sardiñas leads his column into battle.
M1921AC Thompson
Camilo Cienfuegos (Santiago Cabrera), who later went on to star as Aramis in the series "The Musketeers" (2014)), Che Guevara (Benicio del Toro) and several other rebels carry the M1921AC Thompson equipped with 20-round magazines. Some rebels' Thompsons are occasionally fitted with a larger 30-round magazine or a 50-round drum magazine.
Colt M1921AC Thompson with 20-round magazine - .45 ACP
Camilo Cienfuegos (
Santiago Cabrera) greets Che, M1921AC Thompson (equipped with a 30-round mag) in hand. Notice his
trigger discipline.
Camilo fires his Thompson.
Reloading while one of his men exposes himself to complaint, just before being shot.
Che talks to a villager, Thompson slung around his back. Notice the larger 30-round magazine.
Camilo rests his Thompson at his right shoulder. Notice the excelent
trigger discipline adecuate for such handling.
Camilo aims down the sights of his Thompson at a Cuban Army column.
Colt M1921AC Thompson with 50-round drum magazine - .45 ACP
Che fires his M1921AC Thompson, fitted with a 50-round drum magazine.
A rebel fires his Thompson at a Cuban Army sniper nest.
M1A1 Thompson
A few of the rebels carry M1A1 Thompson submachine guns.
M1A1 Thompson with 30-round magazine - .45 ACP
A rebel carrying an M1A1 Thompson.
Two rebels armed with M1A1 Thompsons move into position for an ambush.
Rifles
FN FAL
Ramiro Valdes (Vladimir Cruz) carries an FN FAL. His version appears to be the "G Series", modified for civilian use by the U.S. If true it means Valdes rifle is a rare example of a batch of only 1,848 rifles in total. The "G series" were imported into the US from Belgium's "Fabrique Nationale" manufacturer between 1959-1963. Further import was prohibited in 1963 when the "G series" were designated a machine gun by the ATF.
FN FAL "G Series" - 7.62x51mm NATO
Ramiro Valdes (
Vladimir Cruz) fires at Cuban Soldiers during the Battle for the Moncada Barracks. Note the ejected shell-casing.
Ramiro clutches his FN FAL as he receives orders from Che Guevara during a firefight with a Cuban Army column.
Ramiro (far left) holds his FAL.
Ramiro (center) and several rebels advance towards a Cuban Army train.
Ramiro moves up with his rifle during an attack on a Cuban Army sniper nest in Santa Clara.
M1903A3 Springfield
One of Camilo Cienfuegos' (Santiago Cabrera) men carries an M1903A3 Springfield during the attack on the Moncada Barracks, where he is killed in action. Camilio uses the Springfield when his Thompson runs out of ammunition.
The World War II Springfield Rifle - the Model 03-A3. This was a simplified version of the 1903 to supplement the M1 Garand for troops in World War 2. Many Marines and Army soldiers hit the battlefield with the 03-A3. This example was built at the Remington plant. During World War II - only Remington and Smith Corona (the typewriter company) built 03A3 rifles from the original WWI tooling from Rock Island - .30-06
Camilo Cienfuegos (
Santiago Cabrera) burrows an M1903A3 Springfield from a deceased comrade.
Camilo chambers a new round into the Springfield.
M1 Garand
The M1 Garand is the standard weapon of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara's band of rebels, as well as the Cuban Army.
M1 Garand semiautomatic Rifle with leather M1917 sling - .30-06
Che Guevara (
Benicio del Toro) carrying a slung M1 Garand during the rendezvous with Castro's column.
A rebel fires an M1 Garand at Cuban Army soldiers.
Two rebels pour down covering fire with their M1 rifles.
A rebel fires his M1 during a firefight with the Cuban Army.
A stockpile of M1 Garands at the rebel camp.
Recruits train with the M1 Garand.
A rebel recruit cleans his M1 Garand.
Rebels armed with M1 rifles await the order to open fire.
El Vaquerito -"The Little Cowboy"- (
Unax Ugalde) moves through the streets of Santa Clara, M1 rifle at the ready.
A pair of rebels fire at a Cuban Army sniper nest with their M1 Garands.
M1 Carbine
Also carried by the rebels and Cuban Army is the M1 Carbine.
World War Two Era M1 Carbine, with Dark Walnut Stock, 'L' peep sight and no bayonet lug - correct for most of WW2, shown with khaki sling and oiler and a period Magazine pouch for buttstock - .30 Carbine
Several rebels attending a weapons course carry M1 Carbines.
Two rebels armed with M1 Carbines trek through the Cuban mountains.
An M1 Carbine lies next to a dead rebel.
A pair of rebels fire M1 Carbines at a Cuban Army garrison in Santa Clara.
M1A1 Carbine
Raul Castro (Rodrigo Santoro) can be briefly seen with an M1A1 Carbine.
M1A1 Carbine with original L style rear sights, and side-folding stock, often referred to as the 'Paratrooper' carbine - .30 Carbine
M2 Carbine
Che Guevara (Benicio del Toro) uses the M2 Carbine during the Battle of Santa Clara.
Che Guevara (
Benicio del Toro), M2 Carbine in hands, dives for cover during a Cuban Air Force attack.
Che (in front) carries an M2 Carbine.
Che, Carbine slung, talks to a fellow rebel via radio. His RTO and Aleida March (
Catalina Sandino Moreno) carry M1 Garands.
Che fires his M2 Carbine during the Battle of Santa Clara.
Che fires his Carbine one-handed.
Winchester Model 70
Fidel Castro (Demián Bichir) and his brother Raul (Rodrigo Santoro) use the Winchester Model 70. Che Guevara (Benicio del Toro) also carries the rifle for a short period of time.
Winchester Model 70 - .30-06
Castro takes aim at a Cuban Army officer.
A Winchester Model 70 can be seen carried by Che Guevara (
Benicio del Toro) (closest to camera).
Che and Castro talk strategy.
A rebel carries a Winchester Model 70.
A rebel with a Model 70 runs from a Cuban air strike.
Machine Guns
Browning Automatic Rifle
One of the rebels carries a Browning Automatic Rifle.
Browning Automatic Rifle - .30-06
A rebel takes aim with his Browning Automatic Rifle.
The rebel on the far right carries a B.A.R.
Browning M1919A4
Two Browning M1919A4 machine guns are captured by Che Guevara's forces from a Cuban Army train during the Battle of Santa Clara.
Browning M1919A4 on M2 tripod - .30-06
A pair of Cuban Army Browning M1919's sit in a captured ammunition train.
Browning M2HB
A Browning M2HB is mounted on and fired from a Cuban Army Sherman Tank during the Battle of Santa Clara.
Browning M2HB on vehicle mount - .50 BMG
A Cuban tanker is shot off of a Browning M2HB on an M4 Sherman.
Shotguns
12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun
One of the rebels briefly carries a 12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun.
Samuel Buckley & Company/Anson & Deeley Side by Side Shotgun - 12 gauge
Winchester Model 1897
Rebel Cuervo (Bryant Huffman) carries a Winchester Model 1897.
Winchester Model 1897 Riot Gun - 12 gauge.
Cuervo (
Bryant Huffman) rests a Winchester Model 1897 on his shoulder.
A triumphant rebel displays a Model 1897 after the victory at Santa Clara.
Launchers
M20A1 "Super Bazooka"
An M20A1 "Super Bazooka" is carried by the rebels. Che Guevara (Benicio del Toro) uses it to detonate a weapons dump, and it is used by a rebel soldier to knock out an M4 Sherman in Santa Clara.
M20A1 "Super Bazooka" - 3.5"
A rebel fires an M20A1 "Super Bazooka".
Dismayed at his comrades bad shot, Che commandeers the Bazooka, scoring an explosive hit on a weapons dump.
A rebel loads his comrades Bazooka.
The rebel takes aim at a Cuban Army M4 Sherman.
Grenades
Mk 2 Hand Grenade
Both the rebels and Cuba's Army use the Mk 2 Hand Grenade.
The rebel on the right carries two Mk 2 Hand Grenades on his belt.
A pair of booby-trapped grenades sit on the entrance to a Cuban Army snipers nest.
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