Persian Realm

Shah of Iran and Queen Soraya's State visit to Spain's Generalisimo Francisco Franco in 1957. In search of Respectability, Spain's dictator who had maintained Spain's neutrality during WW 2 began restoring it's diplomatic relations with the United States and it's allies as well as with Spain's democratic European neighbors still haunted by the bitter memories of the Spanish Civil War. Hollywood productions were welcome to shoot films in Spain as was the case for the Daryll F. Zanuck's Production of Henry King's adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's classic novel The Sun Also Rises (1957), shot the same year as Iran's Royal State visit.

Shah of Iran and Queen Soraya arrive in Franco's Spain (1957):

The Sun Also Rises - Trailer (1957):

Directed by Henry King Starring Ava Gardner, Tyron Power, Errol Flynn, Mel Ferrer and Eddie Albert

Plot: The story of a group of disillusioned American expatriate writers living a dissolute, 

hedonistic lifestyle in 1920's France and Spain.

The Spanish Civil War depicted in Fred Zinnemann's  Behold the Pale Horse (1964)- Starring Gregory Peck, Omar Sharif and Anthony Quinn:

Related blog:

Shapour Bakhtiar Fought in Spain against Franco by volunteering in the International Brigades and later he joined the Forces Française Libres commanded by General De Gaulle in the Bataillon d'Orléans against Nazi Occupation during WWII.

BEHOLD THE PALE HORSE: French Socialists Pay Tribute to Shapour Bakhtiar

Related pictory Spain - Iran:

ROYAL CURTSY: Iran's Royal Family At Spain's Crown Prince's Wedding (2004)

pictory: Spanish Royals at Golestan Palace (1975)  

ROYALTY: King Juan Carlos of Spain Greeted by Shahbanou at Sa'ad Abad Palace State Dinner (1978)

ROYALTY: Crown Prince Reza & King Juan Carlos of Spain

pictory:King of Spain State Visit to Imperial Iran (1976)

Royalty: Farah and Sophia at Niavaran (1976)

pictory: Shah and King Juan Carlos Share a Laugh, Tehran (1975)

ROYALTY: Spain Greets Iran's Prince Gholam Reza and spouse Manjineh (1978)

Related Spanish Blogs:

HISTORY FORUM: Franco's Ghost- Spain's Painful Road Towards National Reconciliation

Viva España, Viva El Rey !!

ROYAL FORUM: China signs $7.5b deals with Juan Carlos' Spain

ROYAL FORUM: Spain's Royal Family Cut Budget For First Time In History

ROYAL FORUM: The Pain in the Reign in Spain