I have seen the original American play several times, including on broadway and the touring cast, the movie, and have the original LP album and cd set.

After seeing the play the first time, I became interested in "Santa Evita" and read up on her via the library (there was no internet back then- or even personal computers)...

The movie was ok, but if you knew the play, you would probably agree the movie can barely hold a candle to it. Madonna cannot do justice to Patti LuPone. That was just my own commentary on that.

As far as Che goes, it was Che Guevara. ALW commented that while Che grew up in Argentina during the time of the Peron's rule (I think he was 19 when they came to power), there was no evidence they has ever met, or that Che even participated in any protests or anything else, Weber just used Che's character as an antagonist to Evita.

I think the play (and the movie to some extent) portrayed her rather accurately. She was a major itch with a capitol "B"!

Her and her husband both were corrupt, murderers, evil, and even Nazi sympathizers (they allowed many Nazis to flee to Argentina (so long as they had they money to pay for it, of course)). They bled their country at every opportunity.

As far as the "Forgotten Brigade", I have no idea what that was in reference to, but my wife asked me about it earlier today, hence my arrival here after a google search.

Seriously though, check out the music, lyrics, or the play and then decide what the song(s) meant as far as glorifying Evita- it was in no way doing so. In fact, the "People of Argentina", as well as the government of Argentina hated the music and the play because it maligned their beloved "Santa Evita".