BBB.5
(out of 5)
Roland Joffe followed The Killing Fields with this good but less impressive film set in the remote jungles of Brazil. Jeremy Irons plays a priest who travels to this supposedly ‘uncivilized’ part of the world to bring Christ to the natives, and comes upon a Portuguese slaver (Robert De Niro) who wants to commit suicide after having killed his brother in a rage. Irons convinces De Niro not to throw his life away but dedicate it to the church, and De Niro becomes so penitent that he decides to become a priest and help Irons in his work with the people. When the Portuguese take control over the land again, however, De Niro decides to lead the locals in a violent revolt against the slave traders while Irons tries to encourage a peaceful resolution. Beautifully photographed and lushly scored by Ennio Morricone, the film’s story sounds a lot better than it plays out, and some viewers might find it a deadly bore. The acting is excellent, however, and the locations irresistible to anyone curious enough. This was the last feature film script written by the great Robert Bolt, who won Academy Awards for Doctor Zhivago and A Man For All Seasons.
Warner Bros., Goldcrest Films International, Kingsmere Productions Ltd., Enigma Productions, AMLF
Directed by Roland Joffe
Story and screenplay by Robert Bolt
Cinematography by Chris Menges
Produced by Fernando Ghia, David Puttnam
Music by Ennio Morricone
Production Design by Stuart Craig
Costume Design by Enrico Sabbatini
Film Editing by Jim Clark
Film Festivals: Cannes 1986
Cast Tags: Aidan Quinn, Alejandrino Moya, Asuncion Ontiveros, Álvaro Guerrero, Bercelio Moya, Carlos Duplat, Cherie Lunghi, Chuck Low,Daniel Berrigan, Jeremy Irons, Joe Daly, Liam Neeson, Luis Carlos Gonzalez, Maria Teresa Ripoll, Monirak Sisowath, Rafael Camerano, Ray McAnally, Robert De Niro, Rolf Gray, Ronald Pickup, Sigifredo Ismare, Silvestre Chiripua, Tony Lawn
Academy Award
Best Cinematography (Chris Menges)
Nominations
Best Art Direction (art direction: Stuart Craig; set decoration: Jack Stephens)
Best Costume Design (Enrico Sabbatini)
Best Director (Roland Joffe)
Best Film Editing (Jim Clark)
Best Music (Original Score) (Ennio Morricone)
Best Picture (Fernando Ghia, David Puttnam, producers)
Golden Globe Awards
Best Screenplay (Robert Bolt)
Best Original Score-Motion Picture (Ennio Morricone)
Nominations
Best Motion Picture-Drama
Best Performance By An Actor in a Motion Picture-Drama (Jeremy Irons)
Best Director (Roland Joffe)
New York Film Critics Award Nomination
Best Cinematographer (Chris Menges)
Los Angeles Film Critics Award
Best Cinematography (Chris Menges)
Nomination
Best Music (Ennio Morricone)
National Board Of Review Award
Top Ten Films
Cannes Film Festival Award
Palme D’Or
British Academy Awards
Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Ray McAnally)
Best Editing
Best Score
Nominations
Best Film
Best Direction (Roland Joffe)
Best Screenplay – Original
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design
Best Sound
Best Special Visual Effects
Best Production Design
Cesar Award Nomination
Best Foreign Film
