Movie Description
A visually stunning epic, THE MISSION recounts the true story of two men--a man of the sword (Robert De Niro) and a man of the cloth (Jeremy Irons)--both Jesuit missionaries who defied the colonial forces of mighty Spain and Portugal to save an Indian tribe from slavery in mid-18th-century South America. Mendoza (De Niro) is a slave trader and colonial imperialist who murdered his own brother (Aidan Quinn) and seeks penance for his sins by becomining a missionary at Father Gabriel's (Irons) mountaintop mission; Gabriel is a devout and idealistic man who extols nonviolence and peaceful interaction with the natives and colonialists. Despite their differences, the two men must unite to save the mission when Spain, Portugal, and the Catholic church begin negotiating their boundaries in the area--negotiations that will affect both the freedom of the natives and the well-being of the Jesuit missionaries who have set up safe havens for them. Director Roland Joffé's sweeping masterpiece is a haunting account of the unjust treatment of the Guarani Indians of South America and the men who fought desperately, in very different ways, to save them. The film features a mezmerizing musical score by Ennio Morricone that weaves a stunning combination of church choirs and native Indian panpipes into the lush images of the Brazilian rainforest.
| Credits | | Cast: | Ray McAnally, Robert DeNiro |
| Details | | Edition: | 2-Disc Special Edition; Widescreen |
Notes
DVD Features:
Region 1
2-Disc Set
Digi-Pack
Anamorphic Widescreen - 2.35
Single Side - Dual Layer
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
Dolby Surround - French
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary - 1. Roland Joffe - Director
Featurette - 1. Making of THE MISSION
Text/Galleries:
Film Highlights - 1. Robert DeNiro - Star
2. Jeremy Irons - Star
3. Liam Neeson - Star
4. Roland Joffe - Star
5. Aidan Quinn - Star
6. Robert Bolt - Screenwriter, Theatrical release: November 1986.
Filmed on location over a 16-week period in Colombia and at the waterfalls of Cataratas del Iguazú on the border of Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil.
Estimated budget: $23 million.
THE MISSION is based on a true story.
Two of the missionaries in the film are played by real-life Jesuit clergymen, Daniel Berrigan and Tony Lawn. They also served as technical advisers on the film.
The film features one of Aidan Quinn's first screen appearances.
The National Board of Review named THE MISSION one of the 10 Best English-language films of 1986.
THE MISSION won the Golden Palm at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival.
Chris Menges received the Best Cinematography award from the Los Angeles Film Critics. His opening shot of a crucified man going over a waterfall is one of the most memorable scenes in film history.
Editorial Reviews
"...Spectacular scenery and an extraordinary high degree of production values....Director Joffe has come up with some stunning scenes..."
Variety - Sege.
"...THE MISSION is haunting spectacle, it is serious and passionate....It provides Jeremy Irons with a chance for his purest and most searing film performance..."
Los Angeles Times - p.C1 - Sheila Benson
"...Earnest in tone, melancholic in mood....If your tear ducts aren't tingling as its credits roll, check your soul..."
Total Film - Daniel Webb (07/01/2003)
"...Ennio Morricone's famous score sounds appropriately mystical and majestic..."
Hollywood Reporter - Glenn Abel (05/13/2003)
"...Many dazzling sequences....Joffé is well in command of his emotional commitments..."
Sight and Sound - Gavin Millar (09/01/1986)
Awards
1986Academy AwardsBest CinematographyChris Menges, 1986CannesPalme d'Or
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